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: April 23, 2024

Attack Types: Loss of Position

Institution(s):University of Hyderabad

Region & Country:Southern Asia | India

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On April 23, 2024, the University of Hyderabad (UoH) fined six students for organizing an unapproved pro-Palestine solidarity march in October 2023.

On October 27, 2023, a group of students from several different organizations–including the Student Federation of India (SFI), the Fraternity Movement, the National Student Union of India (NSUI),and the Muslim Student Federation (MSF)–marched on UoH’s campus to express support for Palestine. The march occurred against the backdrop of Hamas’ attack on October 7, and Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. The group called themselves “UoH for Palestine” to signify a collective student voice. Several students alleged that university security personnel intervened by physically restraining the peaceful student protesters and tearing down the student’s solidarity posters.

Six months later, on April 23, the university’s registrar wrote to the students notifying them that they were each being fined Rs 1,000 (approximately $12 USD). The registrar stated the fines were related to the group’s name, “UoH for Palestine,” which had not been “registered with the Dean of Students’ Welfare office,” and because the protest was conducted “without obtaining prior permission from the University authorities.”

Scholars at Risk is concerned about a higher education institution taking disciplinary action against students in retaliation for the peaceful exercise of freedom of expression – conduct which is protected by international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a party. University authorities have an obligation to refrain from restricting or retaliating against expressive activities so long as they are peaceful and responsible. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, penalties intended to restrict student expression undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://www.thenewsminute.com/telangana/hyderabad-university-fines-six-students-for-organising-palestine-solidarity-march
https://maktoobmedia.com/india/hyderabad-university-fines-students-rs-1000-each-for-conducting-uoh-for-palestine-protest/