Where things stand, October 2026
This petition made a difference. Launched in 2022, it pressed the Commission to back down from a full ban on the study. The Portuguese volume could then appear — two years late, and with no distribution of print copies. The petition also built the momentum that led the European Ombudsman to open an inquiry of her own, on our complaint of April 2024.
- The complaint was about censorship. The European Union had silenced a study designed to give voice to the citizens of Guinea-Bissau and to support their aspirations for democracy. At stake were fundamental rights: academic freedom, and the right of a people to be heard.
- The inquiry ran from July 2024 to July 2025. The Ombudsman’s Decision dissolved the complaint into a contract dispute. It found one fault, called it “regrettable”, and offered no remedy. The silencing of the people’s voices — the very thing the project set out to give them — went unaddressed.
- In December 2025, the Commission made the rule used against the book standing practice. Its staff are now taught that the studies it commissions abroad may only be given away.
- The English edition remains blocked. The Portuguese volume may only be given away. Only five copies have reached Guinea-Bissau; the rest still wait in Paraguay.
The three requests of the petition stand. Each new signature tells the European institutions that the case is not closed in the eyes of scholars and citizens around the world.
The petition
We urge European Union authorities to:
- Lift all restrictions imposed on the publication of the Voices of the People book and facilitate broad access to this innovative study in Africa.
- Review the facts of the case and establish measures to prevent infringements of academic freedom in EU-funded projects.
- Support initiatives that listen to the voices of the people, and that generate knowledge and ideas to strengthen the civic capabilities of the demos, on which democracy rests.
This petition updates the one that circulated from October 2022 to December 2023, which remains available here.
Sign the petition
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Institutional affiliation for identification purposes only.
Our supporters
Scholars, journalists, artists and civic leaders from 48 countries have lent their names to this cause. We thank them for their support, and for their courage.
Africa
- Iva Maria Cabral, Rector, Mindelo University / Daughter of Amílcar Cabral (Cabo Verde)
- Fantu Cheru, Bahirdar University (Ethiopia)
- George M. Bob-Milliar, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana)
- Takyiwaa Manuh, University of Ghana / Former director, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Ghana)
- Charles Didier Noa, University of Ghana (Ghana)
- Esi Sutherland-Addy, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana (Ghana)
- Nelvina Barreto, Author, Civic leader (Guinea-Bissau)
- Dautarin da Costa, Former Minister of Education (Guinea-Bissau)
- Michael Daniels, Priest, Order of Friars Minor / Human rights advocate (Guinea-Bissau)
- Aristides Gomes, Former Prime Minister (Guinea-Bissau)
- Francisco Conduto De Pina, Poet, Former Minister of Tourism and Spatial Planning (Guinea-Bissau)
- Antônio Afonso Tè, Former Deputy Chief of Staff, Armed Forces / Former presidential candidate (Guinea-Bissau)
- Zac Chiliswa, Meru University (Kenya)
- Reginald M. J. Oduor, University of Nairobi (Kenya)
- Isaïe Dougnon, University of Bamako / Fordham University (Mali / USA)
- Ana Loforte, Eduardo Mondlane University (Mozambique)
- Chapane Mutiua, Center for African Studies, Eduardo Mondlane University (Mozambique)
- Teresa Cruz e Silva, Eduardo Mondlane University (Mozambique)
- Maria Nazaré Dias de Ceita, University of São Tomé and Príncipe (São Tomé e Príncipe)
- Demba Moussa Dembele, ARCADE (Senegal)
- Eltayeb Dawelbait, Painter (Sudan / Kenya)
- Walter Bgoya, Publisher, Mkuki na Nyota (Tanzania)
- Vedasto Hamza, University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
- Issa G. Shivji, University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
Europe
- Derek Beach, Aarhus University (Denmark)
- Pedro Oliveira, Copenhagen Business School (Denmark)
- Markku Kivinen, University of Helsinki (Finland)
- Michel Cahen, Sciences Po Bordeaux / Emeritus Research Director CNRS (France)
- William Fisher, Provost, The American University of Paris (France)
- Vincent Foucher, Sciences Po Bordeaux / CNRS (France)
- Yvon Le Bot, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales / Former Research Director, CNRS (France)
- M. Dores Cruz, University of Cologne (Germany / Portugal)
- Donatella Della Porta, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Scuola Normale Superiore (Italy)
- Mohammed Hashas, Tor Vergata University of Rome (Italy / Morocco)
- Karel J. Van der Lelij, The Hague University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
- Olle Törnquist, University of Oslo (Norway)
- Clara Carvalho, ISCTE, University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal)
- Luis Fretes Carrera, ISCTE, University Institute of Lisbon / Former ambassador (Portugal / Paraguay)
- Andrés Malamud, Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon (Portugal / Argentina)
- Vasco Martins, ISCTE, University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal)
- Maria Paula Meneses, CES, University of Coimbra (Portugal)
- Olga Pombo, University of Lisbon (Portugal)
- Orlando Rodrigues, Polytechnic Institute of Braganca (Portugal)
- Ana Lúcia Sá, ISCTE, University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal)
- Carlos Sangreman, University of Aveiro (Portugal)
- Manuel Alcántara-Sáez, University of Salamanca (Spain)
- Mercedes García Montero, University of Salamanca (Spain)
- Salvador Martí Puig, Vice rector, University of Girona (Spain)
- Kenneth Hermele, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
- Bo Rothstein, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
- Lars Rudebeck, University of Uppsala (Sweden)
- Anders Sjögren, University of Uppsala (Sweden)
- Pedro Cerdeira, University of Geneva (Switzerland)
- Blaise Galland, Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, EPFL (Switzerland)
- Elísio Macamo, University of Basel (Switzerland / Mozambique)
- Naïma Maggetti, University of Geneva (Switzerland)
- Gianluca Miscione, Zurich University of Applied Sciences at Winterthur (Switzerland)
- Leslie Bethell, University of Oxford / Brazilian Academy of Letters (United Kingdom / Brazil)
- Sue Branford, Author and journalist (United Kingdom)
- Toby Green, King's College London (United Kingdom)
- Kathryn Hochstetler, London School of Economics (United Kingdom)
- Fiona Macaulay, University of Bradford (United Kingdom)
- George Meszaros, Law School, University of Warwick (United Kingdom)
- Andrew Nickson, University of Birmingham (United Kingdom)
- James Smith, University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
- Dzodzi Tsikata, SOAS, University of London (United Kingdom / Ghana)
Latin America
- Ramiro Luis Bertoni, National University of Quilmes / CLACSO (Argentina)
- Isidoro Cheresky, University of Buenos Aires / CONICET (Argentina)
- Mario Pecheny, University of Buenos Aires / director, CONICET (Argentina)
- Federico Rossi, San Martín National University, UNSAM (Argentina)
- Marcelo Saguier, San Martín National University / CONICET (Argentina)
- Catalina Smulovitz, Torcuato Di Tella University / CONICET (Argentina)
- Ignacio Telesca, National University of Formosa / CONICET (Argentina)
- Maria De Lourdes Beldi de Alcântara, University of São Paulo (Brazil)
- Leonardo Avritzer, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG (Brazil)
- Sonia Maria Bergamasco, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP (Brazil)
- Flávia Biroli, University of Brasilia, UnB (Brazil)
- Leonardo Boff, State University of Rio de Janeiro, UERJ (Brazil)
- Marisa von Bülow, University of Brasilia, UnB (Brazil)
- Guilherme Costa Delgado, Federal University of Uberlândia, UFU (Brazil)
- Aldo Dinucci, Federal University of Espírito Santo, UFES (Brazil)
- Bernardo Mançano Fernandes, State University of São Paulo, UNESP (Brazil)
- Ronaldo Fiani, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ (Brazil)
- Ricardo Rezende Figueira, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ (Brazil)
- Francilene Procópio Garcia, President, Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science, SBPC (Brazil)
- Leda Maria Caira Gitahy, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP (Brazil)
- Jézio Gutierre, State University of São Paulo, UNESP (Brazil)
- Fábio Kerche, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, UNIRIO (Brazil)
- Jurandir Malerba, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS (Brazil)
- Marjorie Corrêa Marona, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG (Brazil)
- Leonilde Sérvolo de Medeiros, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ (Brazil)
- Eduardo Diatahy Bezerra de Menezes, Federal University of Ceará (Brazil)
- Michel Nicolau Netto, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP (Brazil)
- João Márcio Mendes Pereira, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ (Brazil)
- Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, University of São Paulo / Former Minister of Human Rights (Brazil)
- Ivo Poletto, Climate Change and Social and Environmental Justice Forum (Brazil)
- Bruno Pinheiro Wanderley Reis, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG (Brazil)
- Renato Janine Ribeiro, Former Minister of Education (Brazil)
- Marcos Rolim, Ritter dos Reis University / Former federal deputy (Brazil)
- Fabricio Pereira da Silva, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, UNIRIO (Brazil)
- Ricardo Timm de Souza, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS (Brazil)
- João Pedro Stedile, Landless Rural Workers' Movement, MST (Brazil)
- Mara Telles, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG (Brazil)
- Eduardo Viola, University of São Paulo (Brazil)
- Claudia Heiss, University of Chile (Chile)
- Juan Pablo Luna, Pontifical Catholic University (Chile / Uruguay)
- Angela Uribe Botero, National University of Colombia (Colombia)
- Benjamin Arditi, National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM (Mexico)
- Alberto J. Olvera, ITESO, Jesuit University of Guadalajara (Mexico)
- Peter Rosset, ECOSUR (Mexico)
- Alfredo Boccia, Author and journalist, Última Hora (Paraguay)
- Esteban Caballero, Latin American School of Social Sciences, FLACSO (Paraguay)
- Ricardo Canese, Former member, Mercosur Parliament (Paraguay)
- Benjamín Fernández, Journalist and author, Radio Libre, 5Días (Paraguay)
- Camilo José Filártiga Callizo, Catholic University of Asunción (Paraguay)
- Víctor-Jacinto Flecha, Author / President of PEN Club Paraguay (Paraguay)
- Rosa María Ortiz, Former Rapporteur, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, IACHR (Paraguay)
- Armando Rivarola, Author and journalist, ABC Color (Paraguay)
- David Velázquez Seiferheld, National University of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo, UNVES (Paraguay)
- Manuel Joshua Huachaca Huaman, National University of San Marcos (Peru)
- María Pilar García-Guadilla, Simón Bolívar University (Venezuela)
- Luis Gómez-Calcaño, Central University of Venezuela, UCV (Venezuela)
United States and Canada
- Sean Burges, Carleton University (Canada)
- José Carlos Curto, York University / Former President of Lusophone Studies Association (Canada)
- Charmain Levy, University of Quebec at Outaouais (Canada)
- Javier Auyero, University of Texas at Austin (USA / Argentina)
- Deborah Bräutigam, Johns Hopkins University (USA)
- Carmen Diana Deere, University of Florida / Past president, Latin American Studies Association (USA)
- Ralph Della Cava, City University of New York, CUNY (USA)
- Joe Eldridge, Washington Office on Latin America, WOLA (USA)
- Kenneth Paul Erickson, City University of New York, CUNY (USA)
- Shepard Forman, New York University, Former Adviser to Head of UNIOGBIS in Guinea-Bissau (USA)
- Joshua B. Forrest, La Roche University (USA)
- Marcela Gaviria, Journalist, PBS Frontline (USA)
- Sidney Greenfield, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (USA)
- Katherine Hite, Vassar College (USA)
- Rafael Ioris, University of Denver (USA / Brazil)
- James M. Jasper, City University of New York, CUNY (USA)
- Conrad Philip Kottak, University of Michigan (USA)
- Rafael Domingues Lenz Cesar, Princeton University (USA / Brazil)
- Claudio Lomnitz, Columbia University (USA / Mexico)
- Roger F. Malina, University of Texas at Dallas (USA)
- Mahmood Mamdani, Columbia University (USA / Uganda)
- Maxine L. Margolis, University of Florida (USA)
- Irving Leonard Markovitz, Queens College (USA)
- Gabriel Ondetti, Missouri State University (USA)
- Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, University of Notre Dame (USA / Argentina)
- Anne Pitcher, University of Michigan / Past president, African Studies Association (USA)
- Ismail Rashid, Vassar College (USA / Sierra Leone)
- Kenneth Roberts, Cornell University (USA)
- Deborah S. Rogers, Initiative for Equality (USA / South Africa)
- Assan Sarr, Ohio University (USA / The Gambia)
- Cathy Schneider, American University (USA)
- Mark Ungar, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, CUNY (USA)
- Philip J. Williams, Dean, College of Liberal Arts, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (USA)
Asia and Oceania
- Anitra Nelson, University of Melbourne (Australia)
Institutional affiliation for identification purposes only.
In the press
Devex
“Inquiry after EU bans study of Guinea-Bissau”, by Rob Merrick, 12 August 2024.