Open letter: No more academic collusion with Sisi’s regime

We condemn the wave of repression which has swept Egypt in response to peaceful protests criticising current president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Human rights activists say that more than 3000 people have been arrested since 20 September, including Professors Hazem Hosny and Hassan Nafaa of Cairo University, lawyers Mahienour el-Massry, Mohamed Salah Agag and other colleagues, Alaa Abdelfattah and many political figures, activists, journalists and human rights campaigners. We are alarmed that Boris Johnson believes that the UK can make “positive progress in our bilateral relationship” with the Egyptian regime in such circumstances.

We are also deeply concerned that once again, UK universities are showing their willingness to put potential revenue from student fees before commitment to human rights and academic freedoms, by pursuing partnerships with private educational firms running “branch campuses” or offering UK degrees in Egypt. University of Hertfordshire, Coventry University and University of London have all been reported as opening, or planning to open for business in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. This is particularly worrying following the kidnapping, torture and murder of Cambridge University PhD student, Giulio Regeni in January 2016. Italian prosecutors named Egyptian state security agents as suspects in this case in November 2018.

We call on UK universities operating in or planning to open for business in Egypt to suspend these projects until the human rights situation improves enough to ensure that academic freedoms are protected and to join us in a public statement calling on the regime to release political prisoners, respect human rights and protect freedom of expression.

Scroll down for a complete list of launch signatories. This letter will be sent to the universities named above with copies to the Egyptian embassy in London and Universities UK.

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Please note names will not appear automatically. The names below are a subset of signatures that have already been collected.

Dr Geoff Abbott Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University UK
Joel W. Abdelmoez Centre for Gender Studies University of Cambridge
Professor Eihab Abdel-Rahman Engineering Univesrity of Waterloo Canada
Dr. Giuseppe Acconcia Politics and International Relations Padova University Italy
Professor Gilbert Achcar Development Studies SOAS, University of London UK
Mr Ross Adamson Humanities University of Brighton United Kingdom
Professor of the History of Africa and the African Diaspora Hakim Adi University of Chichester United Kingdom
Dr. Mahvish Ahmad Centre for Humanities Research University of the Western Cape South Africa
Dr. Kuat Akizhanov Department of Social and Policy Sciences University of Bath UK
Professor Nadje Al-Ali Anthropology Department &Watson Institute for Public and International 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫s Brown University USA
Abdullah Alaoudh School of Foreign Services Georegtown University USA
Dr Anne Alexander Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities University of Cambridge
Mr Nart Alhweitti Faculty of Medicine Marmara University
Dr Lori Allen Reader in Anthropology SOAS UK
Dr. Jamie Allinson Politics and International Relations University of Edinburgh
Dr Alaa Alshehabi University College London UK
Dr Edward Anderson POLIS University of Cambridge UK
Dr Miriyam Aouragh Reader in Media Art and Communication University of Westminster
Dr Troy Astarte School of Computing Newcastle University United Kingdom
Dr David Baines School of Arts and Cultures Newcastle University UK
Mr David Baker UK
Dr Maciej Bancarzewski Business School University of Hertfordshire United Kingdom
Dr Hannes Baumann Politics University of Liverpool UK
Donald J. McLachlan Professor of History Joel Beinin History Stanford University United States
Mr Stuart Bennett PoLIS University of Bath
Dr Matthew Benwell GPS Newcastle University United Kingdom
Dr Luke Bhatia Lecturer in International Politics The University of Manchester UK
Dr Francesca Biancani Dept of Political and Social Sciences Bologna University Italy
Dr Irina Biktasheva Computer Science University of Liverpool UK
Dr. Susan Blackwell Language, Literature and Communication Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands
Dr Steffan Blayney Department of History University of Sheffield United Kingdom
Jann Boeddeling Department of Government LSE, University of London
Dr Kambiz Boomla Blizard Institute Queen Mary University of London UK
Professor Bill Bowring FAcSS, Barrister, Director of the Director of the LLM/MA in Human Rights Birkbeck College, University of London
Emeritus Reader in International History Robert Boyce London School of Economics and Political Science UK
Professor Craig Brandist Arts and Humanities University of Sheffield UK
Prof. Bob Brecher School of Humanities University of Brighton UK
Professor Haim Bresheeth School of Interdisciplinary Studies SOAS UK
Kriti Budhiraja Sociology University of Minnesota India
Dr Peta Bulmer Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology University of Liverpool
Dr Francesca Burke School of Applied Social Science University of Brighton UK
Dr Guy Burton Vesalius College Belgium
Professor of African Studies and Development Politics Ray Bush School of Politics and International Studies University of Leeds UK
Em. Prof Pat Caplan Anthropology Goldsmiths United Kingdom
Senior Lecturer Russell Caplan School of Health and Social Care London South Bank University United Kingdom
Dr Estella Carpi Geography University College London United Kingdom
Dr Harriet Carroll Rowett Institute University of Aberdeen UK
Mr Pau Cata Edinburgh College of Art Edinburgh University
Professor John Chalcraft Professor of Middle East Politics LSE, University of London UK
Mr Duncan Chambers ScHARR University of Sheffield UK
Doctoral researcher Ioana Cerasella Chis POLSIS University of Birmingham UK
Dr Andrew Chitty Department of Philosophy University of Sussex UK
Dr Tanzil Chowdhury Lecturer in Public Law and Human Rights Queen Mary University of London UK
Professor Linda Clarke Westminster Business School University of Westminster GB
Prof. Elliott Colla Arabic and Islamic Studies Georgetown University USA
Associate Professor in Human Rights Ayça Çubukçu LSE Human Rights and Department of Sociology London School of Economics and Political Science UNited
Ms Katie Cuddon School of Arts and Cultures Newcastle University UK
Dr Steve Cushion University and College Union Branch Secretary, London Retired Members UK
Mr Ala-ul-Iman Dabbous Paris School of International Affairs Sciences Po France
Erum Dahar
Dr Adrija Dey Development Studies SOAS United Kingdom
Prof. James Dickins Dept. of Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies University of Leeds United Kingdom
Dr Andrea Dolfini School of History, Classics and Archaeology Newcastle University UK
Dr Hannah Durkin School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics Newcastle University United Kingdom
Dr Peter Dwyer School for Cross-faculty Studies University of Warwick United Kingdom
Dr James Eastwood Politics and International Relations Queen Mary University of London UK
Dr Nadia Edmond School of Education University of Brighton UK
ElSayed Mahmoud Sociology and Social Anthropology Central European University, Budapest Hungry
Dr Khadijah Elshayyal University of Edinburgh
Dr Sai Englert Institute for Area Studies Leiden University Netherlands
Dr Karen Evans School of Law and Social Policy University of Liverpool UK
Professor Khaled Fahmy Professor of Modern Arabic Studies University of Cambridge
Dr Ausaf Farooqui Psychology Bilkent University Turkey
Mr Samuel Farr Department of Chemical Engineering University of Bath UK
Mr Andrew Feinstein UK
Dr Lorenzo Feltrin Sociology University of Warwick
Dr Juan Pablo Ferrero Politics, Language and International Studies University of Bath United Kingdom
Alice Finden Centre for Gender Studies SOAS, University of London UK
Edward Fox arts & social sciences open university UK
Professor Des Freedman Professor of Media and Communications Studies Goldsmiths, University of London
Ms Océanne Fry Bard College Berlin France
Prof Christian Fuchs University of Westminster UK
PhD Researcher James Godfrey Law Birkbeck, University of London
Professor Neve Gordon Professor of Human Rights Queen Mary, University of London
Professor Rebecca Ruth Gould College of Arts & Law University of Birmingham UK
Ms Frances Grahl CCLPS SOAS UK
Professor Penny Green Law Queen Mary University of London UK
Jannis Grimm Freie Universität Berlin Germany
Dr Adam Hanieh Reader in Development Studies SOAS, University of London UK
Dr Christopher Harker Institute for Global Prosperity University College London United Kingdom
Dr Jason Hart SPS University of Bath UK
Mr. Joe Hayns SAME (Anthropology) University of Oxford UK
Ms Elane Heffernan UCU National Executive, Disabled Members Committee UK
Tom Hickey Humanities University of Brighton UK
Mr Roger Higginson History University of Sussex United Kingdom
Ms Margot Hill Creative Arts Croydon College UK
Dr Christian Hogsbjerg School of Humanities University of Brighton United Kingdom
Prof Anders Holmberg School of English Literature, Language, and Linguistics Newcastle University UK
Dr. Najib Hourani Department of Anthropology Michigan State University USA
Dr Elizabeth Hull Anthropology and Sociology SOAS University of London UK
Dr Sarah Irving Leiden University UK
Dr Feyzi Ismail Development Studies SOAS, University of London United Kingdom
Professor Salwa Ismail Professor of Politics of the Middle East SOAS, University of London
Dr Peyman Jafari Princeton University USA
Dr Nick Jakubovics Dental Sciences Newcastle University UK
Professor Leigh Jenco Professor of Political Theory LSE, University of London
Dr Gary Jenkins School of Modern Languages Newcastle University UK
Dr A C Jimenez Moreno United Kingdom
Dr Craig Jones Geography Newcastle University UK
Dr Mordechai Katzman Mathematics University of Sheffield United Kingdom
MR Mebratu Kelecha Politics University of Westminster United Kingdom
Professor Laleh Khalili Professor of International Politics Queen Mary, University of London
Ms Shehla Khan Humanities and Social Sciences Keele University United Kingdom
Snigdha Kumar PhD student, Sociology University of Minnesota India and USA
Dr Andrew Law School of Architecture, planning and landscape Newcastle University United Kingdom
Zoe Lawlor AHSS University of Limerick Ireland
Research Associate Hugo Leal CRASSH University of Cambridge
Professor Mark LeVine History UC Irvine United States
Dr Andrew Lindridge Newcastle University Business School Newcastle University UK
Prof (emerita) Judi Loach History Cardiff University Wales (but now in France)
Professor Zachary Lockman Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies New York University USA
Dr Zeina Maasri School of Humanities University of Brighton UK
Meriam Mabrouk Birkbeck College, University of London United Kingdom
Dr Thomas MacManus Queen Mary University of London
Dr Sara Maioli Economics Newcastle University United Kingdom
Dr. Laura Mann Assistant Professor of International Development, London School of Economics
Academic Researcher Samar Maqusi University of London UK
Dr Jorge Marco Politics, Languages and International Studies University of Bath United Kingdom
Dr Vivienne Matthies-Boon Political Science University of Amsterdam The Netherlands
Dr Ian McDonald Film@CultureLab Newcastle University UK
Jack McGinn Middle East Centre London School of Economics United Kingdom
Jo McNeill Chair, University of Liverpool UCU University of Liverpool
Dr Richard McNeil-Willson Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies European University Institute Italy
J Miller Politics and International Studies (POLIS) University of Cambridge UK
Dr Aurelien Mondon PoLIS University of Bath UK
Dr Stephen Moonie Fine Art Newcastle University United Kingdom
Dr Dalia Mostafa University of Manchester UK
Prof. Clement Mouhot Mathematics University of Cambridge United Kingdom
dr suneela mubayi arabic literature, asian and middle eastern studies univ. of cambridge UK
Dr Eva Nanopoulos Law Queen Mary, University of London UK
Dr Yael Navaro Department of Social Anthropology University of Cambridge UK
Mr Sandy Nicoĺl I&T Directorate SOAS University of London UK
Dr Jacob Norris Department of History University of Sussex UK
Dr. Paul O’Connell School of Law SOAS University of London United Kingdom
Dr Mark O’Brien University of Liverpool UK
Dr Victoria Pagan Business School Newcastle University
Dr. David Palumbo-Liu Louise Hewlett Nixon Professor Stanford University US
Ms Elke Pawlowski
Dr Nicola Perugini Politics and International Relations University of Edinburgh United Kingdom
Professor Deborah Philips Humanities University of Brighton UK
Miray Philips Sociology University of Minnesota United States
Dr Sharri Plonski School of Politics and International Relations Queen Mary University of London United Kingdom
Professor Megan Povey School of Food Science and Nutrition University of Leeds United Kingdom
Dr Nicola Pratt Politics and International Studies University of Warwick UK
Sebastian Prost Open Lab Newcastle University UK
Dr. Walaa Quisay Philosophy, Theology, and Religion University of Birmingham UK
Dr Asim Qureshi CAGE UK
Sana R
Ms Sanaz Raji Independent Scholar UK
Dr Fatima Rajina Social Sciences UCL IoE UK
Dr. Manjeet Ramgotra Politics and International Studies SOAS University of London UK
Dr Glen Rangwala Politics and International Studies University of Cambridge UK
Dr Rahul Rao Politics and International Studies SOAS University of London UK/India
Dr Galadriel Ravelli University of Bath United Kingdom
Dr Andrea Rehberg Philosophy Newcastle University United Kingdom
Professor Kimberley Reynolds School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics Newcastle University United Kingdom
Dr Rasha Rezk Department of Engineering University of Cambridge
Dr Rasha Rezk Department of Engineering University of Cambridge
PhD Candidate Sarah Rifky History, Theory, Criticism; Architecture MIT United States
Ms Rebeca Robertson Professional Services SOAS UCU
Dr Roberto Roccu Senior Lecturer in International Political Economy King’s College London
Dr Leon Rocha School of History and Heritage University of Lincoln United Kingdom
Eleanor Rowley Politics, Languages and International Studies University of Bath United Kingdom
Dr Camilla Royle Geography King’s College London United Kingdom
Dr. Anita Rupprecht School of Humanities University of Brighton United Kingdon
Dr Christa Salamandra Anthropology City University of New York USA
Ilyas Saliba Democracy & Democratization WZB Berlin Social Science Center Germany
Professor Raphael Salkie School of Humanities University of Brighton UK
Dr Joanne Sayner Media, Culture, Heritage Newcastle University UK
Emeritus Professor Richard Seaford Classics and Ancinet History University of Exter UK
Peter Seddon artist/curator/writer Brighton (retired academic 2012) UK
Mrs. Ana Sevilla-Merino Skills Centre University of Bath UK (United Kingdom)
Ms Aisyah Shah Idil Communications University of Technology Sydney Australia
PhD studenr Samir Shalabi Social Anthropology Stockholm University Sweden
Dr Chinmay Sharma
Mr Ian Sinclair Humanities University of Brighton United Kingdom
Mrs Elaine Smith IHS Newcastle University England
Dr Joanne Smith Finley East Asian Studies- School of Modern Languages Newcastle University UK
Dr Rasha Soliman Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies University of Leeds United Kingdom
Dr. Lucia Sorbera Arabic Language and Cultures The University of Sydney Australia
Dr Rosalynd Southern Communication and Media The University of Liverpool United Kingdom
Professor Bill Spence Queen Mary University of London UK
Dr Matthew Spencer School of Environmental Sciences University of Liverpool UK
Dr Amy Stabler Business School Newcastle University UK
Dr. Joshua Stacher Political Science Kent State University USA
Dr Colin Stoneman Retired University of York United Kingdom
Ms Hedley Sugar-Wells INTO INTO Newcastle University UK
Title First name Surname Department or Faculty University or Institution Country
Dr. Robert Tally English Texas State University USA
Andrea Teti Politics and International Relations University of Aberdeen Scotland
Dr Jennifer Thomson Politics, Languages and International Studies University of Bath UK
Alberto Toscano Sociology Goldsmiths, University of London
Grant Tregonning United Kingdom
Olivia Turner Fine Art Newcastle University UK
Professor Martin Upchurch Business School Middlesex University United Kingdom
Katerina Vrablikova PoLIS University of Bath United Kingdom
Dr Yair Wallach Languages and Cultures SOAS United Kingdom
Mr Sean Wallis UCL UCU president and UCU National Executive UCL, University of London UK
Dr David Warren Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies Washington University in St. Louis USA
Mr David Waterhouse Tropical Disease Biology Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine United Kingdom
Josepha Wessels School of Arts and communication Malmö University Sweden
Dr Emma Whipday School of English Newcastle University England
Dr Sophie Whiting PoLIS University of Bath United Kingdom
Dr Lesley Whitworth School of Humanities University of Brighton UK
Professor David Whyte Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology University of Liverpool UK
Prof Anil Wipat Computing Newcastle University United Kingdom
Dr Elisa Wynne-Hughes Politics and International Relations Cardiff University UK
Haim Yacobi DPU UCL UK
Dr Waseem Yaqoob Lecturer in History Queen Mary, University of London
Mohammed Yusuf United Kingdom
Dr Leo Zeilig University of London UK
Dr. Mehdi Zibaei Politilal Science Imam khomeini International University Iran