CAIRO, Dec 28 (Aswat Masriya) – Egypt’s top prosecutor ordered on Sunday the release of 130 preventively detained students and minors in light of Islamic celebrations.

Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat said in a statement that the release order follows an earlier decision to study the cases of all students detained pending trials.

Egypt witnessed an influx of arrests, especially targeting students, following the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013, following mass protests against his rule.

University campuses have witnessed unprecedented violence throughout the past academic year, with at least 16 students killed amid on-campus protests, according to the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression's (AFTE) Student Observatory.

The pro Mursi "Students against the coup" movement has been organising protests against the former Islamist president's military ouster throughout the past academic year as well as this year. Protests have often devolved into clashes with security forces.

AFTE reported the detention of at least 829 students during the past academic year alone. Detentions did not stop with the start of this academic year, especially that student protests near university campuses persist. AFTE counted the arrest of 345 so far this year.

Next Saturday marks the birth anniversary of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, a widely celebrated day by Egyptians.