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.

CCS Requests New US President Intercede for Serkan Golge

The Committee of Concerned Scientists has requested that the new United States President contact the President of Turkey and request the return of NASA scientist, Serkan Golge, who is being held in Turkish prison accused of being complicit in coup attempt.

February 2, 2017

The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Trump:

The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of colleagues around the world.

We are seeking your help in achieving the release from a Turkish prison of an American citizen — a 36-year-old NASA scientist, Dr. Serkan Golge. He was arrested in July 2016 during a family vacation in the Turkish Hatay province, on suspicion of belonging to the “FETO” organization run by Fethullah Gullen. Gullen has been accused by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, of orchestrating the failed coup attempt on July 15th. A one-dollar American bill was found in Dr. Golge’s possession when arrested. It was presented to the judge as the incriminating evidence against him. The serial number of the bill allegedly represented Golge’s place in the hierarchy of the Gullen organization. Dr. Golge has vehemently denied his involvement with the Gullen organization or the coup.

Since his arrest, Dr. Golge has been held in Iskenderun prison where he has been subjected to extended periods of solitary confinement and has been denied access to an attorney. He also has not been allowed a visit from U.S. consular representatives. In the absence of any credible evidence against Dr. Golge his detention is both arbitrary and illegal, and, even under the current “State of Emergency,” is a violation of Turkey’s International Human Rights commitments, as well as the rights guaranteed by the Turkish Constitution. The academic community and the human rights organizations worldwide have expressed dismay in connection with the unlawful imprisonment of Dr. Golge and have demanded his immediate release from Turkey – to date, with no response.

We trust that you will not abandon a U.S. citizen in trouble and will help achieve the release of Dr. Golge from prison and his safe return to the United States.

Sincerely,

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

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

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

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

Myles Axton, Chief Editor, Genetics and Genomics Next

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

David Gross, University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Giorgio Parisi, Roma I University La Sapienza

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, New England Biolabs*

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Former Honorary Board Members

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deseased) Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser (deceased), Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy (deceased), University of Pittsburgh

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

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

Louis Nirenberg (deceased), New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Myriam Sarachick (deceased), City College of New York

Harold Scheraga (deceased), Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Steven Weinberg (deceased), University of Texas, Austin*

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

* Nobel laureate

CONTACT

Edyta Greer
Executive Director
P.O. Box 112
New York, NY 10159
emgreer@concernedscientists.org