SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Learn more.

Date of Incident: February 12, 2011

Attack Types: Loss of Position | Other

Institution(s):University of Malawi

Region & Country:Eastern Africa | Malawi

New or Ongoing:New Incident

In January 2011, Dr. Blessings Chinsinga, a political science lecturer at the University of Malawi, was interrogated by police and dismissed from his position after allegedly drawing parallels during a lecture between problems in Malawi and the political unrest in Egypt and Tunisia. Following his dismissal the faculty went on strike, accusing the government of attempting to stifle academic freedom.  In April 2011 the university was closed down by the authorities. In October 2011 Dr. Chinsinga was reinstated in his position and in January 2012 the university re-opened. In April 2012, the police official who had summoned Dr. Chinsinga for questioning was discharged.
Sources:
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20120113214941712&query=chinsinga
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20110326123235692
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20110408184143792
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20111029090949923
UPDATE: This report is followed by an update. To view, please click here.