Egypt Frees Detained Russian Students

According to Russian Information Agency RIA-Novosti, Egyptian authorities on Saturday released eight Russian students. The agency referenced the representatives of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Cairo. 34 Russian students at Al-Azhar University in Cairo were arrested on the night of May 27. Egyptian authorities have not yet announced the cause of detention of students - mostly from the North Caucasus republics of the Russian Federation.

Four Russian nationals were released immediately after verification of documents, as confirmed by representatives of the consular department of the Russian Embassy. Eight Russians were released on Saturday, May 30. Another 22 people remain in detention.

In addition to students from Russia, several dozen citizens of other states, including Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, as well as France and Great Britain, were arrested on the night of May 27. Earlier on Saturday, two Tajik students and five citizens of Kazakhstan were also released. Russian diplomats sent an official note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, demanding an explanation. Embassy staff will seek a meeting with the detained Russians to guarantee their legitimate rights.