NEAR Newsletter May 2010
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 (May 2010). 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
Iran: Jailed French Academic Freed
After being held at the French Embassy in Iran for ten months, Clotilde Reiss has had her sentence commuted to a fine of £208,000, and has been allowed to return to France, the Telegraph reported on the 16th May.
** 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
Australia
Indian students struggling to get back tuition fees
The Hindu, 03/05/2010
India
India: Severe academic shortage hits elite institutes
University World News, 02/05/2010
Barred from exams, students seek relief from Sibal
The Times of India, 18/05/2010
Iran
Iran: Teacher trade unionists continue to be targeted by authorities
Education International, 03/05/2010
Iran Executes Five Activists, Sending Message to Critics
The New York Times, 09/05/2010
Political Executions Indication of Government’s Insecurity
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 09/05/2010
Farzad Kamangar: EI Outrage at Iranian Teacher’s Execution
Education International, 10/05/2010
French academic leaves Iran after 10 months
Associated Press, 17/05/2010
Iraq
Academic Freedom at the American University of Iraq in Sulaimani
National Review Online, 03/05/2010
Bombs target buses of Christian students in Iraq
Associated Press, 03/05/2010
Israel / Palestine
Israel denies US academic Chomsky West Bank entry
BBC News, 16/05/2010
Kenya
Kenyan university shut over riots
Capital FM, 18/05/2010
Pakistan
40 injured in Baloch-Pashtun student clashes in Balochistan
Daily Times, 18/05/2010
Russia
Russian Court Rejects Appeal By Scientist Accused Of Spying
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 01/05/2010
South Korea
University lecturer’s suicide underscores education sector issues
The Hankyoreh, 28/05/2010
Taiwan
Taiwan to open doors to students from China
Taipei Times, 04/05/2010
Thailand
Detained professor starts hunger strike
University World News, 30/05/2010
Ukraine
Rector warns of intimidation
University World News, 30/05/2010
United Kingdom
'Freedom to say anything to anyone' is not what we need
Times Higher Education, 06/05/2010
Sex life of fruit bat lands lecturer in hot water
Times Higher Education, 17/05/2010
Universities take stock of what Conservative-Liberal Democrat government will mean for them
Guardian, 18/05/2010
Pakistani students arrested in anti-terror raids can stay in UK
Guardian, 18/05/2010
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