Egypt's Al-Azhar female students simulate detained colleagues' plight

CAIRO 

A group of Cairo's Al-Azhar University female students staged a theatrical act Sunday outside the university's campus to simulate the "violations" suffered by their detained colleagues arrested for participating in earlier pro-democracy protests.

Around 30 female students staged the act amid heavy security deployment around the campus, following repeated violent clashes during the previous semester between security forces and student supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

Close to the simulation act, a group of female students also demonstrated in front of two university faculties, raising signs featuring posters of their colleagues who have been arrested during the past semester's protests.

The protests are organized by the pro-democracy Students against Coup movement, whose members also staged demonstrations in Zagazig and Suez universities respectively.

Students called for the release of thousands, many of which students, who have been detained since Morsi's ouster.

Al-Azhar University is the the academic arm of Al-Azhar institution, the highest Sunni Islam authority. The decades-old Islamic learning establishment has been a stronghold for students affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled Morsi to power in 2012 before he was ousted by the military a year later.

Since the beginning of the academic year in September, many Egyptian educational institutions have turned into boiling centers of anger, with students – especially those who support ousted president Mohamed Morsi – staging frequent demonstrations on campus against his overthrow by the military.

englishnews@aa.com.tr