[JURIST] A Bangladesh court sentenced four university professors Tuesday for participating in anti-government student protests [JURIST report] that took place in August. Police inspector Mahbub Siddiqui told AFP that the academics were found guilty of breaking emergency laws [JURIST report] banning protests and all gatherings. Each received a two-year jail sentence. All four professors were from Rajshahi University [university website] and were accused of joining protests in Dhaka. Four professors from Dhaka University [university website], as well as some 24 students have also been detained in response to the unrest. Dozens of students from Dhaka university held hands and covered their mouths with black badges to protest the detentions, but dispersed after about half an hour. Dhaka university Vice Chancellor SMA Faiz urged the head of the government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, to release the professors. AFP has more. BBC News has additional coverage.

The interim Bangladesh government imposed a curfew after the August unrest which resulted in hundreds of injuries and one death. The riots first began at Dhaka University, when students demanded that a military post be removed from the campus, and then spilled out into the Dhaka city streets. Protesters called for an end to emergency laws, which have been in place since January. The interim government has used its anti-corruption campaign [BBC Q&A; JURIST news archive] to justify the emergency laws.