Open Letter in Solidarity with Georgian Academics and Students

We, the undersigned academics, stand in solidarity with the professors, researchers, and students of Georgia in their ongoing fight for democracy, justice, and academic freedom. We are alarmed by the authoritarian shift of the Georgian government, marked by police violence against protesters and journalists, the arrest of students advocating for fair elections, the suspension of EU accession negotiations  – against the will of 80% of Georgians who have voted in favor of EU membership in a referendum – and the adoption of repressive legislation and policy that severely undermine academic freedom in the country.

Education, science and research cannot flourish in an environment where freedom of thought, inquiry, and expression is not upheld. These principles are fundamental not only to academic work and its excellence but also to the foundation of democratic societies. The recent actions and policies of the Georgian government, that indeed pave the way for Russian interference, threaten these core values, placing both academic freedom, democracy and sovereignty of Georgia at grave risk.

As members of the international academic community, we call on the Georgian government to respect the autonomy of universities and protect the rights of academics and students to express themselves without fear of reprisal!

To our Georgian colleagues, please know that you are not alone. The international academic community is watching with care and concern and stands ready to support you. Your struggle is our struggle, and we remain committed to hearing and amplifying your voices, advocating for your rights, and building solidarity networks that transcend borders.

With unwavering solidarity,

The RUTA Association for Central, South-Eastern, and Eastern European, Baltic, Caucasus, Central and Northern Asian Studies in Global Conversation

Please join us in signing this letter and extending our solidarity and support towards our Georgian colleagues to help them protect academic freedom, sovereignty and democracy.

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• Dr Epp Annus (Tallinn University and Ohio State University, RUTA Board Member)
• Dr Tereza Hendl (University of Augsburg and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, RUTA Board Member)
• Dr Martin-oleksandr Kisly (Kyiv-Mohyla academy, RUTA Board Member)
• Dr Assel Tutumlu (Independent scholar, RUTA Board Member)
• Professor Botakoz Kassymbekova (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
• Maria Shuvalova (Kyiv-Mohyla academy, RUTA Board Member)
• John Vsetecka (Nova Southeastern University)
• Dr Franziska Davies (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany)
• Dr Panayiotis Xenophontos (University of Oxford/Durham University/University of Manchester, UK)
• Dr Marnie Howlett (University of Oxford, UK)
• Oxana Shevel (Tufts University)
• Dr Una Bergmane (University of Helsinki, Finland)
• Dr Elīna Troščenko (University of Bergen, Norway)
• Professor Botakoz Kassymbekova (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
• Dr Yuliya Yurchuk (Södertörn University, Sweden)
• Dr Gražina Bielousova (Vilnius University/Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania)
• Professor Mart Kuldkepp (University College London/Yale University, UK/USA)
• Dr Mišo Kapetanović (Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria)
• Dr Tord Austdal (University of Stavanger, Norway)
• Emeritus Professor Dan Healey (University of Oxford)
• Associate Professor Gustavs Strenga (Latvian Academy of Culture, Latvia)
• Dr Selbi Durdiyeva (University of Marburg, Germany)
• Dr Maija Spurina (Latvian Academy of Culture, Latvia)
• Kārlis Sils (European University Institute)
• Associate Professor Iveta Ķešāne (Latvian Academy of Culture, Latvia)
• Dr Joanna Karolina Malinowska (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland)
• Dr Kaspars Zellis (University of Latvia, Latvia)
• Dr Diana Kudaibergen (UCL SSEES, UK)
• Anna Verschik (Tallinn University)
• Yevhenii Monastyrskyi (Harvard University)
• Anna Chebotarova (University of Oslo)
• Peteris Timofejevs (Umeå University, Sweden)
• Sofia Nyblom (IRES, Uppsala university, Sweden)
• Dr Zane Linde-ozola (University of Latvia)
• Ingunn Lunde (University of Bergen, Norway)
• Eugene Slonimerov (Independent Scholar, Trent University, Canada)
• Saara Mildeberg (Tallinn University)
• Iverson Ng (Tallinn University, member of Student Representative Council)
• Diana Gor (Stanford University)
• Aleksandra Lewicki (University of Sussex, United Kingdom)
• Lia Dostlieva (independent artist)
• Dr Michał Murawski (University College London)
• Mark Mets (Tallinn University)
• Henri Myrttinen (University of Bremen)
• Vlada Vazheyevskyy (St. Andrews University)
• Elżbieta Kwiecinska (Polish Academy of Sciences)
• Bartlomiej Gajos (Mieroszewski Centre)
• Dr Mārtiņš Kaprāns (University of Latvia/Harvard University)
• Adedeji Adeniyi (Tallinn University)
• Iwona Kaliszewska (University of Warsaw)
• Vassilis Petsinis (Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary)
• Pavol Jakubec (University of Gothenburg, Sweden)
• Christopher Atwood (Independent Scholar)
• Maryna Marynychenko (College of Arts, University of Coimbra)
• Aviel Roshwald (Professor of History, Georgetown University)
• Sabine Liebig (PH-Karlsruhe, Germany)
• Diana Yehorova (University of Copenhagen)
• Mikko Salmela (University of Helsinki)
• Katarzyna Nowak (University of Warsaw)
• Anja Lude (Physician. Potsdam, Germany)
• Anton Liagusha (Kyiv School of Economics)
• Ganna Dovbakh (Eurasian Harm Reduction Association)
• Erica Marat (Georgetown University)
• Kateryna Tarasiuk (University Grenoble Alpes)
• Serge Poliakoff (University of Passau)
• Erika Nimis (UQAM, Canada)
• Kathleen Smith (Georgetown University)
• Natalia Otrishchenko (Center for Urban History of East Central Europe)
• Lucille Toth (Ohio State University)
• Petro Dolhanov (Associate Professor of the Rivne Institute for Postgraduate Pedagogical Education)
• Ginta Elksne (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology/ Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia)
• Diana Kudaibergen (University College London)
• Dr Emma Mateo (New York University)
• Olga Bertelsen (Tiffin University)
• Abigail Scripka (ZZF Potsdam)
• Irina Belobrovtseva (Tallinn University)
• Aijan Sharshenova (Independent researcher, Kyrgyz Republic)
• Andres Kasekamp (University of Toronto, Canada)
• Sofia Pinedo-padoch (Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology / Halle, Germany)
• Rita Niineste (Tallinn University)
• Maria Popova (McGill University)
• Dr Elle-mari Talivee (Tallinn University, Under and Tuglas Literature Centre)
• Marcin Lubaś (Jagiellonian University)
• Kateryna Volochniuk (University of St Andrews)
• Yuliia Elyas (Ukrainian decolonial glossary)
• Aistė Bakutytė (Independent researcher)
• Yelyzaveta Hrechaniuk (Linköping University (Sweden))
• Eha Emilia Oras (Tallinn University)
• Lucya Passiatore (Tallinn University)
• Rūta Bruževica (Tallinn University)
• Viktoriia Grivina (St Andrews University)
• Julia Malitska (Södertörn University (Sweden))
• Dr. Laura Dean (Millikin University, USA)
• Sirke Mäkinen (University of Helsinki)
• Dr Viktors Dāboliņš (University of Latvia)
• Anna Cieślewska (University of Lodz)
• Till Mostowlansky (Geneva Graduate Institute / Kyiv School of Economics)
• Anete Usca (European University Institute)
• Bohdana Kurylo (London School of Economics)
• Liana Blikharska (INDEX: Institute for Documentation and Exchange)
• Liene Ločmele (Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences)
• Kamile Grigaityte (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania)
• Prof Rein Raud (Tallinn University)
• Pr. Cécile Vaissié (Rennes 2 University (France))
• Polina Piddubna (Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf)
• Leonardo Lai (University of Genoa)
• Yelyzaveta Monastyrova (The Open University, UK)
• Marina Vahter (Tallinn University)
• Oksana Prokhvatilova (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University)
• Sanshiro Hosaka (University of Tartu)
• Olena Kovalenko ((independent scholar))
• Ineta Lipša (University of Latvia)
• Dr Anna Lordan (Oberlin College, Ohio)
• Olexandr Konovalov (University of St Andrews)
• Anna Herran (University of Toronto)
• Lidia Kuzemska (Forum Transregionale Studien)
• Margus Vihalem (Tallinn University)
• Viktoriia Voloshenko (Institute of Religion Studies – a branch of Lviv Museum of Religion History)
• Anna Oliinyk (University of Oxford)
• Victoria Donovan ((University of St Andrews))
• Vasilisa Filatova (Vilnius Academy of Arts)
• Prof. Ugis Gruntmanis (Geisel Medical School at Dartmouth)
• Christian Koller (University of Zurich)
• Anastasiia Bozhenko (V)
• Nicola Camilleri (German Historical Institute Rome)
• Azamat Junisbai (Pitzer College, USA)
• Mila O'sullivan (Institute of International Relations Prague)
• Johannes Bruder (Critical Media Lab Basel)
• Judith Pallot (Aleksanteri Institute, university of Helsinki.)
• Elena Holmgren (University of Helsinki)
• Yulia Krivich (Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, Poland)
• Viktoriya Ball (Rozviy Youth Climate Initiative)
• Jokubas Vilius Turas (Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre)
• Dr Natasha Wilson (University of Melbourne)
• Associate Professor Sanita Reinsone (University of Latvia)
• Mariya Levitanus (The University of Edinburgh)
• Michael Cecire (Georgetown University)
• Ieva Jankauskaitė (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania)
• Bertrand Simon (Université Paris 1 Panthéon- Sorbonne, École de Science Politique de la Sorbonne)
• Lia Chokoshvili (Georgian Language Tutorial at the University of Oxford)
• Anselm Schmidt (University of Tartu, Estonia)
• Marharyta Tokarieva (Central European University, Austria)
• Katerina Sviderska (University of Cambridge)
• Anna Hájková (University of Warwick)
• Radityo Dharmaputra (Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia)
• Yuliia Kravchenko (Kyiv-Mohyla academy)
• Dr. Jaromír Mrňka (Max Weber Foundation, German Historical Institute Warsaw, Prague Branch, manager)
• Myroslav Shkandrij (University of Manitoba)
• Aizirek Erkebaeva
• Dr. Melissa Bokovoy (University of New Mexico)
• Emil Dzhuraev (Independent scholar, Kyrgyzstan)
• Liisi Veski (University of Tartu)
• Natalia Khanenko-friesen (Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, UAlberta)
• Daria Hetmanova (Simon Fraser University)
• Dr Karoliina Pulkkinen (University of Helsinki)
• Sandra King-savic (University Zurich)
• Bradley Reynolds (University of Helsinki)
• Lois Kalb (European University Institute)
• Olena Palko (university y)
• Olena Palko (University of Basel)
• Tomas Vaiseta (Vilnius University)
• Māra Mclaughlin-taylor (Rīga Technical University)
• Dmytro Yesypenko (University of Alberta)
• Francesco Bagnardi (University of Milan, Italy)
• Francesca Zambelli (University of Trento)
• Daniele Monticelli (Tallinn University)
• Dr Catherine Gibson (University of Tartu, Estonia)
• Professor Mischa Gabowitsch (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)
• Eglė Rindzevičiūtė (Kingston University London)
• Gorkem Aydemir-kundakci (KU Leuven)
• Denys Chyk (Professor (Taras Shevchenko Regional Humanitarian Pedagogical Academy of Kremenets (Ukraine)))
• Olha Haidamachuk (National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnical Institut"; "Prisma Ukraina" at the Forum Transregionalen Studien in Berlin)
• Pierangelly Del Rio (Tallinn University, Junior researcher)
• Dr. Olena Muradyan (V.N.Karazin Kharkiv National University)
• Prof Hubertus Jahn (University of Cambridge)
• Dr Tetyana Lokot (Dublin City University, Ireland)
• Daryna Mamaisur (filmmaker, visual artist, researcher)
• Francisco Martínez (Tampere University)
• Kateřina Fuksová (Charles University, Czech Republic)
• Artem Kharchenko (Kharkiv national university of arts)
• Merle Oguz (Tallinn University)
• Kristi Viiding (Under and Tuglas Literature Centre of the Estonian Academy of Sciences; IANLS General Secretary)
• Maria Ivanova (Tallinn University)
• Roberto Ricciuti (Università of Verona)
• Oleksii Polegkyi (Dr., National Chengchi University, Taiwan)
• Olga Kostyrko (Independent scholar)
• Dr Beril Ocaklı (University of Vienna, Austria)
• Yuliia Kishchuk (INDEX (Institute for Documentation and Exchange))
• Sierra Salazar (University of Helsinki)
• Marija Petrovic (HFBK Hamburg, Germany)
• Arndt Kleesiek (Hessische Lehrkräfteakademie)
• Zuzanna Bogumil (University of Warsaw)
• Iuliia Lashchuk (European University Institute)
• Andro Mathewson (King’s College London)
• Ksenia Lavrenteva (University of Exeter)
• Olena Stiazhkina (Institute of History of Ukraine, NAS, Kyiv))
• Geir Flikke (University of Oslo)
• Paul Lenormand (Paris-Nanterre University)
• Klaudia Kosicińska (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań)
• Ulyana Kyrchiv (Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv)
• Lauri Linask (Tallinn University)
• Hanna Zaremba-kosovych (The Ethnology Institute of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine)
• Lelde Luika (Södertörn University)
• Matthew Kott (Uppsala University)
• Erik Sjöberg (University of Gothenburg)
• Dr Ruth Deyermond (King's College London, UK)
• Snezha Mathewson (University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria)
• Dr Edward Burke (University College Dublin)
• Ian James (University of Cambridge)
• Yuliya Yurchenko (University of Greenwich, UK, Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (UK))
• Justina Smalkyte (Sciences Po Paris)
• Yu Koizumi (Associate Professor (University of Tokyo))
• Gaby Coldewey (Taz.die tageszeitung, Berlin, Germany)
• Hilary Barth (Wesleyan University, USA)
• Franco Arato (University of Turin, Italy)
• Courtenay Turner (Student with Speak Ukrainian school and Russian Language Centre)
• Elżbieta Mirga-wójtowicz (Centre of Migration Research, University of Warsaw)
• Andrea Kalinova (independent artist)
• Richard Mole (UCL SSEES)
• Lukas Hruska (Masaryk University, Czechia)
• Anna Gajda (Citizen)
• Dr Katarzyna Sidło (CASE - Center for Social and Economic Research)
• Nardi Gjata (University of Prishtina)
• Niklas Söderman (Tallinn University and University of Helsinki)
• Jonathan Tertsunen (Aligned Freedom Project)
• Veronika Pfeilschifter (FSU Jena/ZOiS Berlin Germany)
• Vladyslav Starodubtsev
• Manuel Ferez (Universidad Alberto Hurtado Chile)
• Olesia Dr. Isaiuk (National Memorial museum "Lontskoho Prison")
• Dr Iwa Kolodziejska (University of Warsaw, Poland)
• Simon Usherwood (The Open University, UK)
• Steve Swerdlow, Esq. (University of Southern California)
• Nana Kamkamidze (Universität Leipzig)
• Tamara Dragadze (Royal Anthropological Institute)
• Matīss Lotārs Nusbergs (University of Latvia)
• Nikolaus Von Bernuth (Freie Universität Berlin)
• Anna Perepechai (Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig / Bauhaus-University Weimar, Germany)
• Dr Oleksandra Keudel (Kyiv School of Economics)
• Kseniya Oksamytna (City St Georges, University of London)
• Michal Vokurka (Institute of History, Czech Academy of Sciences)
• Paul Manning (Trent University Canada)
• Ada Wordsworth (PhD student at UCL)
• Laurent Coumel (CREE, Inalco University, Paris, France)
• Anne Meneley (Trent University)
• Ivanna Cherchovych (Center for Urban History)
• Daniel Bochsler (CEU)
• Rafael Luis Salieto Gamez (Tallinn University)
• Zlata Chernichkina (University of Applied Arts Vienna)
• Dr Kevin Murphy (University of Massachusetts, Boston)
• Dr Kristen Eglinton (Independent scholar (PhD, Cantab))
• Vincent Artman (Wayne State University and George Mason University.)
• Jon Ramberg (Former ambassador of Norway to Georgia 2007-2010)
• Marc Elie (CNRS)
• Teemu Oivo (University of Eastern Finland)
• Laura Kuleken (NROC)
• Matthew Redhead (RUSI)
• Matthew Walker (Middlebury College, USA)
• Sjur Bergan (Independent higher education expert, Strasbourg, France)
• Michael Byron (PhD Political Science, retired.)
• Andrew Conway Morris (University of Cambridge)
• Tony Gallagher (Queen’s University Belfast)
• Grace Mahoney (University of Michigan)
• Nicolè Ford (Hillsborough Community College)
• Juozapas Paskauskas (Lithuanian Institute of History)
• Michael Daniel Sagatis
• Michael Daniel Sagatis (Balkan History Association)
• Françoise Daucé (CERCEC / EHESS)
• Shion Yokoo (Tallinn University)
• Catherine Gousseff (CNRS)
• Anne Burnett (Retired teacher, GTF University of Oregon, USA)
• Sasha Dovzhyk (INDEX: Institute for Documentation and Exchange)
• Kinga Lendeczki (Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary)
• Johana Kotisova (University of Amsterdam)
• Yurii Boiko (Europa-Universität Viadrina, Germany)
• Nasta Bekarava (Norwegian University of Life Science)
• Oleksandra Demerchian
• Dries Schelfhout (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
• Kai Arzheimer (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany)
• Scott Brown (University of Dundee)
• Niall Oddy (The Open University (UK))
• Sarah Young (University College London)
• Prof. Dr. Olga Garaschuk (University of Tübingen, Germany)
• Rilka Dragneva (Birmingham Law School, UK)
• Dr Marta Kozłowska (TU Dresden, Germany)
• Rory Finnin (University of Cambridge)
• Dr C E I Westling (Bournemouth University)
• Ron Edwards (Friend)
• Sascha Wellmann (Hochschule Darmstadt)
• Dr Jann Matlock (University College London (UCL))
• Mark Cornwall (University of Southampton)
• Gerard Toal (Virginia Tech)
• Gayane Shagoyan (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography NAS, Armenia)
• Alessandra Russo (University of Trento)
• Michelle Güntert (michelle.guentert@web.de)
• Gaëlle Le Pavic (Ghent University)
• Ioulia Shukan (School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences, France)
• Kyrylo Snizhko (CEA Grenoble)
• Milena Khomchenko (SONIAKH platform)
• Karolina Uskakovych (Nottingham University)
• Tea Tutberidze (King’s College London, PhD Candidate)
• Yuliia Karpets (Kyiv-Mohyla Academy)
• Anna Zakharchenko (Student in Maynooth University of Ireland)
• Ophelia Nicole-berva (University of Geneva)
• Margaret Tali (Tallinn University/ Estonian Academy of Arts)
• Yngvild Sørbye (Independent scholar / University of Oslo)
• Dariya Hutsalyuk (Student/University of the Arts London)
• Daria Mattingly (University of Chichester, UK)
• Timothy Anderson (Tallinn University)
• Petra Ezzeddine (Charles University, Prague (Faculty of Humanities))
• Juliane Fuerst (Central European University/ZZF Potsdam)
• Egbert Fortuin (Leiden University)
• Professor Douglas Kahn (University of Sydney, University of California at Davis, University of New South Wales)
• Dmytro Panchuk (Ghent University)
• Dr Solomiya Moroz (University of Nottingham)
• Nadiya Kiss (University of Erfurt)
• Szilvia Nagy (Central European University)
• Neil Robinson (University of Limerick)
• Olena S. Dmytryk (University of Cambridge)
• Akchurina Akchurina (Open University of Barcelona/UNITAR program)
• Viktoria Akchurina (Open University of Barcelona/UNITAR program)
• Darko Ilin (Research Centre for Humanities, University of Nova Gorica)
• Rhiannon Segar (King's College London, previously Ilia State University, University of Glasgow and Tartu University)
• Karlis Verdins (University of Latvia, Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art)
• Jennifer Mathers (Aberystwyth University)
• Susan Van Veen
• Nicolas Stuyckens (Université de Mons, Belgium)
• Mari Hanssen Korsbrekke (Western Norway Research Institute)
• Oksana Mikheieva (Ukrainian Catholic University)
• Guénola Inizan (Université Lumière Lyon 2)
• Katrine Gotfredsen (Malmö University, Sweden)
• Dan White (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars)
• Rusudan Zabakhidze (Swedish Defence University)
• Malgorzata Bonikowska (Warsaq University)
• Lars Øyehaug
• Aksena Kokalari
• Anna Hughes (Emory University)
• Jānis Ozoliņš (University of Latvia, Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art)
• Abigail Karas (University of Nottingham)
• Heidi Rifk (Tallinn University)
• Siobhan Hearne (University of Manchester)
• Eneken Laanes (Tallinn University)
• Christina Chaban (University of Tuebingen, Germany)
• Valentyna Shevchenko (Center for Urban History, Ukraine)
• Ellen Rutten (University of Amsterdam)
• Anna Žabicka, Phd Cand. (University of Vienna, Rīga Stradiņš University, University of Latvia)
• Simon Lewis (University of Bremen)
• Miloš Jeremić (Požarevačka gimnazija, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory of the University of Belgrade)
• Julia Michcik (Jagiellonian University)
• Jogile Ulinskaite (Vilnius University)
• Marijana Matosevic (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
• Liana Ivete Zilde (Art Academy of Latvia)
• Tatiana Smorodina (Konstanz University)
• Jo Laycock (University of Manchester, UK)
• Lucie Sovová (Wageningen University, the Netherlands)
• Alicia Baca (Ohio State U.)
• Dr Marta Cyuńczyk (National Museum in Gdańsk, Poland)
• Philipp Schöbel (Freie Universität Berlin)
• Kasia Szymanska (kasia.szymanska@manchester.ac.uk)
• Kasia Szymanska (University of Manchester)
• Dr Ani Delizée-matureli (UMONS (Belgium))
• Prof. Dr. Gleb J. Albert (University of Lucerne, Switzerland)
• Mykyta Tyshchenko (Ohio State University)
• Mark Doel (Emeritus Professor Sheffield Hallam University UK)
• Francesca Longo (University of Catania - Italy)
• Maija Avota
• Anastasiia Blazhko (KU Leuven)
• Valerie Browne (Harvard Davis Center)
• Anne Godart (UMONS Belgique)
• Jelizaveta Hristokina (Tallinn University)
• Aryana Rostami (New York University, Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies)
• Natalya Ryabinska (Collegium Civitas, Warsaw, Poland)
• Dimitrina Ivanova (University of York)
• Anna Kuzemko (M.G.Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine)
• Laura Luciani (Ghent University)
• Mauricio Borrero (St. John’s University, New York City)