CAIRO: The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) expressed on May 11 its condemnation of what it called “a campaign of repression at Cairo University, led by the University President Hossam Kamel, against each student who called for his right to be taught in an atmosphere of freedom.” In the statement, AFTE denounced the announcement of the Cairo University's administration, Tuesday, of the transferring of 13 students to prosecutors pending investigation. The students were called to appear before a commission to face several “irregularities” such as sit-ins on campus and chanting against the officials of the university in terms of “defamation” as described by the university administration. The administration claimed that the sit-ins disabled the working movement in the administration's building, revealed to visitors that the work is irregular in the university and distorted the main building of the university with banners inscribed by the word “leave.” The AFTE's statement noted that this “arbitrary action” is not the first of its kind. Kamel had already sent 9 students from the Faculty of Mass Communication, who were staging a sit-in to dismiss the dean of the faculty one month earlier, for investigation. In addition, he transferred five faculty members in solidarity with the students to the same investigation. AFTE questioned the supposed existence of the gains of the January 25 revolution in the Egyptian universities. It added: “words such as ‘Leave', which the president of Cairo University opposes and under which he gave himself the right to refer these students to investigation, toppled the corruption that lasted for 30 years in the country.” It emphasized that Kamel “rejects any word of criticism against him; he does not hesitate to refer any person who expressed feelings of resentment from the administration of the university, whether a student or a faculty member, to investigation.” The 13 students, referred to the investigation, are from the faculties of Arts, Dar al-Ulum, Commerce, Mass Communication, Law, Medicine, and Dentistry. AFTE emphasized its rejection of all forms of repression against the free expression of students for their views within the university. It also affirmed the right of students to exercise their political rights in a peaceful manner within the university, by providing an appropriate climate of freedom for the educational process, and applying the principles of the revolution which allows any individual to express his demands in a peaceful manner without suppression. BM
