The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) was “ecstatic” that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hand signed orders that end the exclusion of political commentator Prof Adam Habib from the US.
The University of Johannesburg, where Habib is a deputy vice-chancellor, reported today that Clinton had signed the order.
Habib, who lived in the US for several years, was denied entry to the US in 2006, with US officials citing legislation that makes applicants who “have engaged in a terrorist activity” ineligible.
“We expected this ... (US President Barak) Obama’s Cairo speech verbally committed the US to doing what they have done,” said FXI board member Graham Bailey.
Habib’s case, and that of Oxford don Prof Tariq Ramadan were taken up by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which challenged the denial of visas to the two rofessors in separate lawsuits filed on behalf of American organisations that had invited the scholars to speak to audiences inside the US.
“The orders ending the exclusion of Adam Habib and Tariq Ramadan are long overdue and tremendously important,” said ACLU National Security Project director Jameel Jaffer
Bailey said the victory was the ACLU’s.
The university reported Habib as saying: “My family and I are thrilled by Secretary Clinton’s decision, and we are thankful to the many organisations that put pressure on the Obama administration to stop excluding people from the US on the basis of their political views,” said Habib.
“This is not only a personal victory but also a victory for democracy around the world, and we hope this signals a move by the administration to begin restoring the liberties and freedoms that have been so badly eroded in recent times.”
