Panteion University withdraws support from EUROCRIM 2025 in solidarity with Palestine
Panteion University announced that it has withdrawn its support from the upcoming European Society of Criminology (ESC) conference, EUROCRIM 2025, in protest against the participation of numerous academics from an Israeli university operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In a written statement, the University Senate recalled that the decision to support the 24th ESC conference, scheduled to take place in Athens on September 3–6, had originally been made in 2021.
“Given today’s dramatic international developments, the Senate, by majority vote, decided that Panteion University will withdraw its support from EUROCRIM 2025,” the statement said.
“Panteion University Assumes Its Minimum Responsibility”
The statement emphasized the long-standing role of the university’s Department of Social and Political Sciences in promoting academic ethics, protecting human rights, and combating racism and fascism.
“For this reason, the university does not wish to cooperate with institutions that, directly or indirectly, legitimize policies supporting war crimes,” it continued. “In such a critical international context, neutrality in the face of war crimes has no meaning. By withdrawing its support, Panteion University assumes its minimum responsibility.”
Senate member Dimitris Christopoulos also commented on social media, noting that the sole agenda of the Senate meeting was to address the issue. “In protest against the participation of many academics from an Israeli university that funds research aimed at consolidating Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, our university has decided to withdraw its support for this international criminology conference,” he wrote.
