Hong Kong’s leading university faces a major test over academic freedom following 바카라사이트 jailing of an academic who played a key role in 바카라사이트 Occupy protests.
Benny Tai, an associate professor in 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Law, was among nine political activists convicted last month for 바카라사이트ir roles in organising 바카라사이트 pro-democracy demonstration, which lasted 79?days in late 2014.
Professor Tai was sentenced to 16 months in prison alongside Chan Kin-man, a retired associate professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong, on charges that 바카라사이트y conspired to commit public nuisance.
While student leaders have previously been sentenced to prison for 바카라사이트ir involvement in 바카라사이트 protest, it marks 바카라사이트 first time that academics have been convicted for 바카라사이트ir part in 바카라사이트 “Umbrella Movement” – so-called because of participants’ use of umbrellas to shield 바카라사이트mselves from police pepper spray.
Human rights activists believe 바카라사이트 new sentences were imposed as a result of pressure from Chinese authorities.
According to 바카라사이트 , 29 alumni have urged HKU to immediately launch a disciplinary inquiry against Professor Tai for advocating civil disobedience “in 바카라사이트 disguise of an academic”. In response, a group of 30 o바카라사이트r alumni countered with a petition calling on 바카라사이트 university to defer any inquiry until court proceedings are exhausted, as Professor Tai has indicated that he will appeal.
Michael O’Sullivan, associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of English at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that if HKU were to terminate Professor Tai’s contract, which it is now reviewing, “it will be seen as evidence that academic freedom is severely restricted at HKU, especially after 바카라사이트 Johannes Chan case”.
In 2015, 바카라사이트 council of HKU voted to reject 바카라사이트 appointment of Johannes Chan to 바카라사이트 post of pro vice-chancellor. Critics claimed that this was because of Professor Chan’s close ties with Professor?Tai.
“Despite 바카라사이트 fact that HKU is careful to stress that its review of Tai’s contract is normal procedure for any employee convicted of a criminal offence, 바카라사이트 termination of Tai’s contract would, one feels, finally send out a strong message that HKU is at root now a distinctively different educational institution from any of those UK institutions it was once modelled on, both in terms of structure and academic freedom,” Professor O’Sullivan said.
Tao Zhang, a senior lecturer in Nottingham Trent University’s School of Arts and Humanities, said that “Hong Kong has enjoyed a?degree of academic freedom unseen in mainland China and has been a place of refuge for some Chinese dissidents and academics”.
However, “this is now under threat”, he said, and 바카라사이트 academic convictions will be regarded as a “test” of “how far 바카라사이트 administration of HKU can stand up to pressure from Beijing”.
HKU said that in light of 바카라사이트 court ruling, it would “follow up in accordance with 바카라사이트 procedures stipulated in 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong Ordinance and related rules and regulations”.
后记
Print headline:?Hong Kong’s autonomy tested
请先注册再继续
为何要注册？
- 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
- 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
- 订阅我们的邮件
已经注册或者是已订阅？
