The Arizona chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the Arizona Board of Regents for advancing a proposal that threatens freedom of speech and unfairly targets pro-Palestinian student groups.
At a meeting on Thursday, an Arizona Board of Regents committee advanced a controversial policy proposal banning ‘support for foreign terrorist organizations.’ The proposal is scheduled for further reading and advancement at the next Regents meeting, taking place from June 19-21 at Northern Arizona University.
This policy mirrors the unconstitutional Bill HB2759, which was defeated in March. The bill opposed freedom of speech, targeted pro-Palestinian student groups, and generated hateful rhetoric among over 32,000 individuals.
SEE: CAIR-Arizona Welcomes Defeat of Anti-Free Speech, Anti-Palestinian HB2759
In a statement, CAIR-AZ Executive Director Azza Abuseif said:
“This policy is discriminatory toward pro-Palestinian groups and is unconstitutional. It violates freedom of speech and is unacceptable, especially from educational institutions. Implementing such a policy during an ongoing genocide suppresses students who are advocating for humanity and basic human dignity. By silencing those who speak out against injustice, you are acting in the manner of dictators who stifle voices demanding fundamental human rights.”
CAIR-AZ urges the public to provide comments either in person or by filling out an online form.
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CONTACT: CAIR Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif, 602-349-1573, aabuseif@cair.com