Masaud Jahromi
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry revoked Dr. Masaud Jahromi’s citizenship without notice or opportunity to respond, on grounds of “terrorist activities” or “advocating regime change through illegal means.”
OUR PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES
Jahromi, Chair of the Ahlia University’s Computer Science Department, has never participated in either of these. CCS wrote protesting such arbitrary denial of his basic human right to his nationality and deplored Jahromi being associated with known terrorists such as Bahrainis serving with ISIS abroad.
His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa
King of Bahrain
Office of His Majesty the King
PO Box 555, Rifa’a Palace
Isa Town Central, Kingdom of BahrainFebruary 12, 2015
Your Highness:
We write now in concern for Masaud Mirza Jahromi.
On January 31, 2015, Bahrain revoked the citizenship of Professor Jahromi, Chair of the Telecommunication Engineering Department at Ahlia University in Manama. Jahromi was one of 72 Bahrainis – including journalists, activists and doctors – who were stripped of their citizenship pursuant to a revision of the 1963 citizenship act.
The Ministry of Interior announced its decree revoking citizenship without court process or opportunity to respond, stating that it was revoking the citizenship of the named individuals for “terrorist activities,” including “advocating regime change through illegal means.” There is no evidence that Jahromi had ever participated in terrorism in any form. In 2011, he was sentenced to four months of prison and a fine of 500 dinars for participating in “unauthorized rallies” during protests. Jahromi served his sentence and was eventually restored to his position at Ahlia University, where he is teaching now. There are no additional allegations or evidence that he violated any law since that time.
The summary revocation of citizenship in this case appears to be a result of nonviolent expressive activity that has already been punished. Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights specifically prohibits arbitrary deprivation of anyone’s nationality. Implementing the Declaration, the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain is a signatory, protects both the right of individuals to due process and their right to free speech.
Denial of citizenship without explanation or apparent basis imposes severe damage on an individual, who consequently becomes stateless. Moreover, the inclusion of Jahromi’s name on a list together with obvious terrorists serving with ISIS abroad damages his reputation as an academic. We respectfully urge you to order immediate restoration of Dr. Jahromi’s Bahraini citizenship.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander GreerCo-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Copies to:
His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister
His Excellency Dr. Majid bin Ali Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education
His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, Minister of Justice
Ministry of Interior, http://www.interior.gov.bh/default_en.aspx
The Hon. Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Rashid, Ambassador to US
The Hon. John F. Kerry, Secretary of State of the United States
Related articles
- Bahraini Academic Faces Revocation of Citizenship (insidehighered.com)
- Scholars at Risk issues urgent call for letters on behalf of Professor (scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu)
- Ahlia University Report (monitoring.academicfreedom.info)
- Bahrain revokes citizenship of 72 people, including journalists, doctors and activists (bahrainrights.org)