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The Network

Launch of SAR Canada Section

SAR is pleased to announce the launch of Scholars at Risk, Canada Section at Massey College, University of Toronto on Friday, June 22, 2012. The event will feature a keynote by The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Winnipeg and a lunchtime presentation from Charles Foran, award-winning author and president of PEN Canada.

The launch of Scholars at Risk, Canada Section represents the culmination of several years of partnership between Canadian higher education institutions and the wider, international Scholars at Risk Network. SAR ‘sections’ are a means of engaging national institutions in that wider effort, and of enhancing organization and coordination of local activities in support of academic freedom, university autonomy and related values. The June launch in Toronto will bring together higher education and human rights leaders to build solidarity in support of these values.

To learn more, and for forthcoming registration details, visit the Canada Section website or contact Scholars at Risk at scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu.

SAR announces publication of how-to-host handbooks

Thanks to the generous support of the Vivian G. Prins Foundation, Scholars at Risk announces the publication of three handbooks that provide guidance and advice to network members and scholars regarding hosting and speaking arrangements. The series includes a How to Host Handbook and Scholar Handbook to help institutions and scholars, respectively, with the hosting process; and a Speaker Series Handbook for institutions, organizations and affiliates interested in inviting scholars to speak on campus through the Scholars at Risk Speaker Series. Scholars at Risk member institutions in good standing receive two copies of each handbook as a benefit of membership. To obtain your copies today, to download a PDF version of each handbook, and to learn more about the content of each handbook, visit our handbooks page.

The Network

The Forbidden Science Monologues

From March 22 through April 3, 2012, a series of monologues were presented in cities across the Netherlands by SAR's Dutch partner, the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF). The series, titled "The Forbidden Science Monologues", was based on true stories of at-risk scholars and academics from West Africa, Iraq, Iran and Colombia. For more information please visit UAF's webpage for the event.

Academic Freedom

Intellectual Freedom in Tunisia and the Arab Spring

In order to raise awareness of the importance of defending intellectual freedom and freedom of expression in Tunisia, SAR and the NYU Center for Dialogues invited four Tunisian professors to New York for a series of working meetings and a public event.  The event, held on April 9th, entitled "Courage to Think: Intellectual Freedom in Tunisia and the Arab Spring" and co-sponsored by the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at the NYU School of Law and Human Rights Watch consisted of an open discussion of the threat that censorship poses to Tunisian communities, specifically analyzing the nature and origin of the spreading violence that has been increasing over the past year. 

Advocacy

Bahrain court orders retrial for Dr. Al-Singace

On April 27, 2012, Scholars at Risk issued a fifth letter of appeal on behalf of Dr. Al-Singace in advance of the April 30th appeal verdict. SAR urged the authorities to ensure that Dr. Al-Singace was provided with a fair appeal process, one that is in accordance with Bahrain's obligations under international law; and that any charges, convictions or sentences against Dr. Al-Singace related to his peaceful exercise of protecting human rights are lifted. On April 30th it was reported that the the Court of Cassation ordered a retrial of the case. His case has been referred back to the Court of Appeals.

Call for action on behalf of Gu Guan

On April 10, 2012 Scholars at risk issued an alert on behalf of the Scholars at Risk Network to express concern over public reports that Mr. Gu Chuan, a scholar and blogger, was denied permission to leave China to take up a position as a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University in the United States. SAR urged the appropriate authorities to inquire into the matter and to explain publicly the circumstances of any restrictions on Mr. Chuan's travel or, if there are no official restrictions, to expedite approval of any pending or future travel requests. Gu Chuan has been threatened before. He disappeared for over two months in February 2011 as the Chinese government responded to and attempted to suppress calls for a 'Jasmine Revolution' to take place in China. 

To view SAR's call for action and to review a copy of SAR's letter on the scholar's behalf, Please visit our Alerts/Scholars in Prison page for more and up to date information.