A number of faculty members announced their solidarity on Tuesday with an Egyptian professor who was questioned over allegations of insulting religion and prevented from teaching.

Students had filed complaints against Mona al-Brince, a professor of English at Suez Canal University, accusing her of contempt of religion, slandering sheikhs and discussing topics that are irrelevant to the syllabus.

Suez Canal University President Maher Mosbah had ordered investigation with Brince following the complaints.

The faculty members rejected the notion of pressing charges of "contempt of religion" in the academic field, as it represents an alarming precedent that threatens academic freedom and suppresses freedom of thought and expression, especially in the field of humanities and social sciences.

In their statement of solidarity with Brince, they explained that as a teacher of literature and conversation, she is expected to engage in discussions with her students in order to train them on dialogue, adding that she chooses her discussion topics from published news articles.