Greek Australian student Drew Pavlou, 21, has been banned from setting foot on any University of Queensland campuses. Upon receiving news of this, he vowed to fight this with an immediate injunction at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal and take his case before the Queensland Human Rights Commission if necessary.
Mr Drew received a series of emails on Monday outlining the conditions of his suspension which began on Monday, 3 August, and runs through to Friday, 13 November. His semester-long suspension includes his automatic removal from his elected position at the UQ senate.
“Security has been informed of your suspension and in accordance with the Student Misconduct and Integrity Policy you have been prohibited from the University of Queensland’s land and sites for the duration of the suspension,” one of the UQ emails to Mr Pavlou noted.
“The elected office you formerly held on the UQ Senate is therefore vacant.”
READ MORE: Uni lifts two-year suspension on Drew Pavlou pending his appeal
Mr Pavlou had been embroiled in legal wrangles with the university for his outspoken criticism on social media and organisation of a series of protests supporting the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement, highlighted the university’s links to China and criticised UQ’s Confucius Institute.
UQ’s bullying has taken a tremendous toll on my mental health. I’m on the highest dose of my anti-anxiety medication and have trouble sleeping 😢 I can’t and won’t give up though, this battle is bigger than me, it’s about our right to freedom of speech, and Australian sovereignty
— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) August 4, 2020
Mr Pavlou states he has been targetted because he is a free thinker. In a Tweet, Mr Pavlou referred to the university’s “bullying” and the “tremendous toll” it has taken on his mental health. “I’m on the highest dose of my anti-anxiety medication and have trouble sleeping,” he said.
The student and his legal counsel state they have been “unfairly treated” based on his political views.
In February, at the first meeting of the UQ Senate, Chancellor Peter Varghese tried to move that my election be invalidated. He wasn’t successful, despite three hours of debate. He approached me after, smirking, saying: “You survived this time.” I guess he’s finally had his way? pic.twitter.com/59e5KxVfbq
— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) August 3, 2020