As a network of universities that have an academic focus on Eastern Europe, we are deeply concerned about the fact that on July 26 of this year, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation placed the German Association for East European Studies (DGO) on its list of "extremist organizations." The DGO is the largest interdisciplinary association of scholars in the German-speaking world whose work focuses on Eastern Europe. The listing has far-reaching consequences for the work of the DGO. At the same time, however, it is a direct attack on academia, thereby also affecting our universities.

People who work with the DGO face prison sentences of up to twelve years in Russia. As a result, the researchers' personal freedom is acutely endangered and research on Russia-related topics is further restricted. These circumstances have particularly grave consequences for young researchers in the field of East European studies and their academic careers. The listing aims to prevent independent research on Russia wherever possible and, due to international networks, affects the entire field of East European research. Adding DGO to the list is thus an attempt to restrict international academic freedom.

We condemn this attack on international academic freedom and appeal to all researchers, academic associations and institutions to declare their solidarity with the DGO. We stand behind the members of the DGO and support them in continuing their independent academic work while defending academic freedom.

We appeal to German politics to recognize the listing of the DGO as an "extremist organization" as an immediate attack on academic freedom both within Germany and worldwide, and to act accordingly. We call on the state to fulfill its duty to protect research and academia. This requires them to enter into a dialogue with third countries in the Russian sphere of influence in order to protect traveling researchers. Existing and new research collaborations with states that maintain close relations with Russia are therefore severely compromised. Such attacks on science can only be mitigated by decisive action.

Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Bielefeld University
University of Bremen
TUD Dresden University of Technology
European University Viadrina Frankfurt-Oder
Justus Liebig University Giessen
University of Potsdam
University of Tübingen