GLOBAL: Educational freedom reports worldwide

In Turkey, 57 members of the Academy of Sciences has resigned in protest against a government decision autonomy the academy will end. In Bahrain, university students are under attack by the authorities, with hundreds trying to work pro-democracy and six recently 15 years received sentences and hefty fines in a case widely criticized as unfair. Papua students in Indonesia are targeted by the authorities for describing human rights groups as general intimidation and threats. And Azerbaijani, a top scientist demoted for questioning the legality of the detention of the youth activist Baxter Hacienda, amid moves by the Azerbaijani intelligentsia.

Turkey: Mass resignation of the science academy members

Fifty-seven academics at the Turkish Academy of Sciences resigned en maze in protest against a new order to the academy's autonomy in choosing its members will end, Hurried Daily News reported on 15 November.

Turkish Academy of Sciences (tuba) was established in 1993 as an autonomous institution with independent research, finance and administration, although under the auspices of the Prime Minister. Tuba currently 140 members, including 40 honorary members, independent appointed.

The new statutory order published on Aug. 27 plans to the selection of members divided between the government, the Council for Higher Education and tuba.

It will Tuba autonomy ends, as the institution will be governed by a majority of government-appointed members.

International academic shared their concerns about the new law and reminds the Turkish authorities that all science academies autonomous institutions should continue. In a joint statement justifying the mass resignation, the academics argued that only independent scientists have the ability to choose other scientists on the basis of their merits.

Their intention to confirm kept their autonomy, academics announced the establishment of a new independent and autonomous "Science Academy" association.

Bahrain: Taste of students continue

Relentlessly university students continue in Bahrain. Dozens of students are charged and tried, and some of them were captured, the voice of Bahrain reported on 14 November.

On October 23, six students from the University of Bahrain - Jaime Alhulaiby (19), Jawed Kalahari (24), Yusuf Ahmed (20), Shaq Radii (22), Jasmine Almukhudur (20) and Mohamed Tami Sale Make (19) - were each sentenced to 15 years in prison and a 349,300 dinar (US $ 925,000) fine by the military National Security Court.

The students were charged with counts related to the violent attack, believed to have been the government-sponsored, on the campus of the University of Bahrain on 17 March. The cost, which many so-called "man-made", including theft and destruction of the university property, possession of "explosive flammable weapons" and the intent to kill.

The students, who study at the College of the Bahrain Teachers' Union, the faculty of law and the College of business administration and is described by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) as "academically excelling students" at their homes under arrest was taken by security forces between 27 March and 26 April.

Reports suggest that they contact their families and lawyers refused. Most of them complained about the physical and moral abuse, including withdrawal of confessions under torture.

According to BCHR, the persecution of the students do not meet the conditions for a fair trial.

The court also rejected evidence that the students would be cleared and refused to investigate the allegations of torture.

Meanwhile, more than 100 students are still judged in mass trials by the lower criminal court for their alleged participation in demonstrations pro-democracy earlier this year. They were charged with "illegal gathering in a public place to commit crimes, inciting hatred of the regime destroyed the property of the University of Bahrain and the attack on the body of a third party".

The University of Bahrain remains under strict supervision by the authorities and concern has been expressed about the negative impact on the educational environment. On October 24, hundreds of students were searched drawn up at checkpoints on campus and two students, Muhammad Hassan Amber and Anwar, was arrested and detained for a week.

Dozens of other students dismissed from their tertiary institutions, are still waiting to resume their studies.

Indonesia: Papua students intimidated

Local organizations and civil society groups have protested about raids against dorms Papua students by Indonesian security forces, The Jakarta Post reported on 14 November.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Contrast) and Papua groups and civil society - including the West Papua National Committee, the Fokker Papua NGOs Cooperation Forum and the Papua Community Alliance Against Corruption - condemned the systematic attacks by security forces on Papua students in Jakarta and Deposer, Bali.

On November 12 armed officers of the army and the national police raid on a student dormitory Papua in Teeth, South Jakarta. The invasion was officially justified by the need to collect data on Papua students based in Jakarta. Students are terrified and left traumatized by the incident.

It has nine days after a police officer infiltrated a Papua female hostel in Deposer and asked the students their identity cards let officials, officially for security reasons.

According to Harris Zahra, a coordinator Contrast, Papua students outside Papua is subject to generalized intimidation and threats. He argued that these raids violate article nine of the Law on Human Rights in 1999.

Zahra exhorted stop the army and police to intimidation campaigns against Papua and called on the authorities to investigate the attacks.

AZERBAIJAN: Known scientist demoted for criticizing

Raffia Alike, a professor at Azerbaijan's Oil Academy, was demoted after criticizing the authorities for the arrest of a youth activist, Radio Free Europe reported on 7 November.

Alike demoted from his post as chairman of robotic control systems at the academy days after he questioned the legality of the detention of the youth activist Baxtiyar Haciyev (aka Bakhtiyar Hajiyev) under Azerbaijani law.

Alike officially charged with violating the labor code by "not fulfilling its obligations in accordance with his contract of employment". Despite these accusations, he remains a member of the academy.

Haciyev is a former Harvard student and youth activist who ran for the parliamentary elections. He was sentenced to two years in May in jail for failing to complete his military service. But his supporters argue his arrest was related to his criticism of the government and its recent calls on Face book for anti-government protests.

Elder Amazon, head of the Forum of Intelligentsia of Azerbaijan, claimed that Alien’s demotion was ordered by Azerbaijani authorities with respect to his socio-political activities, describing it as a "disgrace to the Academy."

He expressed concern about a campaign currently focuses on the Azerbaijani intelligentsia and rising tensions with the authorities, and for dialogue.

No comments were made by the Ministry of Education, or by Alike.

* Noemi Bout is a program officer at the Network for Education and Academic Rights hand, a non-profit organization that facilitates the rapid global transfer of accurate information in response to violations of academic freedom and human rights in education.