Committee on Academic Freedom

MESA’s Committee on Academic Freedom comprises two sub-committees: MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and NA (North America). The mission of CAF is to address violations by protesting them at the highest government and diplomatic levels of the country where the violation occurs. The cases that CAF has addresses can be viewed in the list of interventions. To learn more about CAF, read the Committee's protocol.

May 12, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Protest the Unjust Detention of Students Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi for the Past Five Years

Our letter calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Iranian students Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi, who were denied fair trials and have been unjustly imprisoned for five years on baseless charges and subjected to mistreatment. In addition, the letter urges President Pezeshkian to uphold his campaign promises by protecting students' rights and academic freedom. It also highlights the broader crackdown on students in Iran, especially following the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, during which thousands faced arrests, suspensions, and disciplinary actions.

April 29, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to the University of Notre Dame expressing concern over the cancellation of a keynote lecture by Professor Eman Abdelhadi

Our letter condemning the last-minute cancellation of a keynote lecture that was to be given by Professor Eman Abdelhadi, purportedly on grounds of security.

April 28, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to the University of Colorado-Boulder expressing concern about the university’s failure to respond adequately to a physical assault against students

Our letter expressing concern about the University of Colorado-Boulder’s apparent failure to meaningfully respond to a physical assault committed on campus against students advocating for Palestinian rights

April 28, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter regarding treatment of students and scholars protesting the pretrial imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu

Our letter regarding the use of violence by the police, as well as disciplinary and criminal proceedings against students, academics, and related institutions participating in protests against the pretrial imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu following the annulment of his bachelor’s degree.

April 15, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter concerning the ongoing mistreatment of Egyptian scholar and translator Kholoud Said

Our third letter to Egyptian officials regarding the unjust circumstances of Egyptian researcher and translator, Kholoud Said. We call on the authorities to dismiss all charges against her and reinstate her in her job at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

April 08, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Yale University regarding the termination of Dr. Helyeh Doutaghi

Our letter expressing concern about the termination of Dr. Helyeh Doutaghi, deputy director of Yale University’s Law and Political Economy Project and associate research scholar at Yale Law School, in the wake of allegations made on an obscure website whose founders and contributors are anonymous

March 31, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Harvard University protesting the dismissals of the director and associate director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies

Our letter expressing concern about Harvard University’s decision to remove Professor Cemal Kafadar and Associate Professor Rosie Bsheer as, respectively, director and associate director of the university’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies

March 17, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to the leadership of Columbia University urging it to reject the Trump administration’s ultimatum of 13 March 2025 and stand firm in defense of academic freedom & the university’s independence

Our letter expressing outrage about the letter dated 13 March 2025 that was sent to you by three Trump administration officials, and to urge you to respond in a principled and forceful manner to the unprecedented, unacceptable and extreme demands that it sets forth

March 17, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture regarding its cancellation of a planned special journal issue on Palestine

Our letter expressing concern about the decision of the Board of Directors of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture to cancel a planned issue of the Journal of Architectural Education (JAE) focused on Palestine. We are equally disturbed by the board’s termination of JAE Interim Executive Editor McLain Clutter for protesting this decision.

March 06, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to NY Governor Hochul and leaders of the City University of New York regarding the Palestinian Studies position at Hunter College

Our letter expressing grave concern about Governor Hochul’s unprecedented demand that Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY) take down a posted advertisement for a new open-rank position in the field of Palestinian Studies

March 06, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter protesting the ongoing unjust incarceration of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali

Our tenth letter to express our outrage and deep concern, and demand the release from prison of the dual national (Iranian-Swedish) Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali who has been detained on false charges for nine years and condemned to death on the basis of a forced confession.

March 03, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

MESA Statement on Dr. Laila Soueif

MESA expresses profound concern regarding the deteriorating health of Laila Soueif in Egypt, and calls for the release of her son Alaa Abdel-Fattah and the end of violations of academic freedom by the Egyptian government.

February 14, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Salma al-Shehab released from prison

CAF welcomes the recent news that Salma al-Shehab has been released from prison

February 10, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to MIT expressing concern about the decision not to allow Professor Michel DeGraff to teach a course relating to Palestine in Fall 2024

Our letter expressing concern about the decision of MIT’s Department of Linguistics and Philosophy to deny Professor Michel DeGraff permission to offer a proposed course on language, linguistics and decolonization in Israel/Palestine

February 10, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Emory University regarding the suspension of Umaymah Mohammad for exercising her right to free speech

Our letter expressing concern about the suspension of Umaymah Mohammad, a student from the Emory University School of Medicine, for a statement that she made during a media interview that was deemed in violation of the student code of conduct.

January 28, 2025
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to the Columbia University Senate calling on it to investigate the Office of Institutional Equity’s treatment of Professor Katherine Franke

Our letter expressing concern about the flawed disciplinary proceedings involving Dr. Katherine Franke and the circumstances surrounding her “retirement.”

December 16, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to New York University regarding its arbitrary repressive actions toward faculty and students

Our letter expressing concern about recent actions that have exacerbated the climate of repression on campus

December 12, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Response from Cornell to our 26 November letter

The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the Interim President of Cornell University in response to our 26 November letter regarding a course proposal developed by Dr. Eric Cheyfitz

November 26, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to the Interim President of Cornell University regarding his criticism of an approved course proposal

Our letter expressing concern about the negative comments recently made regarding a course proposal developed by Dr. Eric Cheyfitz

November 20, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter regarding the latest trial and sentencing of Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith

Our letter protesting the latest trial of Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, who has already spent 11 years in prison and his sentencing to life in prison on dubious charges of “establishing and managing a clandestine terrorist organization,” as well as decrying his mistreatment in prison.

November 16, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to MIT expressing concern about its disciplinary action against Prahlad Iyengar

Our letter expressing concern about the recent disciplinary action by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) against one of its doctoral students, Prahlad Iyengar.

November 07, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Tunisian government demanding the release from detention of French doctoral student

Our letter to Tunisian authorities insisting on the release from detention of French doctoral student conducting dissertation research in Tunisia and urging the protection of academic freedom in the country

November 06, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Swarthmore College expressing concern about its flawed disciplinary process

Our letter expressing concern about the flawed disciplinary proceedings involving a number of its students that Swarthmore College is currently conducting

November 05, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to the University of Minnesota protesting the barring of students from campus without due process

Our letter expressing concern about the decision of the University of Minnesota administration to indefinitely suspend eight students who participated in an occupation of a university building

November 04, 2024
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Harvard University regarding the suspension of library access for students and faculty for exercising their right to free speech

Our letter expressing concern about Harvard University’s decision to ban a number of undergraduate students, law students and faculty from entering Harvard University’s libraries

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