March 9 Movement holds protest against university law amendments

The March 9 Movement for the independence of universities organized a silent protest on Monday at Cairo University against the Cabinet’s approval of a legal amendment giving university heads the power to sack staff members without disciplinary hearings.

Tens of staff members held banners that read, “No to amending laws behind closed doors,” and “No to expanding university heads’ powers.”

Last month, the movement also organized a press conference condemning the amendments, saying they are a way of expanding the powers of university heads at the expense of university councils, and that, along with other amendments over the last year, it feeds into the executive authority’s general plan to deal with universities in a more security-oriented manner.

Protesters called on the Cabinet to annul the amendments or the president to reject it, demanding that amendments be proposed to staff members first before being passed, according to the Association of Freedom and Thought of Expression (AFTE).

Member of the movement and Cairo University professor Hany al-Husseiny had notified Cairo University’s president about the protest, who in turn approved it on the condition that it be held in a place designated by administrative security, which doesn’t block the gates or interrupt the work. He also stipulated that protesters not hold banners that may be offensive to state institutions or the university, AFTE said.

Political science professor Hassan Nafaa took part in the protest, along with activist and professor Laila Soueif, state-owned Al-Ahram reported.