United Nations (UN) special rapporteurs requested information regarding potential human rights violations in an Oct. 14 letter to Georgetown University, which the university responded to Dec. 12.
The letter, addressed to Interim President Robert M. Groves, cites the March detainment of Georgetown postdoctoral researcher Badar Khan Suri as part of a broader crackdown on academics engaged in pro-Palestinian advocacy and urges Georgetown to take measures protecting academic freedom and student rights. Groves, in his response to the letter, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to its freedom of expression and speech policy and its concern for the implications of Khan Suri’s arrest.
The letter from the rapporteurs asks the university to detail the measures it is taking to protect student rights and requests any additional comments on the allegations. The rapporteurs also request information on how the university plans to prevent repression of expression protected under articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a UN treaty that commits signatory nations to respect individuals’ civil and political rights, such as freedoms of religion, speech and assembly.
“Please provide information about the measures your university intends to take to protect the rights of students and scholars, particularly Dr. Badar Khan Suri as well as other student activists and human rights defenders at Georgetown University expressing their solidarity with victims of human rights violations in Gaza and the West Bank,” the letter reads.
In an email to the rapporteurs Dec. 12, Groves responded to the letter, saying the university is committed to the freedoms of speech and expression.
“Our long-standing, university-wide Speech and Expression Policy protects our community members’ rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even on controversial or objectionable ideas,” Groves wrote in the email. “Our policy ‘encourages and protects the free expression of ideas within the broadest possible latitude… and the untrammeled verbal and nonverbal expression of ideas.’”
The rapporteurs’ letter says there have also been cases of mistreatment and detainment among non-citizen scholars from Cornell University, Tufts University, Minnesota State University and Columbia University. These universities received similar letters addressed to their respective provosts and presidents.
“These individuals, many of whom held valid immigration status, have faced violations of their rights to liberty, due process, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, religion and access to justice,” the letter reads. “Reports indicate a pattern of arbitrary detention, transfers to remote facilities, denial of medical care, religious discrimination and the use of unsubstantiated national security.”
In the letter, Special Rapporteurs Mary Lawlor, Farida Shaheed, Irene Khan, Gina Romero and Gehad Madi said they condemn the U.S. government’s financial pressure on universities and their research.
“We are equally concerned over the coercive measures taken by the U.S. government against universities and the consequent actions by, for instance, Columbia University,” the letter reads. “The State has a responsibility to respect and protect academic freedom, including the autonomy of academic institutions by virtue of their special role in society, which is underpinned by a range of human rights, including the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, association and peaceful assembly.”
The letter comes after changes in immigration policy and decreased research funding resulting from the downsizing of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) under President Donald Trump. At a university town hall Dec. 12, Georgetown extended a series of budget constraints implemented last April to address the financial measures taken by the federal government.
The letter urges university officials to cease any ongoing potential violations, saying that the university must ensure a safe environment for peaceful expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“While awaiting a reply, we urge that all necessary interim measures be taken to halt the alleged violations and prevent their re-occurrence and in the event that the investigations support or suggest the allegations to be correct, to ensure the accountability of any person(s) responsible for the alleged violations,” the letter reads. “We also urge you to uphold the fundamental right to freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly in line with the international norms and standards and thus ensure a free and safe environment for all those peacefully expressing solidarity with Palestinian people, in particular regarding Dr. Badar Khan Suri.”
Groves said the university has multiple programs aimed at fostering an environment conducive to free expression among students and faculty.
“The University recognizes that we must balance our commitment to openness and international engagement with our obligations to comply with applicable laws, including those immigration laws and regulations that pertain to hosting international scholars and students,” Groves wrote. “Georgetown takes seriously its obligations to diligently serve and support the safety of all members of this community as they work toward expanding their knowledge and enhancing ours.”
