Islamist Students Demonstrate for Freedom

Thousands of students demonstrated yesterday on University campuses around the country; incl. Al-Azhar and Cairo University. The demonstration for fair and free parliamentary elections were organized by the Muslim Brotherhood's student organization.

"State security is everywhere on campus. We have no freedom to do anything, the security services do not only target us religious Muslims, but everyone in our country's universities," said 24-year-old demonstrator Alaa Alam.

Says Al-Jaz: The students demanded the immediate release of all political detainees and urged the government to organise free elections starting on 8 November. The Muslim Brotherhood is officially illegal and could not field a candidate for the 7 September presidential election but is nevertheless expected to make a strong showing in the parliamentary polls, where its candidates run as independents. It was the first time the banned but tolerated movement organised a university protest under its name, rather than under the looser Islamist banner.
Picture: AFP