Committee of Concerned Scientists

An international non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.

An independent non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.

Physicist and Human Rights Activist Narges Mohammadi Arrested Again in Iran

Narges Mohammadi, a physicist, engineer and human rights advocate has again been arrested for allegedly meeting with the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief while the EU official was visiting Iran. CCS is requesting that Ruhani examine the case and release Narges, particularly due to her life-threatening health conditions.

October 28, 2015

Hasan Fereidun Ruhani
President, The Islamic Republic of Iran
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Your Excellency:

I am writing on behalf of 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.

We write now out of concern for Narges Mohammadi, a 43-year old Iranian physicist, engineer and human rights advocate. She was arrested at her home on May 5, 2015. Narges, as reported, has been a peaceful advocate of women’s rights, opposition to use of the death penalty and human rights. She has continually been detained for voicing her opinion. She was initially arrested in 2011 for alleged assembly and collusion against national security, membership with the Defenders of Human Rights Center and propaganda against the State. After her sentence was imposed she was released on bail after three months due to a medical condition that caused muscular paralysis.

In April 2014, she along with other women, met with the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief, to discuss women’s rights. Narges was, again, arrested on the same charges as before. While the trial on these charges was underway she was again arrested in May 2015. While incarcerated, she has had lung problems and her muscular paralysis has worsened. She has been hospitalized three times since May and her medical situation is deteriorating – resulting in slurred words, difficulty speaking, seizures – all exacerbated by stress and the current situation in which she finds herself. She is currently hospitalized, chained to a bed with guards in her room and outside of her door at all times, making it difficult for medical staff to provide care. Narges requires significant medical care, without which could result in a life-threatening situation.

Narges has been incarcerated solely for her peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, rights which are guaranteed under the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iran ratified in 1975.

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

Sincerely,

Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

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Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Paul H. Plotz, M.D., Washington, DC

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Astronomy – Arno Penzias, New Enterprises Associates*

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Computer Science – Jack Minker, University of Maryland, College Park

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Medical Sciences – J. Joseph Blum, Duke University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deceased), Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser, Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy, University of Pittsburg

David Gross, (2004 Nobel Prize in Physics), Kavil Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara*

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

Walter Kohn (deceased), University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Louis Nirenberg, New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Honorary Board Members

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, (1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine), New England Biolabs*

Myriam Sarachick, City College of New York

Harold Scheraga, Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Steven Weinberg, University of Texas, Austin*

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Rosalyn S. Yalow (deceased), Mount Sinai School of Medicine*

* Nobel laureate

Committee of Concerned Scientists

c/o Alexandra R. Bender, Executive Director
P.O. Box 4525
Easton, PA 18043
Phone: (570) 994-2093
abender@concernedscientists.org