boingboing.net, the American tech blog with 1.2 million readers, publish an article on the arrests of Hicham and Rizwaan.
“God, what an embarrassment for the poor bastards who spent years getting a degree at University of Nottingham, forevermore known as ‘The University of Too Stupid to be Believed’ “, the co-editor remarks, while another user [...]

[Read more →]

On Monday 28 July, the Radio 4 PM programme carried a report on the arrests of Hicham and Rizwaan and the broader implications for academic freedom.
You can listen to the programme here. The report is located 25 minutes into the programme.

[Read more →]

Ben White writes in today’s Guardian Comment is Free:
Last week, Hicham Yezza had his first immigration hearing after being first falsely detained without charge under anti-terror powers, then re-arrested for an alleged imimgration offence and almost subjected to a suspicious emergency deportation. But unlike Yezza and the others mentioned here, the vast majority of those [...]

[Read more →]

Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the Universities and Colleges Union, also writes in the Times Higher today:
24 July 2008
The statement issued by Sir Colin Campbell, the vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham, indicating that it is illegitimate to study the operational or tactical aspects of terrorism, as opposed to the political dimensions, has far-reaching consequences [...]

[Read more →]

Scott Lucas, noted Professor of American Studies, writes in the Times Higher today:
24 July 2008
Let it be noted: the vice-chancellor of a prominent university in Britain has caved in to the culture of fear (”Researchers have no ‘right’ to study terrorist materials”, 17 July).

The University of Nottingham should be celebrating the contributions of its staff [...]

[Read more →]

22 July 2008
The UK’s research councils have recently announced an initiative on security. Below is an abbreviated version of the call for research fellowships by two research councils. Does the call for proposals reinforce the difficulties in distinguishing ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’ research on terrorism and counter-terrorism? What bearing do the recent events at the University [...]

[Read more →]

The Evening Post interviewed Hicham after his hearing last Wednesday 16th July at Nottingham Magistrates Court.
As expected, Hich was in very high spirits and expressed his delight that the campaign in his support is now bigger than ever. He has also confirmed his absolute determination to continue in his fight for justice and thanked his [...]

[Read more →]

David Edgar, playwright and President of the Writers’ Guild, writes today in the Guardian concerning Hicham’s case in the context of the climate of fear and suspicion generated by the Terrorism Acts. “Like Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1998,” he writes, “the breadth and incoherence of clause 1 (3) of the Terrorism Act [...]

[Read more →]

Today’s Times Higher features an interesting article on the Vice-Chancellor’s recent statement that academics do not have a “right” to study what he called “terrorist materials”, and that they had to accept the risk of prosecution if they chose to do so.
Buy the Times Higher today, or read the article here.

[Read more →]

We have introduced a campaign blog as a space for productive dialogue, debate and discussion on the many issues surrounding Hich’s arrest, 33-day detention, and continued threat of deportation. The blog will be updated regularly and everyone is invited to add their thoughts and comments.

[Read more →]