GLOBAL: Academic freedom reports worldwide

A new rule has made it more difficult for asylum seekers in Britain to enter university, by classifying them as overseas rather than home students. In Egypt, security guards have violently dispersed students protesting outside the Ministry of Higher Education in Cairo, and in Bahrain 20-year-old poet and student Ayat al-Qarmezi is facing prison for reading a poem critical of the regime during a pro-democracy demonstration. Six Italian seismologists and a government official are facing trial over deaths linked to the earthquake that destroyed L'Aquila in April 2009.

UK: New rules barring asylum seekers to enter university

The British government has implemented a new rule that makes it harder for asylum seekers to enter university in the UK, the Guardian reported on 31 May. Since February, asylum seekers who have been granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK while waiting for refugee status, and who wish to go to university, have been considered as overseas students.

This rule especially targets young asylum seekers who arrive unaccompanied in the country, since it implies that they have to pay the higher price and are not eligible for loans and-or grants and have no family to support them. Previously, asylum seekers without refugee status were considered as home student and paid home fees.

This year, higher fees will also affect the chances of asylum seekers getting financial help. Indeed Alison East, a solicitor for the Migrant Children's Project, explained that many organisations previously involved in the financing of refugee education are now helping home student struggling with increasing fees, making it all the more difficult to provide assistance to asylum seekers now forced to pay international fees.

Many social workers are worried about the consequences of the rule change. As argued by Wes Streeting, Chief Executive of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, asylum seekers are expected to contribute to British society and education can provide them with the means to do so.

But the direct consequence of the rule change will be that many of them will drop out of education, unable to fund their studies. This new rule greatly penalise these students, who have already encountered traumatic experiences.

EGYPT: Clashes between student and security guards over protest

Ministry of Higher Education security guards violently dispersed students protesting in front of the ministry building in Cairo, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported on 7 June. Security guards from the ministry have been forcefully breaking up the student protests since 30 May.

They have used fire hoses, powder and rocks to disperse the students, injuring two of them who had to been taken to hospital. According to an eyewitness who wished to remain anonymous, ministry employees have been unable to handle the crisis and security guards have harassed protestors.

The students, mainly from technical high schools and higher education institutions, have been protesting against the Minister of Higher Education, accusing him of not keeping his promise to lower the minimum grades required to enter engineering and commerce institutions.

The students have also asked the ministry to respect the 2007 Supreme Council of Universities decree that recognises technical universities' diplomas as equivalent to degrees from non-technical universities.

Protestors have been sitting in front of the Ministry for nine days, waiting for the minister to meet them and their demands.

Egyptian students have been protesting for months, demanding better learning conditions and changes to the educational system.

BAHRAIN: Student facing prison for reading a poem

Ayat al-Qarmezi, 20, a Bahraini poet and student, is facing prison for reading a poem critical of the regime during a pro-democracy protest, Amnesty International reported on 8 June. She was arrested on 31 March in the capital Manama.

Ayat al-Qarmezi was forced to turn herself in to the authorities after her brother received death threats from masked policemen at her parents house.

She is accused of "incitement to hatred of the regime", in reference to a poem she read in February during a pro-reform demonstration at the capital's Pear Roundabout. Her poem was addressed to King Hamad bin 'Isa Al Khalifa and asked him to listen to his people.

It has been reported that al-Qarmezi was prevented from any external contact during the first 15 days of custody. Since then, she has only been allowed to meet her family twice. According to an informed source, she has been beaten and tortured with electric shocks.

After more than two months in custody, al-Qarmezi is awaiting trial in a military court today, 12 June. If convicted, she faces a long prison term and would be the first Bahraini women to be imprisoned for expressing her opinion peacefully.

The Bahraini authorities have responded to pro-reform demonstrations with violent crackdowns on protestors.

Since February, at least 24 people have died during violent clashes with the police, and a minimum of 500 protesters have been arrested, including four who died in suspicious circumstances in custody.

An additional 2,000 people have been dismissed from their positions in what looks like a purge of pro-democracy supporters.

ITALY: Scientists facing trial over earthquake deaths

Six Italian seismologists and a government official are facing trial over deaths linked to the earthquake that destroyed L'Aquila in April 2009, Nature reported on 26 May.

Fabio Picuti, L'Aquila public prosecutor, has charged scientists and officials who were part of a committee responsible for assessing risks linked to the rise of seismic activities in the region.

The charge is of manslaughter, linked to the high death poll - 309 people - following the earthquake that devastated L'Aquila on 6 April 2009. The deaths were principally due to poor building standards in the area.

A week before the quake, members of the committee allegedly made declarations reassuring people and denying any danger. The committee members have been charged on the grounds that they wrongly reassured the public, leading to a lack of preparation on the ground.

During the hearings to decide whether a trial was necessary, Picuti recognised that the scientists had no way of predicting the earthquake, but still accused them of having wrongly expressed their uncertainties through reassuring messages.

Enzo Boschi, President of the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology and one of the accused scientists, strongly denies having underestimated the risks and reassuring the population. He is hoping that the trial, which will start on 20 September, will clarify the role of scientists in the catastrophe.

* Noemi Bouet is a programme assistant at the Network for Education and Academic Rights, NEAR, a non-profit organisation that facilitates the rapid global transfer of accurate information in response to breaches of academic freedom and human rights in education.