The office of Egypt’s public prosecutor said on Sunday it would release 130 students and juveniles detained pending trial in order not sabotage their future.
The detainees, who include several students of the Islamic Al-Azhar University, were detained over violence-related charges during recent anti-government protests, a judicial source said. The charges, however, were not dropped.
The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the move came amid a thorough review of previous detention decisions, and coincides with birth anniversary of Prophet Mohamed. It added that the decision to release the detainees was out of fears for their future.
Since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last year, universities have been a hub of demonstrations against the new authorities, against the backdrop of a state crackdown on Islamist supporters of the ousted leader elsewhere.
Hundreds of students have since been expelled from their respective universities, jailed, or handed prison terms.
Source: Ahram Online
