Egypt s Al-Azhar University overturned a decision to permanently expel a female student after she was filmed during a public embrace with a male friend, hours after the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb urged the university to reconsider their decision.
The university s disciplinary committee said in its emergency meeting that it has decided the scrap the punishment , deciding to prevent the student from sitting for her exams this term in keenness over her educational future .
According to the committee, the unidentified female student "expressed her deep regret over her actions, pledging a commitment to the student ethics and society values."
The decision comes after El-Tayeb called on the disciplinary board to revise their punishment, despite describing the incident as "unacceptable and violating the community s religious and Eastern traditions."
Last week, a video went viral on social media showing a man, a student at Mansoura University, surprising the female student with a bouquet of flowers and kneeling in front of her in what appears to be a marriage proposal. He then embraced the young woman and lifted her off the ground.
The woman studies Arabic language at Al-Azhar University branch in Al-Mansoura in Nile Delta but the video has been taken at Al-Masnoura University. The incident triggered the two universities disciplinary boards to take action.
The male student was expelled for two years, yet he can still appeal the decision.
