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. Starting July 1, 2026, SAR no longer publishes reports for the incidents that it records. SAR continues to monitor and record incidents that will be used in the annual Free to Think report. This page provides a record of incidents reported up to that date. Learn more about the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project.

Date of Incident: June 27, 2022

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances | Other

Institution(s):Dhamar University

Region & Country:Western Asia | Yemen

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On June 27, 2022, Houthi gunmen forcibly entered Dhamar University’s Faculty of Arts, attacked several members of the university staff, and damaged university property.

The gunmen reportedly assaulted the Dean’s secretary and one professor, Majali Al-Raa’ini. They also tore down signs that bore the name of the university.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about a raid of a university and assault on university staff by armed actors. Parties to a conflict have an obligation to refrain from encroaching on institutional autonomy or physical violence against noncombatants. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, such attacks undermine academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://sahafaty.com/news17456077.htm
https://almasdaronline.com/articles/254623