An Egyptian lawyer appealed on Saturday an earlier acquittal verdict against TV presenter Islam El-Beheiry by a Giza Misdemeanour Court on charges of blasphemy.

On Wednesday, El-Beheiry was acquitted of the charges, which relate to a controversial show on Islam that he previously hosted on TV channel Al-Kahera Wal Nas.

Lawyer Mamdouh Abdel-Gawad, who had filed the case against Beheiry in the first place, filed an appeal against the acquittal with the general prosecution on Saturday. The prosecutor is yet to rule on the appeal request.

Last May, in a separate case filed by another lawyer, Mohamed Abdel-Salam, El-Beheiry received a five-year sentence, also on charges of blasphemy. The TV presenter appealed the verdict and was released on bail.

Up to 48 legal complaints have been filed against El-Beheiry over views he expressed on his show, With Islam.

In April, Egypt's highest Sunni authority Al-Azhar also filed a complaint with Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones requesting it stop airing El-Beheiry's show.

Al-Azhar accused the presenter of leading a “fierce” campaign against the foundations of Islam and Islamic heritage.

Shortly afterwards, Al-Kahera Wal Nas cancelled the show.

El-Beheiry's show tackled controversial issues such as punishments for apostasy, early marriage, and different interpretations of the Hadith, the sayings and teachings of Islam's Prophet Mohamed.