Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

University of Essex lecturer sacked after anti-Semitism row

A University of Essex lecturer who opposed the creation of a Jewish society has been fired.

Dr Maaruf Ali, a computer and electronics lecturer, was suspended earlier this year after he opposed the creation of a Jewish society on the grounds that "Zionists" were behind it.


The lecturer had also shared online material questioning the Holocaust.

He, however, denied being anti-Semitic or denying the Holocaust.

Ali said: "I am not against Jews, I don't hate their religion, their people or their culture. I believe that everyone should be allowed to form any society. This is what I'm thinking now - which is what I didn't think at the time."

In a statement, the University of Essex said a member of staff had been dismissed following a tribunal hearing.

"The university has now completed an independent investigation into the serious allegations made against a member of university staff," it added.

Welcoming Ali's dismissal, Daniel Kosky, from the Union of Jewish Students, said: “It is wholly the correct decision for Dr Ali to be removed from his teaching post following severely antisemitic comments and engaging in Holocaust revisionism on social media.

“Those in positions of responsibility and influence must be held accountable for the environment that they create in lecture halls.

“We welcome this positive step in creating an inclusive campus environment, and we hope to see the University of Essex continue this work into the future.”

More For You

substance use

15 per cent of participants had used a substance at least once, while 10 per cent had done so in the past year. (Photo for representation: iStock)

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Indian students start using substances at age 12, survey finds

A SURVEY of school students from 10 cities in India has found that they begin using substances between the ages of 12 and 13, indicating that support and guidance are needed before they reach middle school.

The researchers, including those from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, said that with each year the start of substance use is delayed, the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder decreases.

Keep ReadingShow less