On the second anniversary of the arrest of Omid Kokabee, Iranian physics graduate student at Texas University/Austin, CCS conveys to Iranian authorities the world-wide concern expressed about a ten-year prison sentence for Kokabee. Although charges of espionage were neither substantiated or defended by counsel in a fair trial, this severe sentence has been upheld by an Iranian appeals court.
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His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamene’i
Eugene Chudnovsky
The Supreme Leader, The Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khazaee
Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations
622 Third Avenue, 34th Floor
New York NY 10017
February 1, 2013
Your Excellency,
On the occasion of the second anniversary of the arrest of Omid Kokabee, an Iranian physics graduate student at the University of Texas/Austin, the Committee of Concerned Scientists (CCS), wants to express its dismay at Kokabee’s arbitrary ten-year jail sentence for espionage. 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, Kokabee was arrested in February 2011 during a visit to Iran and incarcerated at Evin Prison without charges or a trial. After Kokabee had spent 15 months in prison, one of them in solitary confinement, his case was brought before a judge in May 2012. The Tehran Revolutionary Court found him guilty of having communicated with a hostile government and having received illegitimate funds. After refusing to make a public confession, Kokabee was sentenced to 10 years in prison. At no time during the trial was he allowed to meet with his lawyer.
Kokabee has repeatedly denied all charges against him and clarified that the contacts alleged in the charges consisted of normal professional interactions with international scholars. He has also stated that the allegedly illegitimate funds he received were publicly accounted for scholarships. Although no conclusive evidence was presented to substantiate the charges, Kokabee’s sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal in August 2012.
We understand that Kokabee’s health has been deteriorating in prison, but he has been denied necessary medical attention. He received a diagnosis of kidney stones by a prison doctor , but the Iranian government prevented Kokabee from getting the care recommended. The judge who sentenced him added 91 days to the 10-year sentence because Kokabee taught foreign languages and physics to other inmates.
The reported lack of medical care, as well as the long incarceration without charges, long delayed trial, denial of contact between the accused and his lawyer, and upholding of the sentence despite unsubstantiated charges, are violations of basic human rights and international standards of due process, as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory. They are also violations of Iran’s 1979 constitution, which requires prompt and fair judicial proceedings in Article 32.
On July 14, 2011, we wrote an open letter to ask Your Eminence to correct a grave mistake made by government officials in jailing Omid Kokabee. Our efforts to obtain justice for Kokabee have been supported by the Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, .the American Physical, Chemical, and Optical Societies, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, Scholars at Risk, Amnesty International, and countless Universities, academics and students around the world.
We call upon you to reopen Kokabee’s case and to take all appropriate measures to secure his immediate release and dismissal of any charges and convictions related to his academic activities, allowing him to resume his studies at the University of Texas. We also urge you to provide Kokabee with access to lawyers, medical attention and family pending his release.
Sincerely,
Alexander Greer
Joel Lebowitz
Walter Reich
Paul PlotzCo-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists