Kiel: University withdraws rights of the Islamic University Group!

Kiel: University withdraws rights of the Islamic University Group!

At the Christian Albrechts University (CAU) in Kiel, the signs point to a storm. Amid allegations of anti-Semitism and misogyny, the university has stripped the Islamic University Group (IHG) of its rights. In the future, group members will no longer be allowed to use the university's rooms or digital infrastructure. This is what they report F.A.Z. and the World.

The CAU’s decision does not come out of nowhere. It is the result of serious incidents that took place during the Islamic Week organized by IHG from May 5th to 9th. According to eyewitness reports, there was not only a gender-segregated seating arrangement, but also worrying anti-Semitic stickers. In the midst of these controversies, a speaker who is associated with Salafism appeared. The university management has now considered the allegations to be serious and stated that trust in IHG has been “sustainably shaken”.

A resignation and a bitter lawsuit

In the wake of these developments, the IHG board of directors has announced its resignation. This comes after the university is considering legal action that could lead to the de-registration of individual students or even bans. A criminal complaint is also conceivable. Vice President Catherine Cleophas emphasizes that the allegations do not correspond to the university's principles, which further inflames the situation. The Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Günther, is calling for the incidents to be clarified quickly.

IHG, on the other hand, defends itself against the allegations and denies that a forced gender separation measure was carried out. She states that the seating arrangement is voluntary and aims to take different needs into account. But this did not go down well with the university management, who decided to temporarily suspend the recognition of the IHG in order to clarify the group's view on the planning and implementation of the event.

Political support for the ban

The political support for the university's measures is due not least to the assessment of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which sees IHG's proximity to Salafism. Christopher Vogt, head of the FDP parliamentary group in the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament, reiterated his support for the ban on IHG and the necessary steps to review it.

The situation remains tense as society and the university push for clarification of the incidents. For IHG, this could mean the end of an era, while the university makes clear that there must be no room for anti-Semitism and discrimination in its spaces and academic work. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what legal consequences could follow.