CAIRO, Nov 11 (Aswat Masriya) - Al-Azhar University expelled on Tuesday 23 students whom it accused of being involved in on-campus protests and riots.

University Chairman Abdel Hai Azab also referred to investigation 62 more students and suspended them from the university pending the investigation, according to a university statement. They are accused of being involved in similar acts.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued on October 23 a law to reorganise Azhar and its institutions. The law allows the expulsion of faculty staff, employees and students who partake in acts of violence.

Azhar University suspended on October 29 seven students for participating in protests organised by the Muslim Brotherhood, the university chairman said.

"Any student who takes part in protests will be suspended," Azab told Aswat Masriya then.
The academic year has witnessed violence since its start on October 11.

A law student at the University of Alexandria was reported dead on October 21 due to wounds sustained during on-campus violence during the first week of the year.

University campuses have witnessed unprecedented violence throughout the past academic year, with at least 16 students killed amid on-campus protests, according to the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression's (AFTE) Student Observatory.

The pro-Mohamed Mursi "Students against the coup" movement has been organising protests against the former Islamist president's military ouster throughout the past academic year as well as this year. Protests have often devolved into clashes with security forces.

At least 370 students were expelled from 10 different universities last year, AFTE reported in June.