The Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights condemned the authorities’ cancellation of the visit of Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Management Sciences in the state of Jendouba (northwest of the country).
In a statement issued on Monday, she noted that on two occasions, the authorities cancelled the visit that was scheduled for the end of April, without providing clear and transparent explanations to the university and human rights community about the reasons for this cancellation.
The association considered that “depriving the city’s students and its civil and academic components of this visit represents a lost opportunity and a real loss for university, cultural and human rights life in Jendouba.”
She affirmed her commitment to “the independence of the university space and its right to host various scientific, intellectual and human rights activities, within the framework of respect for the law and freedom of expression.”
The authorities were urged to “clarify the circumstances of this decision and to assume their responsibilities towards the right of the entity to benefit from such international scientific and human rights initiatives.”
The association also considered that the repeated cancellation of this visit, despite the efforts made by various partner parties to make it a success, raises serious questions about the extent of commitment to guaranteeing freedom of thought, expression and free academic debate within university institutions, and the real reasons that prevented the hosting of this important scientific and human rights activity.
She also stressed that such decisions “damage the image of the Tunisian university as a space for knowledge, free discussion and exchange of ideas and experiences, far from all forms of restriction or exclusion.”
Two months ago, Albanese confirmed to The Guardian that she had received threats from unknown individuals to kidnap and rape her daughter in Tunisia, where the family resides, in response to her pro-Palestinian stances and following her submission of a report entitled “Anatomy of Genocide,” which documents Israeli crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
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