University of Bologna (Italy) Patrick George Zaki’s arrest: the motion of the University of Bologna

Following a proposal by the Rector Francesco Ubertini and by mutual agreement of the board of governors, the directors of Departments, the Campus Presidents, the Administrative and Technical Staff Council and the Student Council, the Academic Senate, at the special session of 12 February 2020, passed the following motion regarding the arrest of Patrick Zaky, a young student enrolled in the “GEMMA” Master at the University of Bologna.

“As members of the scientific and academic community of Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, we were and still are deeply upset by the recent news of Patrick Zaky’s arrest, as he is a member of our community and a student of the Erasmus Mundus Master of Arts “GEMMA” in Women’s and Gender Studies. We hereby urge representatives of our Government and  of the European Union, who have already taken prompt action, to keep monitoring this matter with close attention so that Patrick Zaky’s fundamental rights are safeguarded from any violation. With the high values characterizing our academic community at every level, such as freedom of thought, the centrality of critical thinking, and social responsibility and commitment, we adamantly reaffirm the importance of protecting human and political rights and, in particular, the right to individual freedom and to the freedom of speech, everywhere and in all cases.
We are deeply committed to Patrick Zaky’s safe and quick return to Bologna, so that he can resume attending his classes. Until then, it is our duty to make sure that the Italian Government and the European Union continue to do their utmost for ensuring Patrick’s return to our community.”

The following university networks pledged their support for our motion:

– EUA – European University Association
– Observatory Magna Charta Universitatum
– IAU – International Association of Universities
– CRUI – Conferenza dei Rettori delle Università Italiane
– CRUE – Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas (Spagna)
– CPU – Conférence des présidents d’université (Francia)
– CRC – Česká konference rektorů (Repubblica Ceca)
– The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities
– Coimbra Group Universities
– Scholars at Risk
– GEMMA Consortium: Universidad de Granada (Spagna), Università di Bologna (Italia), Central European University (Ungheria), University of York (Regno Unito), University of Lódź (Polonia), Universidad de Oviedo (Spagna) and Utrecht University (Paesi Bassi)

The following universities pledged their support for our motion:

– Università degli Studi dell’Aquila
– Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro
– Politecnico di Bari
– Università degli Studi di Cagliari
– Università degli Studi di Camerino
– Università degli Studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale
– Università degli Studi di Catania
– Università degli Studi di Genova
– IULM – Libera Università di Lingue e Comunicazione
– Scuola IMT Alti Studi Lucca
– Università di Macerata
– Università degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca
– Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
– Humanitas University
– Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
– NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti
– Università di Padova
– Università degli Studi di Palermo
– Università degli Studi di Parma
– Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia
– Università degli Studi di Parma
– Università di Pisa
– Scuola Normale Superiore
– Università degli Studi di Perugia
– Sapienza Università di Roma
– Università degli Studi di Sassari
– Università degli Studi di Siena
– Università degli Studi di Teramo
– Politecnico di Torino
– Università di Trento
– Università degli Studi di Udine
– Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia
– Università Iuav di Venezia
– Università degli Studi della Tuscia

 

نحن الكادرالأكاديمي والعلمي بجامعة بولونيا الإيطالية قد صدمنا لسماع الأخبار المتعلقة بإلقاء القبض على فرد من أفراد مجتمعنا الجامعي، طالب الماجستير ببرنامج الإيرازموس “جيمّا”، والمتخصص في الدراسات النسوية والنوع الاجتماعي.

نطالب بإلحاح من ممثلي حكومتنا ومن المفوضية الأوروبية ـ الذين كانوا قد سبق لهم أن تحركوا فورا لدى علمهم بذلك ـ لمتابعة هذا الأمر بعناية حتى لا تنتهك حقوق باتريك زكي الأساسية بأي شكل من الأشكال.

واستنادا للقيم التي تمييز المجتمع الأكاديمي على كافة المستويات، مثل حرية الفكر وأهمية التفكير النقدي والمسؤولية والالتزام الاجتماعي، نؤكد من جديد الحاجة للدفاع في كل مكان وبكل وسيلة عن حقوق الإنسان ولا سيما تلك المتعلقة بالحرية الفردية والحقوق السياسية وحماية حرية التعبير.

وكذلك لن نألو جهداً في متابعة هذه القضية حتى يتمكن باتريك زكي من العودة بأسرع وقت ممكن للإلتحاق بفصول دراسته الجامعية.

وحتى ذاك الحين، فإننا سوف نعتبر أنه من واجبنا القيام بكل شيء ممكن لكي لا تتوقف الحكومة الإيطالية ولا الاتحاد الأوروبي عن بذل قصارى جهدهما لكي يعود باتريك لجامعتنا.

Published on: 12 February 2020