Alexandria University student Omar Al-Sharif succumbed Tuesday to injuries caused by birdshot to the head, which he sustained during clashes between students and riot police on 14 October.
The office of Head of the Ambulance Authority’s office Ahmed Al-Ansary said that after his injury, Al-Sharif was moved to Al-Miri hospital and that Al-Sharif’s body was transported to the morgue Tuesday morning.
Lawyer Mohamed Ramadan, who was handling Al-Sharif’s case, said he received the news from the deceased’s mother.
Ramadan said Al-Sharif was shot by birdshot fired by the police. The damage caused to Al-Sharif by the birdshot included a brain haemorrhage. He added, however, “that 16 students were arrested and accused of attempting to murder him”.
Ramadan filed a complaint, which included a picture showing that Al-Sharif was shot by a policeman.
Head of Alexandria University Osama Ibrahim decided on Monday to expel 5 students after they had been investigated for taking part in the protests that have taken place since the start of the academic year on 11 October, according to state-owned Al-Ahram.
The protests have continued intermittently over the past week, resulting in students and security, both state and private, clashing in and around campuses across the country.
Ibrahim also added in a press conference on Monday that 11 other students were being investigated for protesting inside campus without permission.
University campuses across the nation have witnessed violent clashes since the start of this academic year. It was due to begin in September but was postponed in a government decision.
According to Democracy Index, in the first week of the year 18 universities witnessed 58 protests, with an average of 10 protests per day. Clashes resulted in the arrests of at least 163 students.
Over the past academic year, at least 16 students were killed inside their campuses and hundreds were arrested, according to Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression.
This year, private security company Falcon was hired by the government to secure eight universities but students have violently clashed with them last week, forcing them to flee several university campuses.
