(Photo courtesy of Tamrod Facebook Page)
At least three members of the Tamarod campaign have been arrested outside Sohag University on Saturday.
Islam Al-Rayan, a member of the campaign in Sohag governorate, said the arrest took place at 11am outside the university, while the members were collecting signatures for a petition demanding Mohamed Morsi’s removal from the presidency. “It is a peaceful campaign,” he said.
Al-Rayan claimed a lot of people were ready to give their signatures when “youth from the Muslim Brotherhood started antagonising us”. He said the campaigners ignored them when the Muslim Brotherhood’s youth “got the university security to arrest the students”.
The official spokesperson for Muslim Brotherhood students could not be reached for comment.
While Tamarod’s Facebook page said only three were arrested, Al-Rayan said the detainees are four. He named Mohamed Yousef, Yehia Al-Za’aq, Yehia Mekki and Mos’ab Hamdan.
Another member of the campaign in Sohag, Ala’a Adel, said people were gathered outside the university gates waiting to see what will happen to the arrested campaign members. After their arrest, they were taken to the university president’s office.
Eventually, the police arrived and took the Tamarod members into custody.
Al-Rayan said the Tamarod campaign will be filing a complaint against the Muslim Brotherhood Youth and the university security, which he described as “complicit” for arresting people who were outside the university campus.
He added members from different political parties gathered outside the police station where the members were detained to denounce the arrest.
Tamarod, or “Rebellion”, is a petition campaign that was launched in late April to gather signatures disapproving of President Mohamed Morsi. The campaign is also calling for early presidential elections.
The campaign is aiming to collect 15 million signatures before 30 June, the day that will mark Morsi’s one year anniversary in power.
