On May 22, 2013 an unidentified armed group opened machine gun fire on Dr. Ameen Ahmad Al-Azzawi, a University of Diyala professor, outside his home in al-Mukhisa Village, located to the north of Baquba. Dr. Al-Azzawi was killed instantly. According to sources, Dr. Al-Azzawi’s son was also killed in the incident.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent attacks on members of higher education communities. Aside from the harm to the immediate victim, these attacks undermine the ability of higher education communities to serve their educational, research and social functions. State and university authorities have a responsibility to protect higher education personnel from such threats, and to do so in ways that do not undermine academic freedom or institutional autonomy. State and university officials also have a responsibility to prevent future attacks by holding perpetrators accountable.
Sources:
http://www.iraq4allnews.dk/PrintPage.php?id+54796 (ARABIC)
http://almoslim.net/node/183871 (ARABIC)
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.