Egypt student in coma after crackdown

At least five students have been seriously wounded following a brutal crackdown by Egyptian security forces on anti-government protesters in several cities across the country.

According to reports, one of the students went into a coma after being hit in the head by a bullet on Tuesday. Medics described his condition as grave.

The 19-year-old suffered injuries in an attack by security forces during a rally at the University of Alexandria. He was previously said to have died.

Reports also said that more than two dozen others were wounded at the university during anti-government rallies earlier in the day.

Some 40 students were reportedly arrested during similar demonstrations mostly in northern Egypt. However, student unions say the number of arrests is much higher as authorities are seeking to squash a renewed wave of opposition protests around the country.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday that over 110 university students had been arrested since Saturday.

The rights group urged Egyptian officials to free the students, saying the arrests “appear to be solely directed at the students’ peaceful exercise of the right to free assembly.”

Egypt’s university campuses have witnessed regular protest rallies since the military ouster of the country’s first democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

Over 1,000 students have been arrested since the government launched the crackdown on pro-Morsi supporters, many of whom have been given harsh jail terms in mass trials. Officials say more than 500 students were expelled or suspended for “rioting”.

MR/MHB/AS