Egyptian students behind bars as classes resume
Hundreds of Egyptian students remain in prison, with as many as a third of them randomly detained by authorities without evidence of participating in protests or supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.
CAIRO — University students typically do not dream of spending their last academic year in prison, instead of attending their lectures and passing their exams in peace.
Hundreds of Egyptian students are in prison, some of whom were arrested while participating in demonstrations on campus, while as many as a third of detainees were randomly rounded up, according to student groups and human rights organizations who spoke to Al-Monitor.
Ahmed Shams, a student of physical education at Al-Azhar University, was randomly arrested on Dec. 28, 2013, and is held in Abu Za’abal prison.
His mother told Al-Monitor her son was arrested in front of Al-Azhar student residences while he was on his way to attend his exam.
