Niloufar Bayani is a widely respected environmental scientist affiliated with the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation. She received a Master’s in Conservation Biology from Columbia University in 2012, and then worked for the UN Environment Program (UNEP) in Geneva before joining the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation in 2017. She and eight colleagues were arrested in January 2018 and accused ... Continue Reading>>
Our Work
Case Against Chinese-Canadian Scientist Ends With Mistrial But Government Files Notice of Intent to Pursue Retrial
After alleged serious missteps by government agents in pursuit of Dr. Anming Hu, former University of Tennessee Professor, the court rules a mistrial but the government, though caught in fabricating several issues in regard to this case, decides to retry case against Professor. ... Continue Reading>>
Student At European Humanities University Removed From Plane and Arrested
Sofia Sapega, a Russian citizen who was on a plane en route from Greece to Vilnius was forced to land in Minsk. It was reported that there was a bomb threat, but instead appears to have been an excuse for the Belarus government to arrest her boyfriend - a dissident journalist. She, too was detained and for the past month has been house arrest. She was charged with causing unrest which ... Continue Reading>>
Law School Graduate Arrested for Graduation Speech Supporting Two Faculty Members Fired for Criticizing Government
Ekaterina Vinnikova presented a graduation speech for her law school class at the Belarusian State University and supported two faculty members who had been fired for criticizing the government. She was summoned to the police station and detained for the past 15 days. She is now awaiting trial and charged with “infringement of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events.” ... Continue Reading>>
Deputy Dean of the Franco-Belarusian Faculty of Political and Administrative Sciences Detained at Minsk Airport
Tatiana Kouzina was detained at the Minsk Airport incommunicado for hours on June 28th. On July 14th she was charged with “conspiracy or other acts committed to seize or hold state power, and of calling to perform acts detrimental to national security.” These charges would carry up to 12 years in prison. She is now under a two month detention. It appears that her charges are in retaliation for ... Continue Reading>>
Master’s Student in Egypt Sentenced to Prison for Allegedly Publishing “False News”
Summary: Ahmed Samir Santawy, a Master’s student in Sociology and Social Anthropology at Central European University in Vienna, Austria has been detained since February 2021 and was sentenced in June to four years in prison. It appears that his sentence may be in retaliation for his work with women’s rights. ... Continue Reading>>
Australian Economist and Advisor to Myanmar Government Detained After Defeat of Aung San Suu Kyi
Sean Turnell, Australian Economist was charged with breaking a colonial-era law known as the “official Secrets Act” after the defeat of Aung San Suu Kyi, for whom Turnell served as a consultant. Australian government has called for his release. His father is dying of cancer and Turnell wants to be with him. Additionally, remaining confined opens Turnell to COVID as other prisoners have ... Continue Reading>>
Shakespearean Scholar Fired/Loses Tenure for Criticizing University’s Response to Claims of Sexual Harrassment and Anti-Semitic Statements
Linfield University’s Professor of Shakespeare Studies is fired for criticising the university’s handling of sexual harrassment allegations and for anti-semitic statements made by university leadership. ... Continue Reading>>
Updated Information on Ahmadreza Djalali’s Situation in Iranian Prison:
· Djalali’s mother passed away after spending days in a hospital Intensive Care Unit suffering from COVID. Djalali’s request to visit his sick mother was denied, as was his request to speak to her by phone. · Djalali has not been allowed to speak with his young children since November 2020. · The European Parliament Passed the following resolution in regard to Djalali during this month ... Continue Reading>>
Rahile Dawut
In September 2018, CCS reported on the case of a missing Uyghur Professor of Anthropology Rahile Dawut who had created and directed the Xinjiang University's Minorities Folklore Research Center. She was one of the first prominent Uyghurs who disappeared on her way to a conference in Beijing in 2017. Akida Polat, Rahile’s daughter, never saw or spoke to her mother again. According to Akida, last ... Continue Reading>>