Security beats, arrests 100 student demonstrators, South Darfur

Security forces beat more than 100 students and arrested at least seven at the University of Nyala, South Darfur, on Thursday, following a mass demonstration against the arrests of four students earlier this week. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the security elements, riding in vehicles, used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. They beat and arrested more than 100 male and female students. The students were protesting against the arrest of four students on Monday, including female student Nawal El Khamis Shamseldin. During a speech in the univeristy on Monday, she harshly criticised the Khartoum regime because of the current killing, looting, and burning in the Darfur region. As a result, security forces arrested El Khamis Shamseldin, and three other students, and passed them to the state police, chief Brigadier-General Kasim Jibril said in a press statement. “On Thursday, we captured seven students and opened a case against them, on charges of disturbing the peace.”Kasim Jibril denied students were injured during the attempts to disperse the mass demonstration on Thursday. The administration of the University of Nyala stated it regrets the events, and said it is committed to continue the school year. The administration reconfirmed its resolution to ban all political activity in the university. It appealed to the students to adhere to objectivity and cooperate with the university. File photo: The University of Nyala (nyalau.edu.sd) Related: North Darfur students protest against weapons on campus (3 April 2014)Darfur Bar Association denounces Nyala student’s murder (18 March 2014)