|
The following is a list of the names of foreign scholars invited to speak or lecture at universities in the US who have been denied entry visas by the US State Department. While the lives of these scholars are not jeopardized by the actions of our government, the principles of academic freedom certainly are which is why we made the decision to list their names here. When the expression of ideas are censored it is not only universities that are imperiled, but the very foundation of democracy is undermined. In this spirit we ask our readers to join us by sending petitions to our Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, protesting these actions.
- Riyadh Lafta, Iraqi doctor
Wrote a controversial paper on U.S. casualties in Iraq. Invited to speak at Washington University in April 2007 but was denied a visa.
- Adam Habib, South African Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Johannesburg
Had his Visa revoked in October 2006, preventing him from attending several conferences including that of the American Sociological Foundation, on grounds of having “engaged in terrorist activity.”
- Nalini Ghuman, British Professor of Music at Mills College, California
Had her Visa revoked in August 2006 without explanation.
- Yoannis Milios, Greek Professor of Economics, National Technical University, Athens
Prevented from speaking at New York University in June 2006 as a result of being refused entry after questions about his Marxist views. New application July 2006 in limbo.
- Dora Maria Tellez, Nicaraguan scholar and former Minister of Health
Forced to abandon her teaching post at Harvard University after the government denied her a visa in 2005, apparently because of her role in the Nicaraguan Revolution in 1979.
- Fernando Rodriguez, Bolivian human rights lawyer
Prevented from traveling to Washington in March 2005 to present a paper to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission. According to Rodriguez, immigration officials claimed he had met with "terrorist peasants." Rodriguez was denied entry into the U.S. and his visa was revoked.
- Tariq Ramadan, Swiss scholar, Visiting Professor at Erasmus University, Rotterdam
Refused entry to the U.S. and p revented from taking a post at Notre Dame University in 2004. Following an ACLU court case the government formally denied him a Visa in September 2006 on the grounds of having “endorsed or espoused” terrorism.
|
