SCHOLARS AT RISK'S PARTNER, the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA), has been responding to attacks on – and threats to – higher education communities in the hemisphere. Here’s a snapshot of recent efforts:

• On January 23, CAFA issued a statement condemning the forced entry, by police, of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Peru. Police were in search of protesters who were sheltering on campus, following large-scale demonstrations in Lima. During the raid, authorities arrested over 200 civilians, including university students reporting sexual harassment and denial of access to legal representation. CAFA emphasizes Peru’s violation of the Inter-American Principles on Academic Freedom and University Autonomy and the state’s failure to uphold its responsibility to respect institutional autonomy. Read more »
• SAR Executive Director Rob Quinn hosted CAFA member Salvador Herencia Carrasco on SAR’s “Free to Think” podcast, where they discussed the forcible violation of the Universidad Nacional de San Marcos. Listen here »
• Interested in joining CAFA? Learn more about the coalition's priorities in this interview, conducted by Académicxs en Riesgo, featuring Viviana Fernández, a CAFA member and Assistant Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa. Viviana discusses the objectives of the Coalition and how CAFA responds to attacks on academic freedom. Read here »
• Attacks on higher education communities in the Americas are co-reported by SAR and CAFA. The CAFA website includes Spanish-language translations of monitoring incident reports. 

Sign up here to receive info on advocacy opportunities, news, and upcoming events from CAFA.

Thank you for all you do,

CLARE ROBINSON

Advocacy Director

The Academic Freedom Index (AFI) project released its Update 2023 report, which analyzes the state of academic freedom in 179 countries. This year's report identifies 22 countries where academic freedom has declined over the last 10 years.

The update is accompanied by the launch of a new website which allows users to compare data from different countries and view developments over time.

Learn more here »

SAR joined 168 NGOs in calling for all UN Member States to support the concensus renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders.

Read the letter »

Iran: Dr. Fariba Adelkhah’s release and continued detention of hundreds of scholars and students

On February 5, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the amnesty or reduction of sentences for tens of thousands of detainees in Iran. In the weeks that followed, hundreds in prisons across the country were indeed released. While SAR welcomes this amnesty, we are deeply concerned about the scholars and students who remain in prison and urge the Supreme Leader to extend amnesty to them.

Among the released is Dr. Fariba Adelkhah, a French-Iranian anthropologist who was sentenced to five years in prison. After three long years, Dr. Adelkhah was released from Evin prison on February 10. Dr. Adelkhah is finally free; however, the conditions around her release remain uncertain. Her identity card, passport, and computer have not been returned to her, and it is unclear if she will be able to travel. We thank the SAR network, partner organizations, and Dr. Adelkhah’s colleagues for their tireless efforts to support Dr. Adelkhah. We hope she will be able to safely return to France to continue her important research at Sciences Po.  

We remain concerned for the continued detention of scholars Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali and Ms. Niloufar Bayani and students Mr. Ali Younesi and Mr. Amirhossein Moradi, among hundreds of other scholars and students. Support Ms. Bayani by signing this letter and Dr. Djalali by signing this letter. 

Student Advocacy Seminars in DC this month!

Image: Students from Drexel University at 2022 Student      Advocacy Days

SAR’s annual Student Advocacy Days will take place from March 29 - 30. Students and faculty from the United States and Canada will convene in Washington, DC, to advocate on behalf of wrongfully imprisoned scholars. Participants will receive training and meet with government officials and NGO partners. Thank you to our partners at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a SAR member, for hosting Student Advocacy Days!

Interested in starting a Student Advocacy Seminar on your campus? Learn more about the program here or contact Student Advocacy Seminar Coordinator Adam Braver at adam.braver@nyu.edu for more information.

Learn more »

Listen to the latest episode of our podcast

In SAR’s “Free to Think” podcast, SAR Executive Director Rob Quinn speaks with guests who inspire us with their courage to seek and speak truth — often at great risk — as well as those who work to defend them. Tune in now to our latest episodes, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major platforms.

Listen here »

Attacks against higher education communities

As reported by SAR's Academic Freedom Monitoring Project

HONG KONG: University suspends student organization

Hong Kong Baptist University, 11/30
Hong Kong Baptist University temporarily suspended the student-run Communication Society after the group published a social media post marking the anniversary of student protests at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in 2019. Read more »

JAPAN: University professor violently attacked on campus

Tokyo Metropolitan University, 11/29
An unidentified individual attacked Shinji Miyadai, a sociology professor at Tokyo Metropolitan University, on the university’s campus. Read more »

PAKISTAN: Police clash with students on campus

Government Islamia Science College, 11/19

Police clashed with students at the Government Islamia Science College, in Karachi, after police were sent to vacate the premises. Read more »

IRAQ: Police fire tear gas and water cannon at protesting students

University of Sulaimani, 11/14
State security forces fired tear gas and water cannons at University of Sulaimani students protesting for lower tuition fees. Read more »

IRAQ: Police clash with student protesters

University of Sulaimani, 11/13
Police used tear gas and clashed with University of Sulaimani students protesting over student fees. Read more »

HONDURAS: Student protesters engage in violent behavior

National Autonomous University of Honduras, 11/12
Student protesters at the National Autonomous University of Honduras interrupted a meeting of the university council, injuring a university employee, expelling the university’s rector, and reportedly causing damage to university facilities. Read more »

TURKEY: Police clash with university community

Middle Eastern Technical University, 11/8

Police clashed with students, faculty, and other members of the Middle Eastern Technical University who sought to participate in a city council hearing about the construction of a road on their university campus. Read more »

MYANMAR: Military carries out attack on theological college

Kachin Theological College, 11/3
Soldiers with Myanmar’s military fired heavy artillery rounds at the Kachin Theological College in Kutkai, injuring four students and damaging college infrastructure. Read more »

VENEZUELA: Militia violently attacks peaceful student protesters

Universidad de los Andes, 11/3

Members of a pro-government militia reportedly attacked students at the Universidad de Los Andes in Merida as they engaged in a peaceful protest against the presence on campus of senior government officials. Read more »

NICARAGUA: Military arrests student activists

Various Institutions, 11/1

Two student activists affiliated with the Nicaraguan University Alliance, Mildred Rayo and Miguel Flores, were arrested by military personnel near the city of Sapoa, while en route to Managua. Read more »

HAITI: University professor abducted

State University of Haiti, 10/30

Alleged members of a criminal gang kidnapped Auguste Alexis, a professor of law and economics at the State University of Haiti, in the Tabarre neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. Read more »

IRAN: Security forces use violent force on students

Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, 10/28

State security forces reportedly fired tear gas and pellet guns at a student dormitory on the campus of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. Read more »

GUADELOUPE: Group vandalizes university and intimidates community

University Hospital of Guadeloupe, 10/27

As many as 50 people reportedly raided the University Hospital of Guadeloupe, in Pointe-à-Pitre, vandalized facilities, cut electricity, and intimidated faculty and students during classes. Read more »

BELARUS: Security forces raid institution and detain researchers

National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 10/26

Belarusian state security forces raided institutes connected to Belarus’s National Academy of Sciences, and questioned and detained a number of employees. Read more »

PERU: Student protesters engage in violence and theft

University of Huamanga, 10/25

Protesters on the campus of the University of Huamanga in Ayacucho set fire to the door to the rector’s building and looted materials from there. Read more »

IRAN: Student groups clash on campus

Sharif University of Technology, 10/23

Students from opposing groups clashed at Sharif University of Technology during campus protests. Read more »

BRAZIL: Driver hits student during protest

Federal University of Viçosa, 10/18

An unidentified individual drove his vehicle through a student during a protest outside the Federal University of Viçosa, resulting in minor injuries to the student. Read more »

PALESTINE: Military uses violent force against students on-campus

Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie, 10/17

Israeli soldiers reportedly clashed with and fired tear gas and stun grenades at students at the entrance to the Al-Aroub campus of the Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie. Read more »