SA academic denied entry into UK

LazyLion

LazyLion

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Johannesburg - In what has been described as an alternative form of censorship, a prominent academic has been denied a visa to attend a conference in the UK for allegedly being a threat to the country’s national security.

The executive director of the Afro-Middle East Centre, Na’eem Jeenah, is known in the Muslim community for his pro-Palestinian views.

After applying for a UK visa from the British Home Office in October, he heard back from the British High Commissioner only six months later.

The refusal letter states: “You have applied to attend a conference in the United Kingdom for a period of seven days. I have considered the circumstances of your application.

“I am not satisfied that your reasons for wanting to visit the United Kingdom are of a sufficiently compelling nature to override my belief that your exclusion from the United Kingdom is conducive to the public good on national security grounds.”

Jeenah described the rejection as spurious and without merit as he had never done anything to threaten another country’s national security.

“I have no idea why this has happened. My main work is as an academic. I provide research to various governments and I work with numerous embassies. I would like a real explanation,” he said.

Since the rejection letter was issued, a petition on social media has garnered more than 170 signatures from academics and other individuals across the world to request a reversal of the UK Home Office’s decision.

The petition was handed over on Thursday afternoon.

The British High Commission’s head of communication, Hooman Nouruzi, declined to comment.

“We do not comment on individual applications publicly,” he said.

Muslim Judicial Council spokeswoman Nabeweya Malick said that while the general local Islamic community was unlikely to be refused access to other countries, prominent and vocal academics were more likely to be targeted.

“He has always been critical of Israel and is a pro-Palestinian activist. This is a way to damp the spirit of activists by preventing them from spreading their views. What does this say about democracy if an activist cannot speak? If a journalist cannot write? This is censorship,” said Malick.
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The Star
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/sa-academic-denied-entry-into-uk-1.1886842
 
170 signatures. That will teach them to mess with academics and other individuals across the world.
 
LOL, your own country where you pay taxes refusing you entry I can understand if you bitched about. Another country....build a bridge and all that.
 
Wonder if people saying he should get over it where equally accepting of the decision to not grant the Dalai Llama a visa...
 
Cray said:
Wonder if people saying he should get over it where equally accepting of the decision to not grant the Dalai Llama a visa...
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Well, the Dalai Llama isn't a citizen of this country. So he has no RIGHT to be allowed access, no? Sure in his case I think its not fair, but even the Dalai Llama himself followed my advice. He built and bridge and all that.
 
And the UK govt, Tory or Labour, isn't that pro-Israel either. So I doubt it has anything to do with his views on Israel.
 
“He has always been critical of Israel and is a pro-Palestinian activist. This is a way to damp the spirit of activists by preventing them from spreading their views. What does this say about democracy if an activist cannot speak? If a journalist cannot write? This is censorship,” said Malick.
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Hope he writes the same in a letter to Sasco...
 
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Weird...heard about a colleague today that also got denied entry (Egypt though).
 
HavocXphere said:
Weird...heard about a colleague today that also got denied entry (Egypt though).
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If he has extremist Islamist tendencies or history (or even a perception of having them) a lot of Europe and Arab spring countries are closing the doors.
 
Dave123 said:
If he has extremist Islamist tendencies or history (or even a perception of having them) a lot of Europe and Arab spring countries are closing the doors.
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haha...not even close. Can't go into the details but lets just say its a bit like the vodacom CEO (Mohamed Shameel Aziz Joosub) being denied entry because of having Islamist tendencies. Sure he is (I think) Muslim...but really now?...these type of high powered people are not a risk to anyone. Just getting to the position they are in means they already cleared way more scrutiny than any kind of border control could ever hope to apply.

So yeah...was kinda surprised the person in question got barred from entering EU territory.
 
HavocXphere said:
haha...not even close. Can't go into the details but lets just say its a bit like the vodacom CEO (Mohamed Shameel Aziz Joosub) being denied entry because of having Islamist tendencies. Sure he is (I think) Muslim...but really now?...these type of high powered people are not a risk to anyone. Just getting to the position they are in means they already cleared way more scrutiny than any kind of border control could ever hope to apply.

So yeah...was kinda surprised the person in question got barred from entering EU territory.
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Problem is, it's just NOW, it's what he was last year, 10 years ago etc. it could even be down to groups he supports or donates to. Just being associated with certain groups can be a black mark.

You mention Shameel Joosub, hasn't he got 3 family members currently detained in China for alleged terrorism or espionage? See how easy it can happen?
 
OrbitalDawn said:
He's an Islamist?
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Well, yes, looking at his history.

Islamism (Urdu: اسلام پرستی‎; Arabic: إسلاموية‎‎), also known as Political Islam, is a set of ideologies holding that; "Islam should guide social and political as well as personal life"
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From his wiki bio
Jeenah rose in the ranks of the Muslim Youth Movement of South Africa to become its national general secretary and, later, its president. He was also, for a period, the editor of the Movement's mouthpiece newspaper, Al-Qalam. He steered the movement in a way that increased its political activism during the anti-Apartheid struggle. He also, along with Shaikh and others, founded the Muslim Youth Movement Gender Desk, the foremost organization of Islamic feminism in South Africa. It was also during the 1980s that Jeenah helped his organization and the Muslim community in South Africa to get involved in inter-faith activities - particularly through the South African chapter of the World Conference on Religion and Peace. Working with the latter, he was also a member of the drafting committee of a landmark document produced during South Africa's constitution-drafting period called the Declaration on Religious Rights and Responsibilities.
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And
Jeenah's career has been a checkered one, spanning the NGO sector, academia, religious organizations and journalism. But it is as a progressive Muslim activist and an international solidarity activist that he has made his mark. Currently working as an academic at the Afro-Middle East Centre, he also held the position of Director: Operations at the Freedom of Expression Institute, was the coordinator of a progressive Johannesburg mosque, Masjidul Islam, a steering committee member of an inter-religious organization focusing on women's issues called The Other Voices, and a member of the International Coordinating Network for Palestine. He is often interviewed as an expert by various media on issues related to the Middle East, Islam and the Muslim world, Muslims in South Africa, Islamic Feminisms, political Islam, freedom of expression and various other issues. An experienced journalist, he also wrote for a number of publications and reported for a network of radio stations in the US. He is also a monthly columnist for the South African newspaper Al-Qalam.
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Dave123 said:
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lols dude you have no idea. The top level corporate guys made it past more psych testing, background checks & years of careful observation than you can imagine. In terms of risk profile they're pretty much as safe as it gets short of the Dalai Lama.
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Err, nothing in there is bad? In fact, he seems quite progressive.

Islamist generally refers to those on the extreme end of the spectrum.
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I posted a definition of Islamism.

Islamism (Urdu: اسلام پرستی‎; Arabic: إسلاموية‎‎), also known as Political Islam, is a set of ideologies holding that; "Islam should guide social and political as well as personal life".
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamism

It isn't your personal interpretation that matters, just the generally accepted one.

No one is saying he is a member of Islamic State, just that he is an Islamist, ie someone who is involved in political Islam.
 
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