EGYPT COURT SLAPS 38 AZHAR STUDENTS WITH 18-MONTH JAIL TERMS

       Cairo, 18 Muharram 1435/22 November 2013 (MINA) – An Egyptian court on Thursday sentenced 38 Azhar University students to 18 months in prison each on charges of illegal assembly and resisting authorities.

      Two minors, meanwhile, were referred to a juvenile court, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

      Prosecutors charged the 40 defendants with resisting authorities, illegal assembly and attacking public property during recent protests outside Azhar University in Cairo.

     The students were arrested during clashes with security forces in October, in Cairo’s eastern neighbourhood of Nasr City.

      Last week, 12 Azhar students were sentenced to a whopping 17 years in prison each on charges of illegal assembly, thuggery, assaulting civil servants and attacking public property.

      Pro-democracy demonstrations have rocked several universities throughout the country since Egypt’s academic year began in September.

       The most violent of these have been seen at Al-Azhar University’s Cairo campus, where the academic year began in October after having been postponed by almost one month.

       On Wednesday, one student was killed outside the university’s dormitory in Cairo after clashes erupted between police and scores of student protesters.

       The student shot dead by birdshot pellet Wednesday in clashes with security forces at Al-Azhar University was a supporter of deposed president Mohamed Morsi. Police stormed the campus and violence flared as students threw petrol bombs, bricks and stones at security forces who replied with teargas and birdshot. Sixteen students were also arrested.

       The violence came hours after the university administration banned protests on campus and suspended student union activity in response to the turmoil sweeping the university. It also called on the police to guard its buildings and quell student unrest. (T/P09/E1).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).