Our Previous Activities

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

Reinstate Bahraini Academic, CCS Urges University

Professor Masaud Jahromi Arrested in Bahrain

The verdict accounts for 4 of the 5 months of his imprisonment (from April, 2011 to September, 2011). The sentence thus leaves his verdict ambiguous since 1 month is not accounted for. Additionally, since he has been found guilty and the case was not dismissed, there is a distinct possibility that he might not be retained by his university.

While CCS welcomes the release of Professor Hoang as a positive development, we urge the appropriate authorities in Vietnam to reconsider Professor Hoang’s additional sentence, which suggests retaliation against a scholar for the peaceful exercise of fundamental rights of free expression and association that are guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam is party.

Our Previous Activities

Follow-up on the Arrest and Trial of Math Professor Pham Minh Hoang, August 2, 2011

Vietnamese Mathematician Pham Minh Hoang Arrested, March 17, 2011

Vietnamese mathematician arrested, September 12, 2010

Our Previous Activities

2008 Annual Report

We are 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. The information we have received regarding Villar is consistent with other mistreatments of prisoners we understand to have been allowed by the Cuban government.  We wrote to President Raoul Castro on April 3, 2008, on behalf of five medical doctors sentenced to long prison terms for peacefully expressing their political views. They were held in cruel and inhumane conditions in spite of serious health problems.  We understand that similar degrading and cruel conditions led to the 2010 death on hunger strike of another political prisoner, Orlando Tamayo Zapata.

We reiterate our concern about Cuba’s continuing actions in violation of the fundamental human rights of its citizens to the peaceful exercise of self-expression and to their freedom from cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, signed by Cuba on February 28, 2008.

For a full report of the Independent Commission, see http://files.bici.org.bh/BICIreportEN.pdf

Read our letter:

Our Previous Activities

Reinstate Bahraini Academic, CCS Urges University

Professor Masaud Jahromi Arrested in Bahrain

Learn More

Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa
Prime Minister
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
P.O. Box 547
Government Road
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
Email: info@mofa.gov.bh

January 3, 2012

Your Highness:

We are 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. We write now again in concern for Professor Masaud Jahromi.

Dr. Jahromi is Chairman of the Department of Telecommunication Engineering at Ahlia University’s College of Mathematical Sciences and Information Technology. We understand that Professor Jahromi was arrested on April 14, 2011 and charged with “participation in an unauthorized rally.” He was released on bail in September, pending his trial, now scheduled for January 19, 2012. He remains suspended from the University.

His trial has been postponed several times and he has no way of knowing when he will be cleared from the charges brought against him. We have protested to the Bahraini authorities Dr. Jahromi’s arrest for exercising his right to free speech and the lack of due process he has been accorded so far (including denial of access to a lawyer) in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain has acceded.

Especially in light of the recent report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, which included in Chapter VII, Section C findings of inappropriate restrictions on freedom of expression at university campuses, we respectfully urge the appropriate authorities to intervene in Professor Jahromi’s case. We urge authorities to ensure that the January hearing is addressed in a manner consistent not only with the Commission’s findings but also with internationally recognized standards of due process and fair trial. We strongly urge authorities to allow Dr. Jahromi to resume his position at Ahlia University pending the outcome of his trial. Dr. Jahromi appears to have committed no crime and should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

Sincerely,

Co-chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Copies to:

His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa

King of Bahrain
Office of His Majesty the King
PO Box 555, Rifa’a Palace,
Isa Town Central, Kingdom of Bahrain

His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa
Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Diplomatic Area
PO Box 450, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

His Excellency Dr. Majid bin Ali Al-Nuaimi
Minister of Education
Ministry of Education Building
Al Istiklai Street, PO Box 43, Isa Town Central, Kingdom of Bahrain
Email: moe.relations@bahrain.gov.bh

Ambassador Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo
Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain
3502 International Drive, NW
Washington, DC 20008

Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni
Commission Chair
Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI)
Email: outreach@bici.org.bh

His Excellency Mr. Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh
Chairman of Shura Council
c/o Bahrain Shura Council
P.O. Box 2991, Manama – Kingdom of Bahrain
Email: info@shura.bh

Professor Abdullah Y. Al-Hawaj
President, Ahlia University
P.O. Box 10878, 1st Floor, Gosi Complex. Exhibitions Road
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
Email: aalhawaj@ahliauniversity.edu.bh

Assistant Secretary Jeffrey Feltman
Assistant Secretary Michael Posner
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA

His Excellency J. Adam Ereli
Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of Bahrain
Embassy of the United States of America
Bldg 979, Road 3119, Block 331, Zinj
Kingdom of Bahrain
Email to: info@mofa.gov.bh

Read our letter

Learn More

Free Maxwell Dlamini website

Maxwell Dlamini supporters launch campaign to free him, The Guardian, June 8, 2011

King Maswati III
Office of the King
PO Box 1
Kwaluseni, Swaziland
mbulig@gov.sz

December 7, 2011

Your Majesty:

We are 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. We write now in concern for Maxwell Dlamini.

Mr. Dlamini is President of the Swaziland National Union of Students. We understand that he was arrested at a pro-democracy demonstration in April, 2011 and has been incarcerated ever since. There have been serious allegations in international academic and student publications that Dlamini has been tortured.

We believe that a violation of free expression has occurred, in the form of retaliation against a student for participating in a peaceful demonstration expressing legitimate concerns about the government in Swaziland. We further believe that all citizens of Swaziland have a basic human right to freedom of expression in all its peaceful forms, including demonstrations.

These actions of the Government of Swaziland appear to violate a number of international covenants protecting free speech, freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention and torture, to all of which Swaziland has acceded. These are the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant against Torture and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

We therefore respectfully urge your intervention to free Mr. Dlamini.

We appreciate your attention to this important matter and look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Copies to:

Barnabas Sibuso Dlamini, Prime Minister
Themba Mauku, Deputy Prime Minister
Earl M. Irving, Deputy Chief of Mission

Read our letter:

President Abdullah Gül
Office of the President
Cumhurbaskanligi Kosku
Cankaya
Ankara, Turkey

November 30, 2011

Your Excellency:

We are 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. We write in concern about Dr. Büsra Ersanlı.

Dr. Ersanlı is a professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations at Marmara University in Istanbul.  According to Scholars at Risk, an independent human rights organization affiliated with New York University, she also serves as a member of the constitutional commission of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), a political party.  We understand from Scholars at Risk that Professor Ersanlı, arrested on October 28, 2011, was charged with “membership in an illegal organization” under Turkey’s Anti Terror Law. This charge appears to reflect the authorities’ allegation that the BDP and Dr. Erslani are indirectly and by association linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey and designated a terrorist organization.  We understand that Dr. Erslani disavows this allegation.

Absent any additional or contrary information, the facts as described appear to indicate that Professor Ersanlı was arrested and charged as a result of nonviolent expression of political views and association with others, conduct which is expressly protected under international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory, and the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is party.

We therefore respectfully urge you to intervene in Professor Ersanlı’s case and to ensure that it proceeds in a manner consistent with Turkey’s obligations under internationally recognized standards of due process and fair trial.  We also urge you to ensure Professor Ersanlı’s well being in custody, including access to counsel and family, as well as reasonable opportunity for release on bail, as we understand that  Professor Ersanlı poses no threat of violence warranting pre-trial detention.

Sincerely,

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Copies to:

Mr. Sadullah Ergin
Minister of Justice
06669 Kizilay
Ankara, Turkey

The Honorable Hillary R. Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC  20520, USA

The Honorable Namik Tan
Ambassador of Turkey to the US
2525 Mass. Ave. NW
Washington DC 20008

The Honorable Francis J. Ricciardone
American Embassy Ankara
110 Ataturk Bld.
Kavaklieeder, 06100
Ankara, Turkey

The Honorable Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10012, USA
Fax: +1 212 995 4402
Email: scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu

Read our letter:

Learn More

Engineer’s Return to China Leads to Jail and Limbo, The New York Times, November 26, 2011

Sign a Petition

Help My Father Dr. Zhicheng Hu Come Home, change.org

November 30, 2011

Wen Jiabao Guojia Zongli
Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China
The State Council General Office
2 Fuyoujie, Xicheng District
Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Postal code: 100017

Re: Zicheng Hu

Dear Prime Minister Jiabao:

We are 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. We write now in concern for Dr. Zicheng Hu.

We understand that Dr. Hu, an award-winning Chinese-American engineer whose work focuses on automobile emission control, was detained in November 2008, by Tianjin Police while he was on a business trip to China. A competitor in Dagang-District, Tianjin, accused him of “stealing technology.” In April 2010, Tianjin City Prosecutor’s office and Tianjin Court jointly withdrew the case against him and Dr. Hu was freed without charge after 17 months of detention. Despite this, Tianjin Police has continued the border control that prevents him from coming home to the United States, without giving any reason. Dr. Hu has been separated from his family for three years due to this incident.

Dr. Hu’s continued detention without any charges violates his right to travel freely between their own and other countries, under Article 12 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory.

We urge you to immediately release Dr. Hu from the border control order and allow him to return to the United States.

Sincerely yours,

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Copies to:

Mr. Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
Zhongnanhai, Xicheng District, Beijing
People’s Republic of China, Postal code: 100017

Mr. Huang Xingguo
Mayor of the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government
No. 167, Dagu Road, Heping District, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Postal code: 300040

Mr. Zhang Gaoli
Secretary of the Tianjin Municipal Committee of CPC
No. 7, Tai’an Road, Heping District, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Postal code: 300042

Mr. San Xiangjun
Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee
Of the Tianjin Committee of CPC
No. 7, Tai’ian Road, Heping District, Tianjin
People’s Republic of China
Postal Code: 300042

The Hon. Michael Posner
Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Labor and Human Rights
US Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington DC 20520

Mr. Tim Wineland
Office of the United States Trade Representative
600 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20508
202-395-3900, fax 202-395-3512

Our Previous Activities

CCS Follows-up on the Detention of Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith

Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith is Held in Dubai without Charges

On April 20, 2011, CCS wrote on behalf of Professor bin Ghaith, urging the appropriate authorities to direct the government to disclose Professor bin Ghaith’s whereabouts and condition and to ensure his well-being pending his earliest release, including ensuring regular access to family, to legal counsel of his choosing and to medical treatment.  We followed up on August 3, 2011, expressing our concern that Dr. bin Ghaith’s trial was being held behind closed doors,

Professor bin Ghaith was convicted of anti-state crimes and sentenced to two years in prison on November 27, 2011, but Scholars at Risk, an international academic and human rights network of 270 universities and colleges in 33 countries, informed us recently that bin Ghaith received a presidential pardon one day later and was released from prison.

HANOI — A Vietnamese court on Tuesday halved the jail sentence of a French-Vietnamese blogger whose release has been sought by Paris and the European Union, his lawyer said.

Pham Minh Hoang, who has dual nationality, will be freed on January 13 after serving a 17-month sentence for attempted subversion but will still have to serve three years’ house arrest, lawyer Tran Vu Hai told AFP.

Hai had hoped for greater leniency at the hearing, which lasted less than half a day in Ho Chi Minh City.

“I struggled a lot for him and of course, in my opinion, it would have been better if my client was immediately freed at the appeal process.”

Hoang, who was arrested in August 2010, was originally sentenced in August this year to three years in prison for attempted subversion.

• Read the article: AFP: Vietnam cuts jail term of French-Vietnamese blogger.

Our Previous Activities

Follow-up on the Arrest and Trial of Math Professor Pham Minh Hoang

Vietnamese Mathematician Pham Minh Hoang Arrested

Vietnamese mathematician arrested

Dr. Mehmet Haberal

We urge the signing of this petition for the release of Drs. Haberal and Hilmioglu for health reasons pending the outcome of their trials.

To:  His Excellency Abdullah Gul, President of the Republic of Turkey

This petition 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. In October of 2009, we wrote in concern about Drs. Mehmet Haberal and 11 other doctors and academics under indictment in Turkey. To our relief, we have learned that most of the arrested academics have been released on bail. However, two of those on our list are still being held: Dr. Mehmet Haberal, the rector of Baskent University in Ankara, who pioneered transplant surgery in Turkey, and Dr. Fatih Hilmioglu, a gastroenterologist,  former rector of Inonu University in Malatya.

Our Previous Activities

Ergenekon trials in Turkey of academics

The two have now been detained for almost three years. Turkish law allows indicted individuals to be kept in long-term detention only if there is a danger that they might either destroy evidence or flee – not likely in this case. Drs. Haberal and Hilmioglu have been in state custody since their arrests in April 2009; however, because both were suffering from ill-health, they were held in hospitals where they reportedly were receiving medical attention. Both men were subsequently transferred back to prison. Since then, their health reportedly took a turn for the worse. Dr. Hilmioglu suffers from cirrhosis of the liver and reportedly is gravely ill. Dr. Haberal has angina, cardiac arrhythmia, and severe anxiety and depression.

We are concerned that these academics and doctors appear to be on trial solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and of association. We are also concerned that such extensive detention without bail deprive defendants of their rights under Turkish and international law, which require such a trial to be held within a reasonable time. Finally, almost three years in detention pending trial, especially under these circumstances, surely exceed any limitations in the Turkish constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.

We urge the release of Drs. Haberal and Hilmioglu for health reasons pending the outcome of their trials.

Note: Signature numbers 137, and 141-162 were brought over from a second petition site that we established.

Latest Signatures