In what appears to be an extreme violation of freedom of expression, Cairo University has forbidden approximately 50 students from completing their end of year exams. Why? Because the students in question apparently put up public-awareness posters on campus without permission.
While one might be excused for assuming that said posters were of a controversial nature, perhaps even promoting anti-regime sentiments, the reality of the situation is far less inflammatory.
“They were anti-smoking signs,” sighs Abdel Rahman Mostafa, one of the students inexplicably admonished by the school. “They were part of an anti-smoking campaign, which involved less than 50 students.”
“Since when has it been a crime to warn against the dangers of smoking?” he asked.
Worse still is how the students were informed of the univerity’s decision.
“They received letters at home yesterday,” says Ashraf Omar, a student who has not been targeted by the university administration. “Nobody warned them, or even brought it to their attention before. They all just received letters at home telling them they would not be allowed to take the final portion of their year-end exams.”
According to the students, the letters bore a post date of 17 April, and cited the university’s decision as having been taken on 31 March.
“They waited to send these letters out,” fumes Mostafa. “They wanted us to receive them now, in the midst of our exams–so it would be too late to do anything real about it.”
Too late or not, the student body’s response has been anything but apathetic. At the moment, a “rapidly growing” crowd–according to Mostafa, who Al-Masry Al-Youm spoke to over the phone–is gathering in the campus’s main hall, refusing to leave until the decision is reversed. The response from the university administration, meanwhile, has been frustratingly flippant, say students.
“We’re here protesting while [University Dean] Adel Mabrouk is holed up in his office in the company of national guard members and state security officers,” claims Mostafa, struggling to be heard over the angry chants exploding in the background. “Every few hours he’ll stick his head out, see us sitting here, and say something to the effect of ‘suit yourselves.’”
Even attempts at intervention by a handful of professors have failed to ease the administration’s seeming intransigence.
“[Mathematics professor] Ali el-Deeb tried talking to the dean several times, but he brushed him off just as he did with the rest of us,” says Mostafa.
Attempts by Al-Masry Al-Youm to reach university administrators for comment were no more successful.
“The administration’s claims are unfounded. No crimes have been committed by any of the students,” Mostafa adds over the phone, as the chanting in the background reaches a crescendo. “We won’t back down.”
