On June 1, 2014 at al-Anbar University, an Iraqi army sniper stationed near the school’s College of Agriculture, reportedly opened fire, targeting a number of students as they took final exams. One female student, Sama Laith Mouayad, was killed, while an assistant dean and two other students were injured.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent attacks on campus by security personnel. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, such incidents have a chilling effect on academic freedom and institutional autonomy. State officials have a responsibility to ensure the security of higher education communities, to prevent future attacks, and to hold perpetrators of violent attacks accountable.
Sources:
http://www.brussellstribunal.org/article_view.asp?id=1552
http://www.rferl.org/content/hundreds-rally-in-western-iraq-following-female-studentkilling/25407715.html
http://www.uoanbar.edu.iq/News_Details.php?ID=404
http://english.shafaaq.com/index.php/community/10031-ohchr-condemns-murder-of-the-student-sama
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.