Endorsement of SEMOMM statement regarding François Burgat

The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) strongly endorses the statement issued by our sister association, La Société des études sur le Moyen-Orient et les Mondes musulmans (SEMOMM), regarding the recent arrest and interrogation of the world-renowned scholar François Burgat.
 
MESA was founded in 1966 to promote scholarship and teaching on the Middle East and North Africa.  It has close to 2800 members worldwide and is committed to ensuring academic freedom and the freedom of expression, both within the region and in connection with the study of the region in North America and elsewhere.
 
The arrest and interrogation of François Burgat for alleged “advocacy of terrorism” is an extremely disturbing development as it comes in the context of increasing threats to freedom of expression of those critical of the current Israeli war on Gaza. 
 
We therefore strongly support SEMOMM’s call both for clarification regarding the charges against Prof. Burgat, and for French universities to firmly support their faculty members’ right to freedom of expression in these turbulent times. 
 
Aslı Ü. Bâli 
MESA President
Professor, Yale Law School

Documents & Links


Back

Stay Connected

MESA offers several ways to stay connected: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, as well as listservs and trusty email notifications. To find out more, please follow the link below.

Connect Now