The case against Islam Afifi has sparked an outcry from journalists and intellectuals who view the lawsuit as an attack on free speech similar to the types of legal maneuvering used by the former regime of authoritarian ruler Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted in a last year's popular uprising, to silence its opponents.

Afifi, who is the editor-in-chief of the el-Dustour newspaper owned by the leader of the opposition Wafd Party, has been charged with slandering the president and harming public interest with inflammatory articles. He had already been banned from traveling abroad.

A Cairo court on Thursday ordered Afifi to remain in jail pending trial in September. Hours after the court's decision, President Mohammed Morsi issued a law that bans imprisoning journalists for media-related charges until court verdicts are handed down.

Afifi, who still faces trial, was photographed smiling and being greeted by newspaper staff after his release late Thursday.

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