Contact CAF
Middle East Studies Association of North America, Inc.
3542 N. Geronimo Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85705
520 333-2577 phone
520 207-3166 fax
- Updates
Arrest and detention of Dr. Kameel Ahmady
Letter to Iranian authorities on behalf of Dr. Kameel Ahmady, protesting his arrest and detention on the basis of what appear to be politically motivated charges.
End probationary measures on PhD student Walid Salem
Letter to the Egyptian government requesting that it end all probationary measures placed on University of Washington doctoral student, Walid Salem -- who was released from prison in December 2018 after 6 months in detention without any charges against him -- and allow him to travel freely and continue his work.
Alarm over Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali’s transfer to an undisclosed location and threats of execution
Fifth letter to Iranian authorities on behalf of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, expressing alarm over his recent transfer to an undisclosed location, raising new threats of torture and execution.
Limitations and restrictions to foreign nationals teaching at Palestinian universities
Letter demanding Israel lift the restrictions preventing international academics from staying and working in the West Bank, refrain from imposing arbitrary restrictions on the duration of stay or extension of stay for international academics, and order the publication of a clear and lawful procedure for issuing entry visas and work permits for international academics in the West Bank, to enable the university to manage and maintain its academic freedom.
Hatoon al-Fassi and other women’s rights activists released from prison temporarily
MESA is very pleased to report that Dr. Hatoon al-Fassi was released from prison in Saudi Arabia on May 2, 2019, and has been allowed to return home to her family. Dr. al-Fassi is a renowned historian of women in pre-Islamic Arabia, a prominent advocate for women's rights, and a long-time member of MESA. She was the recipient in November 2018, in absentia, of the MESA Academic Freedom Award, the highest recognition MESA can bestow in acknowledgement of contributions to academic freedom. Dr. al-Fassi's release has been characterized as "temporary;" we continue to call for her full exoneration. We call, as well, for the release of the other women's rights advocates who remain in detention.
Health Concerns for Ahmed Mansoor
Letter to UAE authorities expressing concern at reports that the health of internationally-recognized human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor has deteriorated significantly.
Attacks on Academic Freedom in Egypt Require Global Response
Scholars at Risk (SAR) and the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression in Egypt (AFTE) have filed a joint submission with the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR), highlighting attacks and pressures on higher education in Egypt.
SAR calls for action against attacks on higher ed communities in Iran
Scholars at Risk (SAR), in cooperation with the Human Rights Law Centre at the University of Nottingham, has filed a submission with the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review, highlighting attacks and pressures on higher education in Iran.
Prolonged Detention of Academics in Iran
Letter to Iranian authorities protesting the prolonged detention of Iranian, dual-national, and foreign national academics in Iran.
Recent developments concerning the prosecution of Peace Petition signatories and targeting of scholars
Letter regarding recent developments in the prosecution of scholars who signed the declaration “We will not be a party to this crime”—commonly referred to as the “Academics for Peace Petition”—as well as the ongoing targeting of scholars whose research exposes threats emanating from the Turkish government’s policies in areas such as public health and environmental regulation.
State Security Court upholds 10 year prison sentence of Ahmed Mansoor
Letter to UAE authorities protesting the decision of the State Security Court of the Federal Supreme Court to uphold the 10 year prison sentence imposed on human rights advocate Ahmed Mansoor in 2018.
Detentions of Academic Visitors in Iran*
Letter to Iranian authorities condemning the continued detention of visiting academics on the basis of what appear to be fabricated charges
British PhD Student Matthew Hedges Given Life Sentence
Letter (co-signed by Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies) to UAE authorities condemning the sentencing of British PhD student Matthew Hedges to life imprisonment for ‘spying’ supposedly on behalf of the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service.
New York Times Response to Issues Raised Regarding Its Acquisition and Unethical Use of Documents Removed from Iraq
The New York Times has responded to several issues raised by CAF's May 2, 2018 letter as well as questions sent in by other readers regarding the nearly 16,000 documents that journalist Rukmini Callimachi and her team removed from Iraq without permission of the relevant Iraqi authorities.
UAE sentences Ahmed Mansoor to 10 years
Human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor has been sentenced to 10 years for using his social media accounts to publish "false information" and "spread hatred and sectarianism".
Arrest of Imperial College London Professor Abbas Edalat in Iran
Letter to Iranian authorities concerning the arrest of Iranian-British Professor Abbas Edalat during his recent visit to Iran to attend an academic workshop, with charges of espionage raised against him.
Sentencing of human rights activist Nabeel Rajab to five years’ imprisonment
Letter to the King of Bahrain to protest sentencing of human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, about whom CAF has written several times, to five years’ imprisonment, as well as the multiple cases and charges he still faces.
Homa Hoodfar Released from Jail
After 112 days in Tehran's Evin Prison, Homa Hoodfar, Professor at Concordia University, has been released.
Lawyers Confirm that First Amendment Protects Criticism of State of Israel
Update on the March 30, 2016 letter to CUNY Chancellor and Board of Trustees.
Response to Query by Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Letter to the UN office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights responding to their query about our earlier correspondence with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression concerning the cases of academics facing prosecution in Turkey on charges of denigrating the Turkish state or insulting the President.