Students who protested at Malcolm Turnbull event say they have been suspended for a semester

Two University of Sydney students claim they were prevented from talking to media or friends during a months-long investigation

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Two university students involved in a protest against former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull say they've been suspended for a semester after a months-long investigation which they claimed they were gagged from talking about to media or friends.

Maddie Clarke and Deaglan Godwin, students at the University of Sydney, claimed the institution was attempting to crack down on activism" by suspending them both for half the year, with their punishments only confirmed after classes returned this week.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup