Egypt’s Court for Urgent Matters has ruled (24 February) that police officers can be redeployed permanently on all university campuses. In 2010 police were banned from campuses by the High Administrative Court.

In November 2013, the interim government issued a law allowing security forces to enter campuses to maintain the peace without permission from university presidents or state prosecutors. Police subsequently stormed campuses to break up protests over repressive measures initiated by the government, leaving a number of students dead, while scores have been arrested.

Last week, Egypt’s interim President, Adly Mansour, also amended a law to allow university heads to expel student protesters. His new catch-all provision permits expulsions on grounds including “endangering the educational process”; targeting a university’s facilities, work or exams; attacking people, public or private property inside a campus; and inciting or participating in violence.