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Former HKU law dean Johannes Chan came under attack from a left-wing newspaper. Photo: Edward Wong

Defend Hong Kong's academic freedom, petition urges, in wake of political pressure

Some 500 politicians, journalists and scholars publish plea in newspapers

Lai Ying-kit

About 500 politicians, academics and journalists have signed a petition urging Hongkongers to defend academic freedom following recent alleged political pressure on the University of Hong Kong.

The petition, entitled "Defend academic freedom, protect our city and our educational institutions," was published in local newspapers yesterday.

It called on Hongkongers to join their cause and fight to ensure that academic freedom and the autonomy of educational institutions, as guaranteed under the Basic Law, are honoured and preserved.

Signatories include former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang, pan-democratic lawmakers Albert Ho Chun-yan, Lee Cheuk-yan, Dennis Kwok and former legislator Audrey Eu Yuet-mee.

The academics signing the petition included Eric Cheung Tat-ming, principal lecturer in HKU's law faculty, and Ivan Choy Chi-keung, a senior lecturer and political analyst at Chinese University.

Veteran journalist and former mainland detainee Ching Cheong, former Bar Association chairwoman Gladys Li and film critic Kenneth Ip have also signed.

They expressed deep concern about a recent increase in threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The threat came in the form of "totally unwarranted personal attacks, particularly in left-wing media" on the competence and integrity of prominent academics.

Former HKU law dean Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun last month came under ferocious attack from pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po, which blasted him for "meddling in politics". The paper claimed the university's law faculty had seen a deterioration in the quality of its research during his 12 years at the helm.

The petition signatories said there had been public criticism, including by senior members of the government, of the actions and opinions of individuals, student bodies and academics. This contravened their rights to freedom of speech, publication and association under Article 27 of the Basic Law, they said.

They also said there was increasing interference in the choice of academic teaching materials, and growing perceptions of political bias and improper influence on the appointment of university officers and members of governing bodies.

The attack by the leftist paper on Chan lasted two weeks and cited the results of an assessment exercise that has yet to be published. It came at a time when Chan was tipped to become the next pro-vice-chancellor at HKU.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Petition calls for academic freedom
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