Group items tagged

The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) lists 124 incidents of students being arrested or sent to disciplinary panels between Feb. 24 and April 23, 2010 in its report, “Security Interference in Egyptian Universities: The Hysteria of Violence against Students.”

The search policy is by no means new; students were subjected to this sort of thing routinely in previous years. Students have become accustomed to it and open their bags well before they reach the responsible official. Such searches are unconstitutional, but that doesn’t stop them from doing it. Article 41 of the Egyptian Constitution states that “no person may be arrested, inspected, detained or have his freedom restricted in any way or be prevented from free movement except by an order necessitated by investigations and the preservation of public security. This order shall be given by the competent judge or the Public Prosecution in accordance with the provisions of the law.”