SUDAN: Police surround funeral of beaten student

Reuters reports that the funeral of a Darfuri student who was allegedly beaten to death by Sudanese authorities, became the scene of a tense confrontation when armed police surrounded the house where the student's body waited to go to the cemetery.

More than 1,000 people, including candidates standing in the upcoming presidential elections, had gathered in the Khartoum suburb of Omdurman on 15 February to protest against the killing of Khartoum University student Mohammed Musa.

But police intervened to stop the main funeral group from taking Musa's body to the nearby Ahmed Sharfi cemetery where a group of students had gathered.

Police sources had previously told Reuters that Musa's body was discovered in the street and alleged that he had been the victim of a 'normal crime'. But fellow students who said they had seen Musa's body claimed he showed signs of having been tortured and heavily beaten. They said the authorities, under the direction of the ruling National Congress Party, regularly targeted Darfuri students.
Reuters

MOROCCO: Appeal trial begins for student demonstrators

Amnesty International reports that 11 students from Cadi Ayyad Marrakesh University, serving sentences for taking part in a demonstration in May 2008, have had the date of their appeal trial put back to 31 March at the request of the defence.

At a hearing on 17 February, family members and supporters were prevented from entering the courtroom by officials - the defence argued that such actions contravened the students' right to a fair and public trial.

Considered by Amnesty International to be political prisoners, the 11 were originally sentenced in July 2009. They were arrested whilst demonstrating for greater freedom of expression, association and assembly and accused police at the time of using excessive force. They have subsequently said that they were tortured during their initial imprisonment.

Amnesty International

IRAN: Iranian-American professor has jail term reduced

Sociologist Kian Tajbakhsh has been given a shorter prison sentence by an appeal court. The academic has been detained since the summer of 2009 on charges of espionage and acting against the state. On 17 February, an Iran news agency reported that following an appeal the academic's sentence had been reduced by seven years.

Tajbakhsh was sentenced to 15 years in prison last October and fresh charges of espionage, and a threat of an increased jail term, were then brought against him in December. He was charged with "acting against security" and "links with foreigners opposing the system", including the Open Society Institute.

AFP news reports that at least 12 people have been condemned to death for their participation in the opposition movement demonstrations. Mohammad-Reza Ali-Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour were executed on 28 January 2010.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

SWAZILAND: Students abducted from university

Four student activists from the University of Swaziland have allegedly been abducted by authorities after planning a large demonstration against the inaccessibility of the country's education system and the regime of the country's ruler, King Mswati.

A statement from the Zimbabwe National Students Union, Zinasu, in condemnation of the abductions was published in the Zimbabwe Telegraph earlier this month. It alleges the students were abducted that same day.

The four students had apparently been planning to demand the recognition of the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) as the official voice of the student population, as well as to protest against a scholarship policy which they said denied access to higher education to those from poor backgrounds.

They had previously taken part in class boycotts that had effectively shut down the country's only university. The statement from Zinasu said the whereabouts of the students was unknown.
The Zimbabwe Telegraph

UK: Business Secretary defends university cuts package

Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, has defended the government's controversial £950 million (US$1.5 billion) university cuts package and accused academics of being "set in aspic".

According to the Guardian, Mandelson said public spending cuts had to happen and it was an illusion to believe universities were being singled out for the harshest punishment. The elite Russell Group of universities warned the cuts could have dire consequences for universities.

The cuts come amid reports that undergraduate applications have risen by a fifth. Mandelson said much of the rest of the public sector would receive similar constraints.
The timing of higher education funding cycles meant that ministers needed to announce the savings they wanted universities to make early, he said. He called for two-year degrees to be rolled out to cater for the growing number of students combining study with work.
Guardian

ISRAEL-PALESTINE: Students clash over ambassador visit

Palestine and Israel supporters clashed in front of the UK Manchester Students' Union last week after a controversial speaker pulled out of a union-hosted event.

Israel Deputy Ambassador Talya Lador-Fresher was scheduled to speak at a Politics Society event last Thursday. But she postponed her appearance following a barrage of criticism and threats of a protest by Action Palestine activists, according to Student Direct in Manchester.

Despite the cancellation of the talk, more than100 Action Palestine protesters gathered on the union steps in the afternoon. The Deputy Ambassador was supposed to deliver a talk titled 'Hopes and Challenges in the Middle East' hosted by the Politics Society.
Student Direct

IRAQ: Talking about Jane Austin in Baghdad

The Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) has facilitated the publication of a new book entitled Talking about Jane Austin in Baghdad. The story follows the life of May Witwit, an Iraqi lecturer living in Baghdad, and the relationship she builds with Bee Rowlatt, a London mum and former BBC World Service journalist.

The book evocatively captures and contrasts daily life in London and Baghdad, from Bee's daily nursery run to May's bullet-dodging commute to college, and their daring plans to help May escape from Iraq. May is now in the UK and will be talking candidly about her life in a lawless city and of living as an Iraqi immigrant here in the UK.
Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA)

* Daniel Sawney and Jonathan Travis work for the Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) www.nearinternational.org