The Forum strongly condemns the arrest of Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian

The Forum strongly condemns the arrest of Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian this evening by Israeli police. Her statements were made about a month ago and there is no danger in them. Her statements, even if some find them outrageous, constitute neither incitement to racism or terrorism nor any other criminal offense. The decision to open a criminal investigation and arrest her seriously harms free speech and academic freedom. The Forum calls for her immediate release from detention. Prof. Shalhoub-Kevorkian's arrest is a new step in a series of unjustified arrests of citizens who exercised their rights to free speech and to demonstrate. The police's action in this matter is a serious threat to Israeli democracy.