Oxford University "Supports and Complies with All Sanctions... Will Consider Additional Measures"
Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, UK. *The photo is unrelated to the content. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Woo-seok] After it was revealed that the prestigious British university, Oxford University, received donations from a Russian oligarch recently designated as a sanction target by the UK government, demands to return the funds have surged.
According to the British daily The Guardian on the 30th (local time), the UK government designated Said Gutseriev (34), a Russian-British businessman and son of Russian oligarch Mikhail Gutseriev, as a sanction target the day before.
The UK government explained the reason for the sanctions was that Said played a leading role in the investment company SFI, believed to be involved in the Russian financial services sector, supporting or benefiting from the Russian government.
Following the announcement, it was revealed that Said donated ?2.6 million (approximately 4.1 billion KRW) in 2019 to establish an Archaeology and Anthropology Fellowship at his alma mater, Oxford University.
Anti-corruption activists have raised their voices, demanding Oxford University withdraw the fellowship in accordance with the UK government’s sanctions. Activist James Bolton Jones criticized, "In the current atmosphere, maintaining donations from individuals on the UK sanctions list can be understood as having close ties to the Russian government, which is unacceptable."
He also emphasized that Oxford University should seriously consider returning the donation or donating it to charities supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction.
In response, an Oxford University spokesperson said, "Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has caused a humanitarian disaster in Europe," adding, "Oxford University supports and complies with all sanctions imposed in this situation and will review what additional measures are appropriate."
However, Oxford University had previously refused demands to return donations after Mikhail Gutseriev, Said’s father, was placed on the UK sanctions list last August for supporting the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
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