Egyptian Student Union representatives at press conference on November 30, 2013. They called for the dismissal of the minister of higher education., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Student groups demand dismissal of Egypt higher education, interior ministers
Ahram Online, Saturday 30 Nov 2013
Egyptian Student Union representatives and political parties demand Saturday the dismissal of ministers responsible for violations against students, call for end to protest law
Representatives of six university Student Unions, as well as the student representatives of eight political parties and movements, demanded Saturday the dismissal of the Minister of Higher Education Hossam Eissa and Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim.
The students declared during a press conference at the Egyptian Popular Current office in Cairo the Minister of Higher Education politically responsible for violations that have taken place within universities, and the Interior Minister responsible for the recent killing of students, demanding they be held accountable for their decisions.
The students further demanded that all detained students are released, that decisions to dismiss protesting students are revoked, and the government rescind a controversial new protest law.
On Thursday, Mohamed Reda, an engineering student, was shot dead during clashes between students and security forces at Cairo university while police attempted to disperse protesting students.
Hundreds of students, mostly supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, have been detained in recent weeks as police continued a 4-months crackdown on members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
On 21 November, a student supporter of Morsi was shot dead during clashes with security forces in Cairo.
Police officials denied using other than water cannons and teargas in dispersing university protests.
Student representatives demanding the dismissal of responsible ministers and an end to the new protest law include the Cairo University Union, Helwan University Union, Ain Shams Union, Alexandria University Union, the Kafr El-Sheikh student Union, Banha student Union, Egyptian Popular Current students, Constitution Party students, the Social Democratic Party students, the Bread and Freedom movement, Students of Freedom movement, students of the Socialist Alternative, Revolutionaries of the Cairo University Engineering Faculty and the Tahrir movement.
Universities have been a hotspot for protests in recent months. While Muslim Brotherhood students have been holding protests in support of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, non-Islamist student groups have recently escalated demonstrations against the detention of fellow students and the new protest law.
Last week, interim president Adly Mansour issued a new protest law approved by the cabinet, allowing the Interior Minister or senior police officials to cancel, postpone or change the location of a protest. The ministry requires advance notification of any planned demonstration. The law also applies to public meetings.
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