25 El Gezira students remain in police detention

El Gezira University said that 25 students are still being held at the police department following a clash and violent protest that broke out on 9 and 10 October. They will be released after the payment of a large financial bail.

The Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies at El Gezira University, Dr. Hasan Mousa, announced that 25 students are being held at Rufaa Police Department. He explained that they would only be released with the payment of a large financial bail.

Mousa said that the remaining 159 students have been released with the payment of the normal bail, but they are to be subjected to re-interrogation and a trial.

On 9 October, the El Gezira Faculty of Business Studies witnessed a clash between the students loyal to the National Congress Party and other students. The next day, this led to the burning of buildings in the faculty.

Days later students in Khartoum who had gathered to show their solidarity with the students of El Gezira University, were dispersed by the security service using tear gas and beatings.

Students from the Darfur region frequently experience discrimination at universities across Sudan, according to a report released this month by the Sudan Democracy First Group (SDFG). It researches and documents the extent and nature of the increasing violations against students from the Darfur region at Sudanese universities.