NEAR Newsletter August 2008
Welcome to the NEAR Newsletter. In this edition you will find our most recent Action Alerts and also an ‘Academic Freedom in the Media’ section, listing news by country (August 2008). Any comments and suggestions about the content and layout of the newsletter will be gratefully received at roisin.joyce@nearinternational.org.
NEAR Action Alerts *Taken from the NEAR website
Syria: Syrian Dissident Released After Seven Years
The economist, writer and dissident Aref Dalilah has been released from jail after being imprisoned for seven years on charges of ‘trying to corrupt the constitution, inciting armed rebellion and spreading false information’,. His release three years before the end of his sentence appears to be part of a Presidential amnesty, BBC News reported on August 7.
** Please continue to send us any relevant cases involving threats to academic freedom and education rights, for potential alerts.
Academic Freedom in the Media *By country, taken from the NEAR website
Algeria
Algeria: Teachers on hunger strike
Education International, 12/08/2008
Australia
Why academic freedom must be preserved
The Age Australia, 18/08/2008
Bahrain
U.S. Lecturer Fired in Bahrain for Insulting Prophet Muhammad
The Media Line, 06/08/2008
Botswana
BOTSWANA: Lecturer on Zimbabwe sanctions list deported
University World News, 17/08/2008
France
FRANCE: First wave of autonomous universities
University World News, 03/08/2008
India
Student protests intensify in Bihar
Hindustan Times, 06/08/2008
Student unions rejoice departure
Pakistan Daily Timers, 19/08/2008
New Universities in India to Offer More Academic Freedom and Less Red Tape
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 21/08/2008
Indonesia
Muslim protesters force Christian students out of Indonesian Bible school
Christian Today, 01/08/2008
Iran
Iran Daily Slams Deteriorating Academic Standards
redOrbit, 01/08/2008
Amnesty International Demands Release of Iranian Students
Payvand News, 02/08/2008
Tehran jails student activist
The Peninsula, Qatar, 05/08/2008
Iran: Kamangar’s defenders suffer reprisals
Education International, 08/08/2008
Kurdish student sentenced to death
The Kurdish Globe, 13/08/2008
EI launches urgent action appeal for Iranian teacher Farzad Kamangar
Education International, 14/08/2008
Farzad Kamangar: sentenced to death after a five-minute trial
Education International, 19/08/2008
Iraq
Professor assassinated, Iraqi soldier injured in Baghdad
Monsters and Critics, 25/08/2008
Iraqi University President Is Accused of Ties to Al Qaeda
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 29/08/2008
Israel / Palestine
Detained Palestinian professor: We must break the internal stalemate
Palestine News Network, 02/08/2008
Palestinian scholars win Israeli support
The Times Higher Education, 07/08/2008
Gaza students appeal to Rice to reissue US visas
The International Herlad Tribune, 07/08/2008
Academic freedom - Quo Vadis?
Ynet news, 12/08/2008
Jordan
Iraqi refugee children head back to packed public schools in Jordan
Reuters/Alert, 25/08/2008
Morocco
Morocco: Student Activist Arrested for Criticising Authorities
Arab Network for human Rights Information, 12/08/2008
Russia
Georgia-Russia conflict: humanitarian crisis growing
Education International, 14/08/2008
Call for contributions to the EI Solidarity Fund to help teachers affected by the Georgia-Russian conflict
Education International, 14/08/2008
SOUTH OSSETIA: Students seek refuge in Russian HE
University World News, 31/08/2008
Switzerland
GLOBAL: Liberalisation shelved as talks collapse
University World News, 10/08/2008
Uganda
Uganda: Govt Warns Lecturers, Says Makerere to Reopen
Allafrica.com, 06/08/2008
Uganda: Pay More Attention to Education Sector
Allafrica.com, 24/08/2008
United Kingdom
Convicted student wins place at medical school
The Guardian, 07/08/2008
Higher education: Fees see rise in numbers of poorer students stall
The Guardian, 12/08/2008
Research on terrorism is invaluable - but we do it under fear of arrest
The Guardian, 26/08/2008
United States of America
USD revokes invitation to feminist theologian
San Diego Union Tribune, 19/08/2008
Zambia
ZAMBIA: Students riot over lecturer strike
University World News, 17/08/2008
Zimbabwe
Academics Warn Mugabe
The Zimbabwe Standard, 02/08/2008
ZIMBABWE: Lecturer targeted for EU sanctions
University World News, 02/08/2008
ZIMBABWE: Lecturers warn of university closures
University World News, 17/08/2008
ZIMBABWE: Mugabe scraps student elections
University World News, 31/08/2008
The Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) is a membership-based, non-governmental organisation which facilitates international collaboration between organisations active in issues of academic freedom and educational rights, and committed to promoting an understanding of, and respect for, the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
For more information about NEAR, please visit our website at www.nearinternational.org
For further information please contact:-
Roisin Joyce
Deputy Director
roisin.joyce@nearinternational.org