By Basant El-Faramawy
More than 900 academics have signed an open letter urging the UK government to reverse its decision to bar Swedish climate scholar Andreas Malm from entering the country, calling the move a grave violation of academic freedom and freedom of expression.
Malm, an associate professor at Lund University and author of "How to Blow Up a Pipeline," was prevented from entering the UK last week after his electronic travel authorisation was revoked. He had been scheduled to attend an academic conference, appear on the BBC, and join a public discussion organized by Tribune alongside Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
Malm said he was kept in the dark about the reasons but suspected the ban was due to his planned appearance with Ammori. He described the decision as part of a broader drift into authoritarianism targeting the Palestine and climate movements.
A Home Office spokesperson said cancelling an ETA can occur for various reasons, including concerns about public safety or extremism, and noted that Malm could still apply for a visa for further consideration.
The open letter, initiated by Fabian Dablander of the London School of Economics, has garnered over 1,400 signatures from more than 250 academic institutions worldwide, reflecting deep concern about the threat to academic freedom and the UK's reputation for open intellectual debate.
