Two American academics that were released from prison in Turkey, after being imprisoned for charges they did not commit, are still not allowed to depart Turkey to return home. Serkan Golge, a former NASA scientist, and Ismail Kul, a professor at Widener College in Pennsylvania, have been released from prison but Turkish officials continue to withhold their passports and require them to report to the authorities on a regular basis, making it impossible for them to return to their homes in the United States. CCS has written President Trump asking his assistance in getting these two scholars returned to their homes.
December 25, 2019
Donald J. Trump President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. Trump:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists (“CCS”) is 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. For almost 50 years CCS has been helping persecuted scholars overcome injustice and return to their academic work.
We are writing at this time due to your successes in bringing home Americans who have been wrongfully detained in other countries, such as the recent arrangements allowing for Dr. Xiyue Wang’s release from prison and his return home from Iran. Earlier in the year you were able to negotiate the release from prison for the NASA scientist who was confined in Turkey, Dr. Serkan Golge. However, Dr. Golge has not been allowed to leave Turkey and return home. His passport has not been returned to him and he is still on travel restrictions, required to report to the police weekly.
Additionally, there is another American Professor in Turkey who teaches Chemistry at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania. He likewise has been released from prison, but not allowed to return home to the United States. His name is Ismail Kul.
For both men the imprisonment and travel ban have taken a personal, professional and financial toll. Professor Kul was arrested in 2016 and released in 2018; Dr. Golge was also arrested in 2016 and was released in 2019. Neither are free to leave Turkey and return to their homes and jobs in the United States.
At this holiday time, we are asking that you, again, assist their families in helping them to return home. They were both wrongfully accused, served a significant amount of time in prison for no reason and are still restricted in their ability to leave Turkey. We implore you to assist them in any way possible so they may return to the United States and get back to their lives – lives which are productive and helpful to our citizens.
We look forward to your success with this matter. We are certain that their families would be elated to see them deplane and have their feet on U.S. soil – finally.
We wish you great success in facilitating their immediate return.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Cc:
Mike Pompeo, U.S. Department of State
U.S. Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
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Senator Benjamin L. Cardin
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Senator Thomas R. Carper
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Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.
393 Russell Senate Office Building
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Senator Christopher A. Coons
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Senator Patrick J. Toomey
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Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon
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Ambassador David Satterfield
US Embassy – Ankara
110 Ataturk Boulevard
Kavaklıdere, 06100 Ankara – Turkey
Bill Richardson, Former Governor of New Mexico
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Mickey Bergman
Vice President of the Richardson Center for Global Engagement
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Everett Price, Helsinki Commission
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