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Thousands join reform rallies in egypt Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=13231http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=13231
First Published 2005-04-14, Last Updated 2005-04-14 16:03:12
Thousands join pro-reform rallies in Egypt
Two arrested as thousands of students stage new round of rallies across Egypt to demand more political reform.
CAIRO - Egyptian security forces arrested two activists Tuesday as thousands of students staged a new round of demonstrations across the country to demand more political reform.
"We decided to organize this day in all universities across Egypt so that the political leadership realises that the youth are in dire need of freedom," said student leader Karim Farhat.
Thousands of university students up and down the country responded to a call from leaders of the banned but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood movement to protest in the latest in a series of grass-roots challenges to veteran President Hosni Mubarak.
Two members of the Kefaya (Enough) movement behind many of the protests were arrested when security forces broke up a small rally in Assyut about 380 kilometres (240 miles) south of Cairo, a spokesman for the group said.
Demonstrators are calling for political and economic reforms in Egypt and the lifting of the state of emergency imposed after the assassination of Mubarak's predecessor Anwar Sadat 24 years ago.
Earlier this year, Mubarak announced that rival candidates will for the first time be able to stand in a presidential election due this September.
Previously, voters were only given the opportunity to say yes or no to a single candidate nominated by parliament, which is overwhelmingly dominated by Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party.
CAIRO - Egyptian security forces arrested two activists Tuesday as thousands of students staged a new round of demonstrations across the country to demand more political reform.
"We decided to organize this day in all universities across Egypt so that the political leadership realises that the youth are in dire need of freedom," said student leader Karim Farhat.
Thousands of university students up and down the country responded to a call from leaders of the banned but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood movement to protest in the latest in a series of grass-roots challenges to veteran President Hosni Mubarak.
Two members of the Kefaya (Enough) movement behind many of the protests were arrested when security forces broke up a small rally in Assyut about 380 kilometres (240 miles) south of Cairo, a spokesman for the group said.
Demonstrators are calling for political and economic reforms in Egypt and the lifting of the state of emergency imposed after the assassination of Mubarak's predecessor Anwar Sadat 24 years ago.
Earlier this year, Mubarak announced that rival candidates will for the first time be able to stand in a presidential election due this September.
Previously, voters were only given the opportunity to say yes or no to a single candidate nominated by parliament, which is overwhelmingly dominated by Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party.
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