Ihor Kozlovsky, a 63-year-old retired professor of anthropology and humanities at Donetsk University, was convicted of weapons possession and sentenced by a military tribunal to over two years in prison. Dr. Kozlovsky denies the weapons charge, which was described as two pipes, and indicates that he is being detained for his peaceful political beliefs. June 1, 2017 Aleksandr ... Continue Reading>>
Our Work
Professor Threatened in Her Home for Involvement Documenting Rape by Security Forces
CCS has written the Prime Minister of India requesting his assistance in assuring safety for Dr. Bela Bhatia, a well-known academic, researcher and writer with a Ph.D. from Cambridge. Dr. Bhatia has been studying the Naxalite movement in India and in recent years has been involved in a fact-finding effort to document gang rapes and sexual assaults on Adivasi women by security forces. On January ... Continue Reading>>
Engineer Arrested at Worksite During Meeting With Contractors in Bahrain
Sayed Alawi Hussain al-Alawi, a telecom engineer with Batelco, was arrested on October 24 while meeting with other engineers and contractors at a Batelco worksite. He has not been charged. His spouse has contacted Bahraini authorities but has been unable to determine why he is being held. CCS wrote to the King requesting his assistance in this matter - requesting that al-Alawi be released ... Continue Reading>>
Malaysian Student Arrested for Possession of Books
Siti Noor Aishah Atam, an Islamic Studies graduate student at the Universiti Malaya was convicted and sentenced for the crime of possessing 12 books. She was sentenced to five years in prison. CCS has written to the Prime Minister of Malaysia requesting that he review this case, drop the charges and release Atam. May 24, 2017 Prime Minister Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun ... Continue Reading>>
Russians Respond to Letter from CCS on Dr. Pivovarov
From the Office of Attorney General of Russian Federation Dmitrovka Street 15a Moscow, Russia 125993 To: Carol Valoris, The Committee of Concerned Scientists Re: Case No. 34/1-175-2017/OH24285-17 The Office of Attorney General of Russian Federation has received the letter from members of your organization regarding persecution of Yu. S. Pivovarov, the former director of the State ... Continue Reading>>
Eugene Chudnovsky, Co-Chair of Board, The Committee of Concerned Scientists Participates in Podcast of Scientists v. Power
ABC’s Podcast “RN” ran a story by Natasha Mitchell on the impact that dictatorial rulers have on scientists. The article interviews several scientists, one of which is CCS’ Board Co-Chair and Professor of Physics, Eugene Chudnovsky. The article examines scientists who have been locked up for their studies and discoveries dating back from Socrates to a more recent case of a young Iranian ... Continue Reading>>
59 Year-Old Electrical Engineer Confined in Jail for Four Years – Hearings Re-Scheduled 20 Times, Finally Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
Dr. Khalil al-Halwachi, a Bahraini electrical engineer has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for nonviolent expressive and associative activity. Professor al-Halwachi was arrested in September 2014 because of his association with a political group. However, his charges did not relate to the group or his involvement with them. He was charged with “possession of a firearm,” which was found ... Continue Reading>>
Social Science Researcher and Anthropologist, Dr. Stella Nyanzi, at Makerere University in Uganda, Was Arrested and Charged for Criticizing the President and His Wife on Facebook
Dr. Stella Nyanzi, a Professor at Makerere University in Uganda, was arrested and charged under the Computer Misuse Act of 2011 for insulting the President on Facebook. Dr. Nyanzi was advocating that schools supply sanitary pads to girls so that they may attend school during their menstrual cycle. Many girls were not showing up in school to avoid embarrassment. The President was not a ... Continue Reading>>
65 Year Old Venezuelan Economist, Professor Santiago Guevara, Arrested for Articles Critical of Government Policies
Professor Santiago Guevara, a 65 year-old Venezuelan Economist, was served a summons by representatives of the Directorate of Military Counterintelligence on February 21st. He was instructed to report on February 23rd to DGCIM where he was charged before a military court with “treason,” “incitement to rebellion,” and crimes against the “security and independence of the nation.” Dr. Guevara had ... Continue Reading>>
In Light of Trump’s Success on Freeing American Jailed in Egypt – CCS Requests His Help to Free Golge in Turkey
CCS wrote President Trump requesting his help in obtaining Dr. Serkan Golge’s release from prison in Turkey. Golge is a scientist at NASA and an American citizen who went home to visit his family and was arrested and charged with complicity in the coup attempt almost a year ago in Turkey. Golge has been in prison since July with the only evidence being his having an American dollar in his ... Continue Reading>>