(Photo by Ahmed Al-Malky\ DNE)
Three detained students have been prevented from taking their midterm exams at Ain Shams and Zagazig Universities, according to an Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) report.
The rights group revealed that Kanater prison allegedly told Ain Shams University’s Faculty of Commerce that it has to postpone exams for student Hanan Mostafa, currently serving a two-year sentence. The Faculty of Commerce responded that Mostafa’s exams would be delayed.
Zagazig University’s Faculty of Pharmacy also refused to send observers to conduct the exams of two detained students, Omar Omar and Abu Bakr Omar, according to the report.
Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim decided on 16 December to allow imprisoned students to attend their midterm exams, saying that Prison Authority division will coordinate with universities regarding the issue.
The anti-government group Students Against the Coup (SAC) at Zagazig University said that instead of sending observers to conduct the two students’ exams, the Faculty of Pharmacy sent an investigation committee to conduct investigations with the students.
The faculty decided not to conduct the twin brothers’ exams in prison, despite the students completing of the required procedures, according to SAC.
AFTE lawyer Amr Hassan said that even some of the detained students transported to universities to take their exams were not allowed by universities to attend the exams.
Al-Azhar University’s spokesperson Ahmed Zarea said that his university allows all the detained students to take their exams, even those who are detained but not serving sentences.
Since the start of the academic year on 11 October, over 300 students have been arrested, according to AFTE.
