Helyeh Doutaghi, a scholar of international law who was accused of having connections to terrorism by an AI-powered news site, Jewish Onliner, says Yale Law School has sacked her.
In March, Yale suspended Ms Doutaghi while it investigated the accusations. “I have been terminated based on unproven allegations, absent any due process or substantiated claim,” Ms Doutaghi posted to X. “This sets a chilling precedent.”
In a statement to The National, Alden Ferro, a senior associate of public affairs at Yale, said that the school repeatedly tried to talk to Ms Doutaghi and her lawyer but she refused to meet to respond to critical questions. “As a result of her refusal to co-operate with this investigation, her employment with Yale – which was set to expire this April – has been terminated effective immediately."
Her lawyer, Eric Lee, accused Yale of being disingenuous. “It is not true,” he posted to X. “Yale made a decision to fire her without a fair process. Another capitulation to Trump by a major university.”
The website at the centre of the accusations, Jewish Onliner, said Ms Doutaghi was connected to the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, which the US Treasury Department in 2024 designated a “sham charity” and an “international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist organisation”. Shortly after the report circulated, Yale put Ms Doutaghi on administrative leave, pending an investigation.
In an interview with The National, Jewish Onliner, which uses AI to expose “anti-Israel movements”, defended its content and accusations against Ms Doutaghi. “She is not necessarily refuting claims of membership in Samidoun – she is merely rejecting the characterisation of herself as a terrorist,” the email read in part.
A petition calling on Yale University to reinstate Ms Doutaghi has received more than 1,100 signatures.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
MATCH INFO
Pakistan 106-8 (20 ovs)
Iftikhar 45, Richardson 3-18
Australia 109-0 (11.5 ovs)
Warner 48 no, Finch 52 no
Australia win series 2-0
'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
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Favourite place to visit: London
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels