CAIRO, Oct 29 (Aswat Masriya) – Al-Azhar University suspended on Wednesday seven students for participating in protests organised by the Muslim Brotherhood, the university chairman said.

Azhar chairman Abdel Hai Azab told Aswat Masriya the students were suspended and referred to investigation after being caught while committing "acts of violence and vandalism on campus and clashing with security forces guarding the university." 

"Any student who takes part in protests will be suspended," Azab said.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued on Thursday 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.

The academic year has witnessed violence since its start on October 11.

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

The University of Alexandria expelled on Monday seven students for protesting on campus without a notice.

Before the start of the academic year, the cabinet discussed measures to be adopted during the year to quell any possible tension.

Minister of Higher Education Sayed Abdel Khalek hired a private security company on September 24 to guard 12 public universities during the academic year.

Strict security measures adopted by Falcon Security Services at the university gates nevertheless triggered violence from the students, who became frustrated with their delayed entrance into campus.

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.