NEAR Newsletter August 2009
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 2009). 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
Honduras: Police and Students Clash at Honduras University
Riot police have responded harshly to growing student rallies outside the National Autonomous University in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa. Tear gas and water cannons have been used to disperse some 3,000 students rallying in support of the country's ousted president, Manuel Zelaya.
** 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
Gambia, The
Gambia: Plans to develop higher education
University World News, 30/08/2009
Georgia
Georgian blogger Cyxymu blames Russia for cyber attack
The Guardian, 07/08/2009
Honduras
Teachers killed in violent repression in Honduras
Education International, 04/08/2009
India
Delhi professors to go on mass casual leave tomorrow
The Times Of India, 24/08/2009
Indonesia
Indonesia: Private universities under threat
University World News, 30/08/2009
Iran
Iran resumes opposition trial
Al Jazeera, 25/08/2009
Iran: 20-year plan for knowledge-based economy
University World News, 30/08/2009
Iran - University professors, commanders of soft confrontation'
ISIRA News, 31/08/2009
Israel / Palestine
Babylon & Beyond
LA Times, 24/08/2009
Israel and Academic Freedom
Inside Higher Education, 31/08/2009
Korea, South
Busan National University fires 70 lecturers
The Hankyoreh, 28/08/2009
Netherlands, The
Muslim scholar loses Dutch posts
Al Jazeera, 19/08/2009
Russia
Russia: Protect Rights Workers in Chechnya
Human Rights Watch, 15/08/2009
Senegal
Senegal: Police condemned for invading campus
University World News, 16/08/2009
Sri Lanka
Top Sri Lanka academic threatened
BBC News, 20/08/2009
Turkey
Turkey: Barrier to religious school graduates lifted
university World News, 02/08/2009
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan: Reverse Student Travel Ban
Human Rights Watch, 31/08/2009
Ukraine
Universities call for urgent places for thousands of students left in the cold
Telegraph, 29/08/2009
United Kingdom
Cut student numbers not university quality, says leading academic
Telegraph, 04/08/2009
A threat to scientific communication
Times Higher Education, 13/08/2009
Change or perish, institutions told
Times Higher Education, 13/08/2009
Union plans academic boycott of London Met
Times Higher Education , 31/08/2009
United States of America
US: Students With Disabilities Face Corporal Punishment at Higher Rates
Human Rights Watch, 10/08/2009
Torture and Academic Freedom
New York Times, 20/08/2009
Venezuela
Four Injured in Venezuela University Attack as Argument Rages Over New Education Law
Latin America Herald Tribune, 20/08/2009
New education clash in Venezuela
BBC News, 22/08/2009
Zambia
Zambia: Police assault peace researchers
University World News, 16/08/2009
Zimbabwe
Student Activists Detained at University of Zimbabwe, Handed Over to Police
VOA News, 05/08/2009
Zimbabwe student leaders detained in fees protest
AFP News, 07/08/2009
Zimbabwe: Top university reopens, but no new students
University World News, 09/08/2009
Zimbabwe: Top student leader arrested
University World News, 16/08/2009
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