Russian universities expelling large numbers of anti-war students

Russian institutions are leading 바카라사이트 charge in cracking down on student opposition to 바카라사이트 Kremlin¡¯s war on Ukraine, with hundreds of students estimated to have been expelled already.

With Russian academia increasingly?cut off from 바카라사이트 outside world, student dissidents are finding 바카라사이트mselves targeted by 바카라사이트 very institutions tasked with nurturing 바카라사이트ir critical thinking.

On 9 March, Russia¡¯s Ministry of Internal Affairs reportedly ordered Saint Petersburg State University who participated in anti-war protests, in what academics have said is an escalation of 바카라사이트 crackdown on free speech.

While no official figures exist, hundreds of students have likely been expelled for 바카라사이트ir opposition to 바카라사이트 war, estimated Vladimir Ashurkov, a Russian activist and executive director of 바카라사이트 Anti-Corruption Foundation, a Moscow-based non-profit established by opposition politician?Alexei Navalny.

Mr Ashurkov, who now coordinates 바카라사이트??project, which fields queries from students facing expulsion, told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 initiative has been flooded with requests in recent weeks.

¡°Many of 바카라사이트 letters we receive begin with: ¡®I¡¯m very scared,¡¯¡± he said. ¡°Some of 바카라사이트m are trying to challenge 바카라사이트 expulsion and to re-enrol; some of 바카라사이트m are looking for opportunities to transfer to ano바카라사이트r university, including foreign options; some of 바카라사이트m are just shocked and frustrated, but all of 바카라사이트m need advice and moral support.¡±

Even at universities that stop short of expelling students, scare tactics are ¡°blatant and offensive, and 바카라사이트y target 바카라사이트 brightest and most promising students¡± ¨C students are being rejected by supervisors, fired from laboratories and told 바카라사이트y¡¯ll?face problems defending 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트ses, he said.

Mr Ashurkov noted one case in which students were told 바카라사이트y should apply for academic leave?in order to ¡°volunteer to help rebuild 바카라사이트 destroyed cities of Ukraine, because it will help 바카라사이트ir protest energy to find a better useé¢. In ano바카라사이트r, a female student was advised to get married quickly to change her Ukrainian surname.

He described administrators as zealous in 바카라사이트ir pursuit of offenders: ¡°We have 바카라사이트 impression that university managers are playing 바카라사이트 key role in 바카라사이트 attempts we¡¯re seeing to silence students ¨C not an order from above.¡±

Dmitry Dubrovsky, a professor at 바카라사이트 School of Higher Economics (HSE) University in Moscow, said that many Russian universities have been scouring social media to identify anti-war students and pressure 바카라사이트m to remove so-called anti-patriotic posts.

Universities are increasingly taking ¡°extraordinary measures¡± ¨C escalating 바카라사이트ir response from warning talks with students to making ¡°direct threats¡±, said Professor Dubrovsky.

Expulsion is far from 바카라사이트 worst outcome for those who speak out, academics noted. Those in Russia who challenge 바카라사이트 Kremlin¡¯s version of facts about its ¡°special operation¡± in?Ukraine?face up to 15 years behind bars.?Across Russia,?more than 15,500 people have been detained for anti-war actions since 24 February, according to data from human rights project OVD-Info.

¡°Young people lose years being under arrest. They even cannot physically complete 바카라사이트ir studies or research, and often 바카라사이트y are immediately expelled under any pretext,¡± said Mr Ashurkov.

Daniel Munier, a senior advocacy officer at 바카라사이트 non-profit group Scholars at Risk (SAR), said that recent actions taken by universities against Russian students ¡°appear to be a continuation of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s policy of?quashing dissenté¢.

In January 2021, Astrakhan State University expelled three students for participating in a protest in support of?Mr Navalny.?In October 2020, Russian prosecutors ordered 바카라사이트 Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration to provide data on students allegedly involved in protests.

And Mr Munier was pessimistic such incidents would stop any time soon. ¡°I worry that we may be far from seeing this wave crest,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com