As rectors of the University of Antwerp, Ghent University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, we are responding to the open letter in which Joël Kotek and Viviane Teitelbaum call on us to reverse the decision of our three universities to award a joint honorary doctorate for general and societal merit to UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese on 2 April.
Let us state clearly, first and foremost, that this honorary doctorate is not directed against the Jewish community, nor against any Jewish organisation or institution. It is an honorary doctorate awarded to a United Nations Special Rapporteur who, despite considerable personal pressure, continues to carry out her mandate. In doing so, she symbolises the importance we attach to the international rule of law and to human rights, as well as to the individuals and institutions that embody these universal values.
As Special Rapporteur, she is tasked with making independent and objective findings, analysing them within the framework of human rights and international law, and reporting on them. In situations where the appointment of a Special Rapporteur is deemed necessary, it is to be expected that the content of the reports and the far-reaching conclusions they contain will be contested. In this case, it is above all the author herself who has been discredited through allegations of antisemitism. Such claims are supported by statements taken out of context or manipulated video clips framed in a particular way. Amnesty International recently responded to the campaign against her. Despite the accusations and the sanctions imposed by certain countries, she continues to fulfil her mandate.
Our three universities did not take the decision to award this honorary doctorate lightly. We consulted several specialists in international law and human rights, all of whom confirmed that, in their view, the distinction is justified. At present, therefore, the decision to confer the honorary doctorate on Francesca Albanese is not under reconsideration.