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.

Saudi Arabia Fires Yemeni Scholars and Medical Professionals For No Public Reason, Risking A Humanitarian Crisis

Numerous Yemeni scholars, academics, and medical professionals have, since July 2021, been terminated without just cause from their jobs in southern Saudi Arabia. This termination leaves them with the impossible choice of either returning to their war-torn home country or attempting to relocate, yet again, to another country.

Saudi Arabia: Urgent Appeal to Reverse Mass Dismissals of Yemeni Scholars

October 1, 2021

Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Office of His Majesty the King
Riyadh, Royal Court: 11-488-2222
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Your Majesty:

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.

This communication is in regard to the numerous Yemeni scholars, academics, and medical professionals who have, since July 2021, been terminated without just cause from their jobs in southern Saudi Arabia. This termination leaves them with the impossible choice of either returning to their war-torn home country or to attempt to relocate yet again to another country.

Many of the scholars affected have been in the country decades and/or have been recently granted renewed contracts. They are loyal residents. These scholars have been productive and have benefited Saudi Arabian universities and medical institutions with their knowledge.

We write to urge you to ensure that the Yemeni scholars are treated fairly. We believe that they should be allowed to remain in Saudi Arabia and be reinstated in their positions, or comparable positions, immediately and unconditionally.

Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.

Sincerely,
signatures

Cc:
Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @ABlinken

Waleed bin Mohammad Al-Samaani
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice
University Street,
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: +966 11 4055399 + 966 11 4020311

Reema bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Ambassador
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
601 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 1 (202) 537-3100
Fax: 1 (202 )295-3625
Email: info@saudiembassy.net

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