Cairo University dismisses six 'opposition' lecturers

Cairo University has dismissed six lecturers who are opponents of the current regime in Egypt, for absenteeism and membership of the Muslim Brotherhood. Amr Hamzawy, assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, was among those dismissed. The university justified his dismissal by his absence from work without permission.

Quoting anonymous sources, Al Watan said that Hamzawy exceeded the official absence period, having been away from work since 1 July, 2016 after an attachment period at the American University in Cairo. The lecturer then travelled to the US without the permission or approval of Cairo University, where he remains, apparently for his own safety.

The sources added that Hamzawy had asked Cairo University to approve his attachment at a US institute. However, the request was rejected in November last year, when he was told of the need to return to work in Cairo, something about which he was warned three times.

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Hamzawy is known for his liberal views and usually writes articles against the ruling regime in Egypt. Since he left for America, he has not returned to his home country, even though he has not been named in any of the cases where political detainees are put on trial.

The five other lecturers dismissed are said to belong to the opposition Muslim Brotherhood. According to Youm7 newspaper, they are Rashad Muhammad Ali Al-Bayoumi, of the Faculty of Science; Pakinam Rashad Hassan Al-Sharkawi, of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science (who was an Assistant to President Mohamed Morsi); Essam Eddin Abdel Halim Hashish, of the Faculty of Engineering; Ahmed Mohamed Zuhairi, of the Faculty of Agriculture; and Abdul Rahman Omar Al-Shabrawy, of the Faculty of Pharmacy. The university said that the five teachers’ names were included on “terrorist” lists, which precludes them from holding such positions.