News

Network announcements, press releases and other updates from the SAR Secretariat

What is academic freedom?

An article by SAR Executive Director Robert Quinn for the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Academic freedom is simple, complex, and essential. It must be protected. Academic freedom is a guarantor of quality. It is the freedom to carry out research,

Hungarian government in spotlight over academic freedom

A piece by Ben Upton for Research Europe covering SAR’s UPR submission on Hungary. Scholars at Risk network calls for international pressure, but government defends policies and motives The international academic freedom network Scholars at Risk has called on the

Researchers at risk need dedicated support

An article co-authored by SAR Europe Programme Manager Orla Duke for Research Europe. Attacks on scholars, students, staff and higher education institutions are occurring with alarming and growing frequency. Last November’s Free to Think 2020 report, published by Scholars at Risk (SAR),

Egypt: 74 NGOs urge Egyptian authorities to release Ahmed Samir Santawy

Scholars at Risk joins 73 organizations in calling for the immediate release of Ahmed Samir Santawy. Mr. Santawy is a postgraduate student at Central European University in Vienna, Austria, who is detained in Egypt in apparent connection with his studies

Scholars at Risk April 2021 Newsletter

Scholars at Risk is pleased to share their April 2021 Newsletter. Click here to read this document.

SAR urges Hungary to restore and protect university autonomy

Since 2016, the higher education community in Hungary has faced escalating government pressures, in particular severe encroachments on university autonomy, including most prominently the government’s targeting and effective closure of a university. Scholars at Risk (SAR), in collaboration with the

Release detained Thai student activists

Scholars at Risk (SAR) has sent to Thai authorities the below letter raising concern over the detention of three students, Mr. “Penguin” Parit Chiwarak, Ms. “Rung” Panusaya Sitthijirawattanakul, and Mr. “Mike” Panupong Jadnok, and the lèse-majesté and sedition charges they

SAR urges states to call on Thailand to cease attacks on higher ed communities

Over the past five years, academic freedom has been under immense strain in Thailand, where state authorities have used arrests, prosecutions (especially under the country’s lèse majesté law), surveillance, and other coercive actions to punish and restrict expression and inquiry

Military occupies Myanmar campuses

A piece by Joyce Lau for Times Higher Education covering SAR’s letter on Myanmar to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Scores of campuses in Myanmar have been occupied by troops, leaving classrooms empty of lecturers and students. The military,

Violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters and the higher education community in Myanmar

Scholars at Risk (SAR) has sent to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) the below letter raising concerns over widespread human rights violations by Myanmar’s military and police following the February 1 military coup and their disastrous impact on

Pitt’s first formal Scholar at Risk reflects on year at Pitt

A piece by Kiera Ledermann for Pitt News covering SAR scholar Hatice Simten Coşar, a Turkish professor. Feminist scholar and professor Hatice Simten Coşar was among more than 1,000 academics who signed a statement in 2016 against military actions taken by

UBC political science students advocate for imprisoned Uyghur academic

A piece by Sydney Cristall for Ubyssey covering SAR Student Advocacy Seminars at the University of British Columbia. As part of a student advocacy seminar, POLI 464F, four UBC political science students are advocating for the release of Dr. Ilham

Arab Region Scores Lowest in the World for Academic Freedom

A piece by Burton Bollag for Al-Fanar Media covering the Academic Freedom Index, developed by SAR and partners. Scholars and students in the Arab region enjoy less academic freedom than their counterparts elsewhere in the world, the second annual Academic Freedom