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.

Gifted Mathematician Sentenced to Six Years for Alleged Act of Vandalism

June 28, 2021

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
President of the Russian Federation
Ul. Ilyinka, 23103132
Moscow, Russian Federation
Fax: +7 495 9102134

Re: Azat Miftakhov, Case #77RS0005-01-2020-002435-77

Dear President Putin:

The Committee of Concerned Scientists 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.

We are writing to you concerning the prolonged detention of the young mathematician Azat Miftakhov and his condemnation on January 18, 2021 to a sentence of six years in a general regime penal colony, confirmed on June 9, 2021 (case #77RS0005-01-2020-002435-77). From published reports this case appears to originate in an act of vandalism. The case has taken a very long time to conclude, and the full decision of January 18, 2021 has still not been published.

Azat Miftakhov is a promising young mathematician, a laureate of an international mobility program of the Fondation Mathématique Jacques Hadamard and the Laboratoire de Mathématiques d’Orsay which serves to fund a period of research studies for talented international PhD students under the direction of a mathematician belonging to a FMJH-affiliated laboratory; he is also an honorary student of Paris-Sarclay University with an open invitation to complete his doctoral studies there under good conditions.

Early release of Azat Miftakhov would serve the interests of the development of Russian science and international scientific cooperation.

We, therefore, urge you to consider a pardon and rapid release of Azat Miftakhov, who has now been detained for well over two years at an important stage in his scientific development.

We thank you for your attention and consideration of this case. Developments in this case will be closely followed by the Committee.

Sincerely,

Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Cc:
Ambassador Anatoly Antonov
Embassy of the Russian Federation
2650 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 1 202 298 5700
Fax: 1 202 298 5735
Email: rusembusa@mid.rusignatures

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

Committee of Concerned Scientists

c/o Alexandra R. Bender, Executive Director
P.O. Box 273
Mountainhome, PA 18342
abender@concernedscientists.org