Al-Azhar University expels 51 students for protesting against military rule

The Egyptian Observatory for Rights and Freedoms (EORF) has condemned the arbitrary decision of Al-Azhar University to expel 51 students for taking part in anti-coup protests.

According to the EORF, 19 female and 32 male students have been expelled. It described the incident as the “biggest attack against students inside the university campus”.

In a statement, the EORF called for the university administration to give students the space to practice their rights, including expressing their opinions and organising peaceful protests, which are guaranteed by national and international rights conventions.

The EORF demanded a reversal of the decision to expel the students, which was based solely on the students’ protest activities, and also called for the immediate release of all students held in prisons based on oppressive decisions that violate their rights.

According to the statement, the students survived arrest and killing but are still being punished by the university. The statement also noted that the head of Al-Azhar University allowed the police and army staff to hunt and detain the students on campus grounds.

The statement called the decision to expel the students an “unprecedented move” for an Egyptian university. At the same time, the university closed its eyes to the practices of the security forces, including firing live bullets and tear gas at students who are against the military rule in the country.

EORF questioned the university’s actions and condemned it for collaborating with the security forces during the attacks, letting them use “excessive force” against its own students.

The organisation stressed that expelling students for expressing their opinion and organising protests contravenes all national and international rights conventions. Such decisions, according to the EORF, do not serve the educational mission because they are based on political agendas.