Over 33 students were interrogated by National Security on Monday after being arrested from an academic course session in Alexandria.
The students, who were attending a “campaign making” session on Sunday, face several charges, according to Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) lawyer Mohab Saed. These include charges of disturbing the educational system, possessing flyers confirming the disruption, and joining the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood organisation.
The police arrested the students from the Arab Academy in Alexandria. Among those arrested are Mohammed Khaled, Tahir Nazih, Mohammed Aboud Mohammed Sayed, Karim Arafa, Mohamed Farid, Mohamed Gharib, Abdul Rahman Bashir, Mustafa Mamdouh, Hossam Saleh, and Anwar Battikhi.
“The coup has lost its mind and is confiscating any student activity. We will not give up our rights,” said Students Against the Coup movement, according to a Monday AFTE statement.
Since the ouster of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi in June 2013, security forces have escalated measures against university students.
In November, at least 23 Al-Azhar University students were expelled, with a further 71 students from the university expelled for allegedly participating in protests and “rioting on campus”.
Since the start of the academic year on 11 October last year, over 300 students across universities in Egypt have been arrested.
On 14 October, an Alexandria University student Omar Al-Sharif died from birdshots fired by the police during clashes between students and riot police, sparking a wave of condemnation.
At least 15 university administrations across Egypt have signed contracts with Falcon private security firm to be present on campuses from the beginning of the academic school year.
