May 18, 2012

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Omid Kokabee Petition Sent to Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamene’i

March 9, 2012

This is a copy of the petition that CCS sent to the Grand Ayatollah of Iran in support of graduate student Omid Kokabee.

Petition for the release of Omid Kokabee

To: His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamene’i
The Supreme Leader, The Islamic Republic of Iran
Tehran

Sponsored By: Committee of Concerned Scientists

This petition, signed by 251 academics and students, is sponsored by the Committee of Concerned Scientists — an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world. … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Iran Tagged With:

2011 Annual Report

February 28, 2012

During 2011, the Committee of Concerned Scientists continued to advocate on behalf of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars, as well as groups or scientific organizations threatened for political reasons. We wrote in concern for more than 20 individual colleagues or their organizations, located in 17 countries. We generally addressed our letters to the heads of state, as well as to the ministries or local authorities with jurisdiction over the issues when we were able to identify such bodies. Where we could hope for their assistance, we contacted the ambassador of the country involved, as well as the relevant US embassy or the US State Department. … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Annual Reports, News

Turkish Engineer’s Six-Month Detention Violates Due Process, CCS Claims

February 28, 2012

The arrest and detention of Turkish engineer Dr. Faruk Yarman, based on the Turkish Government’s trial of an alleged conspiracy dating back to 2003, seems to violate due process as required under international law. CCS urges authorities in Turkey to ensure that Dr. Yarman is entitled to access to counsel and family while imprisoned and to early release under bail or bond, since he has not been accused of a violent crime. … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Turkey Tagged With:

Bahrain Should Reinstate Professors, Students as Independent Commission Recommends, SAR Urges

February 28, 2012

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI, established by the Bahraini government to investigate the aftermath of last year’s protests in Bahrain) documented numerous instances of human rights violations against academics and students. Scholars at Risk (SAR), an international network of universities and colleges, recently called upon authorities in Bahrain to implement all of the recommendations the Commission in this respect. CCS had advocated on behalf of several of the academics cited by Scholars at Risk (Drs. Al-Singace and Masaud Jahromi.) Because of its extensive and thorough discussion of this important issue, we quote the SAR report in full. … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Bahrain, Good News Tagged With: ,

An Update on Professor Jahromi in Bahrain

February 7, 2012

On January 19, 2012, Professor Masaud Jahromi of Bahrain met with the Public Prosecutor before the verdict for his trial was issued. The Public Prosecutor ordered that the charges be dropped since it was related to “freedom of speech” which is consistent with the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI). … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Bahrain, Good News Tagged With:

CCS Welcomes the Release of Vietnamese Professor, Pham Minh Hoang

January 26, 2012

We welcome the release from prison of Vietnamese professor of mathematics, Pham Minh Hoang on January 13, 2012. CCS was among the many human rights groups and academic associations advocating for Professor Hoang’s release. Pham Minh Hoang, a professor of mathematics and blogger in Vietnam, was arrested on August 13, 2010 and was later convicted of holding membership in Viet Tan, a banned political group. He was released on January 13, 2012  … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Good News, Vietnam Tagged With:

CCS Statement of Shock at Death of Cuban Activist Wilmar Villar Mendoza After Hunger Strike in Jail

January 26, 2012

The Committee of Concerned Scientists expresses its shock and sadness at the death of Wilmar Villar Mendoza, a 31-year old member of the human rights group UMPACU (Union Patriotica de Cuba). Villar was beaten and arrested following a peaceful protest in Contramaestre on November 14, 2011, and sentenced to four years in prison. He began a hunger strike in the Prison of Aguadores on November 25, 2011, to protest the false accusations that led to incarceration, and died on January 18, 2012, after multiple organ failure and generalized sepsis. … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Cuba Tagged With:

CCS Cites Recent Report of Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in Dr. Jahromi’s Case

January 13, 2012

In urging Bahraini authorities to provide due process and reinstatement to academic Masaud Jahromi, CCS relied on the Dec. 10, 2011 report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. In addition to many other findings of violations of human rights by the Government in connection with recent protests, the Commission cited violations of free speech at Bahrain’s Universities.  … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Bahrain Tagged With:

Student Leader in Swaziland Arrested for Demonstrating

December 16, 2011

Maxwell Dlamini, President of the National Union of Students of Swaziland, was reported arrested and possibly tortured, in violation of international human rights conventions agreed to by his country’s government. CCS calls for his release. … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Swaziland Tagged With:

Arrest of Professor Ersanli on Terrorist Charges Appears to be Based on Guilt by Association

December 8, 2011

CCS wrote to the president of Turkey, Abdullah Güll, asking him to intervene in the case of Dr. Büsra Ersanlı, a professor who is also a member of a political party that is allegedly linked by association to the Kurdistan Workers Party, a banned party in Turkey. Dr. Ersanli denies this allegation. Absent any additional or contrary information, the facts appear to indicate that Professor Ersanlı was arrested and charged as a result of nonviolent expression of her political views. … continue reading >>

Filed Under: Turkey Tagged With:
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