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: July 05, 2022

Attack Types: Travel Restrictions | Other

Institution(s):Ministry of Higher Education

Region & Country:Northern Africa | Algeria

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On July 5, 2022, Algeria’s Ministry of Higher Education ordered a ban on Algerian scholars attending academic conferences in Morocco or publishing research in Moroccan journals.

The decision apparently stemmed from the publication of allegedly “anti-Algerian articles” in a Moroccan legal and judicial studies journal called Al-Bahit as well as tense relations between the Moroccan and Algerian governments.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about state authorities restricting international academic travel and exchange and scholars’ publications in academic journals. International engagement, including the sharing and exchange of ideas across borders and regardless of frontiers, is a core aspect of academic life. Arbitrary restrictions on scholars’ international academic travel and publications erode academic freedom and harm democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://www.al-fanarmedia.org/2022/07/algerias-ban-on-collaborations-with-moroccan-scholars/
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220706-algeria-suspends-academic-participation-in-moroccan-events-and-journals/
https://www.shihabpresse.dz/?p=138326&fbclid=IwAR1hE3SR721VoMsLtNYp7oZtghiJZjCt1kzn5jWLNvlL4-q7wmJeb-vXm3o