(ANHRI/IFEX) – In a 16 November 2008 statement, ANHRI denounced the interference of state security forces in student union elections at Sinai University, which is a private institution. The name of Amr Salama, a student and blogger, was struck from the list of candidates’ names, even though all his documents were in order and his […]
(ANHRI/IFEX) – In a 16 November 2008 statement, ANHRI denounced the interference of state security forces in student union elections at Sinai University, which is a private institution. The name of Amr Salama, a student and blogger, was struck from the list of candidates’ names, even though all his documents were in order and his name had been included on the final list.
Salama had already submitted his candidacy for the position of cultural commissioner of information and his documents had been approved. He campaigned right up until polling day, when he learned from colleagues that his name had not been included on the ballot paper. Recently, he was informed by the electoral commission that he was excluded based on orders from the state security forces. The exclusion was apparently due to the fact that he writes a blog (Lesa-Aish, Alive Still – http://lesa-3aish.blogspot.com ).
The exclusion of Salama by the security forces brings to an end the relative freedom enjoyed until recently by the private universities, from the appointment of academics to the exclusion of politically active students from candidacy in union elections. It appears that now all the universities are under the control of the state security forces.
Gamal Eid, ANRHI’s executive director, said, “It is obvious that student bloggers have been blacklisted and excluded from candidacy for student union offices by the state security forces. Why do the administrations of universities allow such interference?”
ANRHI’s Legal Aid Unit for Freedom of Expression has announced its support for Salama’s right to campaign for student union election in the face of the state security forces’ intrusion into student affairs and freedom of expression.
