Drew Pavlou

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Drew Pavlou
Drew Pavlou Stop Uyghur Genocide Rally.jpg
Born (1999-06-04) 4 June 1999 (age 22)
NationalityAustralian
Education
Known forStudent activism against the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese government
Websitedrewpavlou.com

Drew Pavlou is an Australian human rights activist, and former university senator from the University of Queensland best known for his criticism of the Chinese government and Chinese Communist Party.[1][2][3][4] Pavlou is also known for organising protests on-campus in support of the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, activism for increased scrutiny around universities' international relationships and against Chinese government policies on Uyghurs and Tibetans.[5][6][7][8][9]

In May 2020, he was suspended from the University of Queensland for serious misconduct relating to harassment of staff and students. An appeal of his case by the UQ Sensate Disciplinary Appeals Committee upheld two of the initial charges, however reducing his suspension from two years to one semester.[10] The Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission rejected an application by Pavlou alledging the university's chancellor and vice-chancellor, Peter Høj and Peter Varghese, had engaged in "corrupt conduct", citing no supporting evidence.[11] Pavlou returned to UQ in early 2021.[12][13][10]

Early life[]

Pavlou's family are Greek Cypriots from the Larnaca District of Cyprus, migrating to Australia in the 1960s to open a number of hospitality and retail shops on the Gold Coast in Queensland.[14][15] He was born on 4 June 1999, something that he has linked to the end of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.[16][17][18] At two-years-old, Pavlou's family moved to Brisbane, where he would then go on to complete high school at Villanova College, admitting to having a tense relationship with authority from a young age.[19] He was then admitted to the University of Queensland where he was studying for a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Philosophy before his suspension.[20] His grandmother's brother was a fighter with Greek nationalist guerrilla organisation EOKA, and was killed during the Cyprus Emergency.[14]

2019 Hong Kong protests[]

Main article: 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests

In July 2019, during the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, Pavlou organised a protest at the University of Queensland in support of Hong Kong democracy. He has alleged that he was assaulted twice during clashes with counter-protestors.[21][22]

Brisbane-based Chinese Consular-General and Adjunct Professor at UQ, Xu Jie, responded to the protests by condoning counter-protestors for "self-motivated patriotic behaviour" and condemning the protest as "anti-China separatist activities". Pavlou responded by alleging Xu Jie was inciting violence and issuing a death threat, a claim which was rejected by the Chinese embassy in Canberra. The Magistrates Court rejected the application for a case before it was heard at trial, citing international diplomatic immunity laws.[23][1]

Suspension from the University of Queensland[]

Throughout April and May 2020, Pavlou was summoned to the University of Queensland disciplinary board after a 186-page report suggested he violated university student discipline policies 11 times, including by bullying, discriminating against, and harassing students and staff online and on-campus. ABC News has reported that complaints raised to the board include Pavlou improperly claiming to make statements on behalf of the university and a Facebook post of Pavlou posing in front of the UQ Confucius Institute in a biohazard suit during the COVID-19 pandemic with the caption:[24]

AS A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, ITS MY JOB TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE - THAT'S WHY I'VE PLACED THE UQ CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE UNDER TOTAL AND COMPLETE LOCKDOWN UNTIL BIOHAZARD RISK CONTAINED!

— Drew Pavlou, Facebook

Pavlou has admitted to directing profanity at students on Facebook and another university forum after complaints were raised by a number of students.[2] Complaints included in the dossier alleged that Pavlou called UQ business and finance students "c-words [sic]", and that they held no views beyond that of wealthy parents.[3] In another incident, after being called a "dog" by international students on Facebook, Pavlou responded with "f*** [sic] your ancestors to the 18th generation", a highly offensive insult in Mandarin. Pavlou then invited the student to a cafe on-campus with the comment, "I'll be the one in the black jumper. We will see who the dog is c*** [sic]". It is unclear if the Facebook incident actually formed part of the case against Pavlou.[2][24]

On 5 May, Pavlou walked out of a disciplinary board hearing, labelling the hearing as a "Stalinist show trial" and threatening to take the matter to Queensland's highest court, the Supreme Court. Pavlou's legal team claimed that they were denied access to confidential university documents that may demonstrate UQ collusion with the Chinese government. A spokesperson for the university stated that the matter did not concern political freedom of speech but misbehaviour, that university policy is developed independently of politics, and that the university was unable to comment directly on the matters of the hearing.[25]

On 29 May, the board handed down its decision to suspend Pavlou for two years, the remainder of Pavlou's tenure as UQ senator.[26][27] UQ Chancellor Peter Varghese expressed concern on the UQ News website about "the findings and the severity of the penalty", convening an out-of-session meeting of the UQ Senate to discuss the matter.[12]

On 2 June, Pavlou sought a review from the UQ Senate Disciplinary Appeals Committee (SDAC), the appellate body for disciplinary matters formed from the UQ Senate, and student and staff representatives.[12] Part of the appeal case presented includes an email sent to his barrister from someone claiming to be a victim of Pavlou's comments, stating:[4]

To my knowledge two of the people involved in the exchange did not make formal complaints to UQ – and I certainly have not.

Apparently the complaint mentions that I was 'distressed' which is from my point of view laughable.

While I think it was characteristically crass of him to write to a female friend the way he did I feel this complaint has been largely manufactured.

— Claimed victim of Pavlou, email to his barrister

Queensland University of Technology Student Guild President Olivia Brumm, who claims to have viewed the 186-page case against Pavlou, has told the ABC that she thought the majority of the 11 allegations were "absurdly trivial", as they related to Pavlou's behaviour at protests or online. Pavlou, in response to the report, claimed that one of the allegations surrounded him testing a pen in a campus shop and placing it back on the shelf, something Brumm confirms was in the report. She went on to describe Pavlou as "a very outspoken and brash and kind of unapologetic person", that he "takes a lot of issue with the things that the university administration does, and the way they conduct themselves", and that the way the report was compiled "indicate[s] that there is a vendetta against Drew".[28]

On 13 July, SDAC issued its findings, concluding that two counts of serious misconduct were justified, however dismissing other charges. As a result, SDAC reduced the suspension from two years to one semester (roughly six months).[10] In a statement released by the Committee and Chancellor Varghese, they explained that "neither of the findings of serious misconduct concerned Mr Pavlou's personal or political views about China or Hong Kong", and that Pavlou is now ineligible under the University of Queensland Act (as UQ is a public university) to return as a senator.[12] His seat was filled by the candidate with the next most vote from the 2019 Senate elections, Bachelor of Science student, Gabii Starr.[29]

In September 2020, the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission declined a request by Pavlou to investigate Chancellor Peter Varghese and former Vice-Chancellor Peter Høj, saying there was "insufficient evidence to suggest anyone who was subject of the complaint had engaged in corrupt conduct". The university responded in a press statement that it was pleased by the findings, and that it had been advised by the commission that no action will be taken.[11]

Pavlou returned to university in early 2021.[30]

Court case against the University of Queensland[]

On 11 June 2020, Pavlou launched a case against the University of Queensland, Chancellor Varghese, and former Vice-Chancellor Høj, seeking damages of A$3.5 million for an alleged breach of contract and defamation. The case was lodged with the Supreme Court of Queensland. In a response to an ABC News inquiry, a UQ spokesperson said, "when we receive a formal notice of claim we will consider it and respond through the appropriate channels."[31] Pavlou announced the case on Twitter, saying he was "seeking damages for breach of contract, negligence, defamation, deceit and conspiracy" and that the case was "not about money".[32]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Stone, Lucy (10 August 2020). "Drew Pavlou's case against Chinese diplomat dismissed in court". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Duffy, Connor (2 June 2020). "Anti-China University of Queensland student Drew Pavlou caught up in 'kangaroo court', lawyer claims in 16-page appeal". ABC News. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Duffy, Conor (6 June 2020). "UQ senate will not intervene in anti-Chinese government student Drew Pavlou ban, waves through appeal". ABC News. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Duffy, Conor (4 June 2020). "'Victim' of University of Queensland student activist Drew Pavlou says charge is 'laughable' in email lodged as part of appeal". ABC News. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  5. ^ Patrick, Aaron (26 May 2020). "University risks making Drew Pavlou a free speech martyr". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  6. ^ Lynch, Lydia (31 August 2020). "Pavlou lights a cigar for new inquiry into foreign interference at universities". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  7. ^ Patrick, A. Odysseus (16 April 2020). "Student known as vocal critic of China faces expulsion from Australian university". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  8. ^ Condon, Matthew (29 May 2020). "How Drew Pavlou's University of Queensland protest enraged China and started a free speech battle". The Australian. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  9. ^ Pannett, Rachel (20 May 2020). "A Student Criticized China and Now His University Is Threatening to Expel Him". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Queensland student Drew Pavlou's suspension reduced but will remain out of university until 2021". The Guardian. 12 July 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Dennien, Matt (3 September 2020). "Corruption watchdog rules out student's UQ probe". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Student disciplinary matters". UQ News. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Drew Pavlou suspended by University of Queensland over pro-Hong Kong protest". The Australian. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Antonopoulos, Paul (17 April 2020). "Greek-Australian Student Faces Expulsion From University Of Queensland For China Criticisms". Greek City Times. Retrieved 10 September 2020. Greek-Australian student, Drew Pavlou, is facing a University of Queensland disciplinary hearing on April 27, where university administrators will likely expel the philosophy student....The student also revealed to Greek City Times that his family hailed from Larnaca in Cyprus' south coast and that he had revolutionary heritage with his grandmother's brother becoming a martyr as an EOKA fighter against British occupation. With a martyr in his family, it can be seen why he feels passionate to ardently defend a cause he believes in.
  15. ^ Condon, Matthew (30 May 2020). "The boy who kicked the hornet's nest". The Australian. Drew's paternal grandparents migrated in the 1960s and carried the surname Themistocles to Australia before changing it to Pavlou. A proud Greek Cypriot family used to hard work and enterprise, they soon made their way, starting fruit-and-veg shops, hairdressing salons and a restaurant on the Gold Coast, where Drew was born to father Nick and mother Vanessa in 1999.
  16. ^ Pavlou, Drew (1 June 2020). "UQ Senator Drew Pavlou". Facebook. I was born on June 4th, 1999, exactly ten years to the day of Tiananmen. I'll be turning 21 this Thursday. I hope my Brisbane friends will join me for my birthday this year at the Tiananmen Square Memorial Vigil at UQ. It would mean a lot to me, especially after the recent expulsion. We can't ever forget the students who gave their lives for justice and democracy.
  17. ^ Pavlou, Drew [@DrewPavlou] (1 June 2020). "I was born on June 4th, 1999, exactly ten years to the day of Tiananmen. I'll be turning 21 this Thursday. I hope my Brisbane friends will join me at the Tiananmen Square Memorial Vigil at UQ. It would mean a lot to me" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ^ Pavlou, Drew [@DrewPavlou] (4 June 2020). "I was born June 4th, 1999, exactly ten years to the day of Tiananmen. For my 21st birthday today, please honour the brave students of Tiananmen by donating to this fundraiser to support @amnesty 's human rights work in China. Help protect dissidents" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Condon, Matthew (30 May 2020). "The boy who kicked the hornet's nest". The Australian. Retrieved 2 September 2020.(subscription required)
  20. ^ Haupt, Epiphanie (Pippa) (7 May 2020). "FEATURE: Drew Pavlou – Kicking Shins During COVID-19". Drew is 20, a Brisbane native, and is completing his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy.
  21. ^ Roberts, George (10 August 2020). "University of Queensland holds hearing behind closed doors to consider expulsion of student involved in China protest actions". ABC News. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  22. ^ Doherty, Ben (23 October 2019). "Queensland student sues Chinese consul general, alleging he incited death threats". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  23. ^ Doherty, Ben (23 October 2019). "Queensland student sues Chinese consul general, alleging he incited death threats". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b Xiao, Bang (24 April 2020). "Why an Australian student who is anti-Beijing is facing expulsion from the University of Queensland". ABC News. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  25. ^ Armbruster, Stefan (20 May 2020). "Student activist walks out of University of Queensland disciplinary hearing claiming China influence". SBS World News. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  26. ^ Swanston, Tim (29 May 2020). "Drew Pavlou, critic of University of Queensland's links to Chinese Government bodies, suspended for two years". ABC News. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  27. ^ Pavlou, Drew (29 May 2020). "@DrewPavlou on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  28. ^ "'There is a vendetta': Why an Australian student who is anti-Beijing is facing expulsion from the University of Queensland". 23 April 2020.|title=Why an Australian student who is anti-Beijing is facing expulsion from the University of Queensland|first1=Bang|last1=Xiao|first2=Michael|last2=Walsh|work=ABC News|date=23 April 2020|access-date=9 October 2020}}
  29. ^ "Composition of 34th Senate (2018-2021)". UQ Senate. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  30. ^ "'World's most famous undergraduate' returns to study but vows to keep up human rights' work". Neos Kosmos. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  31. ^ "Suspended student Drew Pavlou sues University of Queensland heads for $3.5m for defamation, breach of contract". ABC News. 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  32. ^ Pavlou, Drew [@DrewPavlou] (11 June 2020). "Today, I launched a lawsuit against UQ, Chancellor Peter Varghese and Vice Chancellor Peter Høj for $3.5 million, seeking damages for breach of contract, negligence, defamation, deceit and conspiracy. It's not about money, it's about sending a message - a message they understand" (Tweet). Retrieved 1 September 2020 – via Twitter.
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