Russian version

Many are outraged by the hypocrisy of the administration of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, which over the past few days has launched an offensive against the freedom of speech and expression at the university: teachers and students are now essentially forbidden to sign open letters, required a hardly implementable requirement to exclude remarking the association with the university when expressing opinions on political and controversial issues, student media are significantly restricted, etc.

In connection with the requirement of excluding the association’s name, we cannot but ask the question: will it be possible to indicate that our primary organization at the Higher School of Economics (and the activities of the trade union, by definition, are related to disagreements and conflicts) is a trade-union organization at the Higher School of Economics?

It should be noted that such attacks on freedom of speech by various rectors are not new in Russian higher education. From the recent examples, one can cite one from Penza University, where an entire training manual with guidance on surveillance over students was published.

We can also recall the dismissal of professor of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Maxim Balashov, that was motivated, among other things, by the fact that he communicated with “hostile” media.

We recommend the teaching staff to study similar local university regulations and identify the provisions that violate the Constitution, the Labor Code and international law, to which Russia is still subject, and to demand their repeal.

There are many more examples, but the main idea is clear: they should silence Russian university teachers and students. And, worst of all, only a few of our colleagues find the strength to resist.

In this situation, we consider ourselves obligated to declare that we consider the restriction of freedom of speech to be absolutely unacceptable. This is a gross violation of both the current Russian Constitution and the basic human rights enshrined in international conventions, for example, article 10 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

We express our support to all students and teachers who have found the strength and determination to fight the arbitrariness of Russian officials of various ranks. If we succumb to the struggle for freedom of speech now, it will not be easy to return.

We want to remind you that in the traditions of Russian universities, denunciations have always been a censure. And it was precisely the gagging and restriction of freedom at universities that to a large extent in the past contributed to the radicalization of Russian students, many of whom subsequently formed the backbone of revolutionary parties.

It is our joint task to protect basic human rights, in particular, the right to express an opinion. It is our responsibility as teachers, to our students. We thus urge all teachers to explicitly condemn these attempts, violating the basic human rights.

Through struggle you will attain our rights!

Co-Chairs of University Solidarity

Andronik A. Arutyunov

Pavel M. Kudyukin 

Wanda F. Tilles