Statement on the cancellation of Francesca Albanese’s invitation: “Where, if not at a university?”

The Free University of Berlin canceled a lecture by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. The newspaper Der Freitag published a statement from scientific organizations and NGOs calling for the protection of freedom of expression in higher education institutions.

“Where if not at a university“

Following pressure from politicians, the Free University of Berlin has cancelled the public, in-person lectures planned for 2/19/2025 by UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese and Israeli architect Prof. Eyal Weizman. A week earlier, the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich cancelled a lecture by Francesca Albanese. Such actions confirm a worrying trend: political influence undermining university autonomy and endangering academic freedom.

These cancellations are part of a series of measures against people who name and criticize documented violence and warfare in violation of international law in Palestine by the Israeli government and its support by Germany. Debates about the violent reality of the Gaza war are thus deliberately hindered, and academic freedom, which is constitutionally protected (art. 5, para. 3 German Basic Law) is being arbitrarily, politically restricted at universities. The role of the university as a space for open debate about current and international themes is being curtailed—academics in Germany and around the world recognize this with dismay. The handling of politically critical positions creates a climate of self-censorship in reporting, program planning and academic debate culture.

The Free University leadership’s justification that there was an “incalculable security risk” is neither substantiated nor credible: at other European universities, Albanese was and is able to speak without incident. In fact, the cancellation only occurred after public pressure from political actors and interest groups, such as the Israeli Ambassador and the German-Israeli Society, which was reproduced in the press, and subsequently also by the Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) and the Senator for Higher Education of Berlin Ina Czyborra (SPD), who discredited Albanese and accused her of antisemitism. This amounts to a kind of state-imposed ban on factually supported criticism of Israel’s warfare—an unacceptable interference into freedom of opinion, academic freedom and university autonomy.

Universities under pressure

It is also unprecedented for an incumbent mayor to campaign against a UN special rapporteur speaking publicly—this is an act of blatant disregard for her position and for the UN Human Rights Commission. Particularly in times when the human rights-based international order is being openly questioned from many sides and the fight for human rights is under pressure from all sides, it is imperative to not further undermine the significance of UN institutions and their experts, and instead to acknowledge them clearly and bank on exchange rather than the avoidance of discourse.

Varying opinions on the positions of Albanese and Weizman exist. And universities in particular are places where differences in opinion should be negotiated in open discourse. Fears and concerns must be taken seriously, and antisemitism must be firmly opposed. However, diluting the concept of antisemitism is of no help here, nor is the instrumentalization of antisemitism accusations to cancel an event that could also have discussed these issues.

We demand that the leadership of universities resist pressure from biased press coverage and politicians and defend university autonomy as well as the freedom of opinion and academic freedom of their staff and students. This includes, in particular, protecting positions that are not aligned with government policy. We demand that politicians respect university autonomy, freedom of expression and academic freedom and consistently work to uphold international law, including vis-à-vis Israel.

Institutions that depend on public funding and are thus vulnerable to politically motivated influence and pressure must be permitted to provide space for critical discussions. “Where, if not at a university, can controversial debates be held, viewpoints be heard and academically classified?” the president of the FU Berlin asked in his press statement on the cancellation of the event. We share this question. The response must be: It is the responsibility of all involved parties to defend these democratic achievements and to champion the exercise of such constitutionally guaranteed liberties.

Signatories

Allianz für Kritische und Solidarische Wissenschaft

Amnesty International Deutschland

Arts and Culture Alliance Berlin

Association of Palestinian and Jewish Academics

Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine

Berlin für Alle

berufsverband bildender künstler*innen berlin

Bloque Latinoamericano Berlin

British Committee for the Universities of Palestine

Bündnis für Gerechtigkeit zwischen Israelis und Palästinensern (BIP)

ChanceMaker Foundation