CAIRO, Dec 8 (Aswat Masriya) – The Nasr City Prosecution referred on Monday 71 al-Azhar University students to the criminal court for rioting and violating the protest law.

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

At least 16 students were killed amid on-campus confrontations with security forces, according to the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression's (AFTE) Student Observatory.

One Alexandria University student died on October 21 this academic year, after sustaining injuries during on-campus violence on the first week of the year.

Former interim President Adli Mansour issued the protest law on November 24 last year to regulate peaceful assembly. The law has long been the epicentre of wide criticism by domestic and international human rights organisations which say it violates international standards for peaceful protests.

The legislation obliges demonstrators to inform the authorities of their intention to assemble three days prior to their scheduled events. It also gives the interior ministry the right to cancel, postpone or move protests.