YUSU network committee slammed for deleting Facebook comment critical of dictatorship

The YUSU international officers were under fire last night after they admitted a “mishap” meant committee members deleted a Facebook comment critical of a diplomat from Brunei, a Sharia law dictatorship.

The International Students Association, a network headed by the officers – Roberto Avelar and Olivia Grutter  – was accused of the “shutting down of free speech” by philosophy student Joshua Hammond.

The group has invited the High Commissioner of Brunei to attend an event on campus tonight as part of their ‘Global Week’.

Brunei has been accused by Amnesty International of living in the "dark ages when it comes to human rights,” and handing out "cruel and inhuman punishments,” including the death sentence for robbery and homosexuality.

A member of the ISA committee, which is keen to ensure the visit from the high-ranking diplomat goes smoothly, deleted a Facebook comment critical of the invitation.

In messages seen by York Vision, first year student Hammond noticed the negative comment had been removed, and contacted Avelar to ask why. Avelar admitted there was a “deleting of a comment on the ISA page,” which was “a mishap on the committee’s part.”

Hammond said: “There was a direct removal of opinion and expression, which cannot happen in an academic environment with politically minded and active students.”

Hammond added that he opposes no-platforming and had no problem with the High Commissioner attending, but called the Brunei regime “barbaric.”

Approached for a comment, Avelar and Grutter said: “Unfortunately the comment in question was deleted by a committee member without any discussion with us.

“When we were informed about it we quickly contacted the individual who commented on the post and have organised a meeting to discuss the issue raised. It was never our intention to censure debate and in future only the part time officers will have admin rights over the ISA Facebook Page.”

Avelar said they had met with the student whose comment was deleted to explain the situation to him, and also offered to meet Hammond.

Two years ago Brunei introduced a new penal code which “contains a range of provisions which will restrict the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and which discriminate against women,” according to Amnesty International. Children in Brunei can be given the death penalty.

Socialist Society are planning a protest at the event, which is set to be held at Central Hall. Katie Smith, secretary of the group, said: "We're shocked at how it was seen appropriate to invite and honour the representative of a horrifically oppressive, anti-democratic, homophobic, misogynist and racist government.

"The ISA's Global Week should be about educating and sharing in culture – not about showing support for oppression."

York’s Amnesty group said they “hope that the night remains focused on its purpose of celebrating different cultures” but would be “interested in hearing what the High Commissioner has to say.”

Avelar and Grutter defended the decision to invite the High Commissioner. “Societies involved in the Cultural Performance Night were welcome to invite whomever they wanted to the event,” they said in a statement. “The Brunei High Commissioner is attending at the invite of the Brunei Society as he also has other business in York.”

They added: “His attendance does not indicate that the ISA supports the current approach taken to human rights in Brunei, and we have edited our event descriptions indicating this. On the contrary, we hope that the performance will clearly display to the High Commissioner some of the benefits of an open, free and fair society.”