At least 35 Russian citizens detained in Egypt
Published: 31 May, 2009, 19:25
TAGS: Scandal, Russia, Middle East, Human rights, Law
At least 15 Russians are reported to have been released in Egypt after being arrested several days ago. More than 20 more are still being held in Cairo. The Russian Consulate says Moscow wants more explanations.
Five out eight detained students from Kazakhstan have also been released, the country’s Foreign Ministry reported on Saturday evening.
Over 35 Russian citizens, mostly students studying in Al-Azhar University, have been detained by Egyptian authorities for no apparent reason on Tuesday night.
The Russian Consulate in Egypt has confirmed the arrests, stressing they were conducted during the night and in a rude manner. A spokesman for the Russian embassy in Cairo Timur Agametov told Russian Interfax news agency on Friday that the list of detainees is growing.
The Russian student association says the arrests started on May 27 in Cairo when task force officers stormed into leased apartments. Most of the detained students come from Russia's North Caucasus republics.
It is reported that police were rummaging apartments and confiscating personal belongings, including laptops and money.
Among the detained Russians there are three mothers with two or more children left unattended. Their children are studying in secondary schools that are affiliated with the Al-Azhar University.
Local authorities insist it was a routine ID check to verify whether they had residence permits. Russian diplomats are not allowed to communicate with the detained, which goes against ordinary practice.
"Though the Egyptian authorities say it’s just a regular ID check, we are still very concerned. Dozens of students have been arrested. We haven’t heard anything about them for already three days," Rubin Munirov a graduate student told RT.
In addition to Russians, citizens of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, France and Great Britain have been arrested. The exact location of the detained Russian citizens is still unknown.
While nobody would say it out loud, some in the university believe the latest arrests were connected to the coming visit of the US president to Cairo. Barack Obama has chosen the Egyptian capital for its keynote speech to the Muslim world. Ironically, most of the detained are said to be devout Muslims
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Johnx - The what if argument is the standard law enforcement, more powers for us please argument, any one can be a terrorist. We need to lock everyone up to protect everyone. Sorry I don't buy it, it is a slippery slope, that inevitably leads to opression, and yes if freedom means loosing Obama or Medvedev, or indeed one of my closest relatives, then so be it. That is far better, than us all sitting in prison cells to protect us! I prefer to remember great efforts in Stalingrad and in London during Bombings and fighting, to preserve freedom, rather than other totally counterproductive opressive anti terrorism regimes that want all the powers to lock everyone up for freedom sake. Also remember, there is no evidence I have read to say this is anymore than a visa check. It is just your creation at the moment, I take it, so as to apply terrorist legislation! No I am with Pauline 200%.
I agree with Pauline, it is the usual "anti-terror" stupidity. Surely a REAL terrorist would not stay in a known address, waiting unarmed for the police ... to arrest him! Real terrorists are NEVER unarmed, they have more weapons than the police and they are neither easy to find nor easy to arrest. They have very very secure hideouts. That some students are taken for terrorists reminds me of these movies with inspector Cluzo. I would laugh, but it is not that funny for the students themselves. I would advice to stay away from this country... Ergatis