(ATLANTA, GA, 2/11/2025) – The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-GA), the local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group (CAIR), today called on Emory University to reinstate and drop the charges against Umaymah Mohammad, a Palestinian Emory MD/PhD student.
CAIR-GA was joined by suspended medical student Umaymah Mohammad, Emory Faculty members Professor Noëlle McAfee and Emil’ Keme, who were violently arrested on Emory’s campus last April during peaceful student protests, and a large group of Emory students, including speakers Tasfia Jahangir and Dr. Anna Mullany.
Mohammad was wrongfully targeted and suspended by Emory School of Medicine Administrators in November 2024 following an interview with the ‘Democracy Now!’ news outlet. Emory School of Medicine (SOM) claimed that Ms. Mohammad violated “principles of professionalism and mutual respect” in the interview where she questioned why an unnamed Emory SOM faculty serving as a reserve officer in the Israeli military was allowed to be “teaching medical students and residents how to take care of patients.”
SEE: Umaymah’s interview with ‘Democracy Now’ due to which she was suspended
Following the interview, Emory’s SOM launched formal Conduct Code proceedings and suspended Ms. Mohammad.
Emory University’s own Committee for Open Expression (CFOE) launched an independent investigation and concluded in its report that Ms. Mohammad’s speech was “protected by the Emory Respect for Open Expression Policy” and recommended that “proceedings against Ms. Mohammad be dropped.”
Umaymah Mohammad stated, “Emory University School of Medicine’s deep-seated racism has pushed it to pursue my suspension despite being told they are in violation of Emory policy. This is a dangerous and alarming precedent being set by the medical school, which not only has implications for medical students’ rights to free expression, but for the safety of our patients.”
Emory Professor Noëlle McAfee commented on Emory’s Open Expression Policy stating, “The problem is that the policy is content neutral, but it’s enforcement or implementation seems not to be neutral.”
Emil’ Keme, Emory Professor of English and Indigenous studies remarked, “Umaymah is a brilliant student and a remarkable human being…who wants to use her knowledge for the service of humanity and for the Palestinian people.”
CAIR-Georgia Executive Director Azka Mahmood stated, “Emory must stop silencing the voices of anti-war advocates. Emory must stop choosing who gets a voice and who doesn’t, in a most un-American and unequal application of its own laws.”
Mohammad’s suspension comes at a time when Emory University faces strong criticism by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), following the resolution of a Title VI Civil Rights Complaint, filed by CAIR-Georgia and Palestine Legal.
In a letter from the Department of Education to Emory President Fenves, Emory was found to have failed to respond to a hostile environment towards Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students.
SEE: Letter from the Office of Civil Rights to Emory President Fenves
Emory University is now being monitored by the Department of Education as part of a resolution agreement, and must revise its campus protest policies, current nondiscrimination policies and the process of resolution of student-filed bias reports to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
SEE: Emory’s resolution agreement with the Department of Education
Emory University was designated by CAIR as a ‘hostile campus’ last May due it its targeting of anti-genocide protestors while enabling anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia.
CAIR-Georgia’s mission is to protect civil rights, promote justice, empower American Muslims, and enhance the understanding of Islam.
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CONTACT: Azka Mahmood, CAIR-Georgia Executive Director, [email protected], Nazia Khanzada, Communications Manager CAIR-Georgia, [email protected]