Prominent Princeton-based Historian, Jan Gross is threatened with having his state honor, the Order of Merit he received in 1996, stripped from him by the Polish President. The Polish government, taking a turn to the right, is trying to deny the historical facts of the Holocaust and Poland's involvement in it. Gross has written many historical books indicating Poland's involvement in the death ... Continue Reading>>
Our Work
After Five Years in Prison, An Appeal for Omid Kokabee’s Release
On the fifth anniversary of Omid Kokabee's imprisonment in Iran, CCS appeals to President Rouhani for his unconditional release. Kokabee, a Iranian doctoral student in physics at the University of Texas — Austin, was arrested in 2011 while visiting his family in Iran. On August 20, 2015, Omid Kokabee turned 33, it was his fifth birthday in prison. Two months later he developed anemia, abdominal ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Signs Scholars at Risk Letter in Support of Turkish Scholars
New York, January 21, 2016 – This afternoon, a coalition of 20 higher education networks and associations from around the world have issued a joint public letter expressing grave concern over recent reports of widespread pressures on members of Turkey’s higher education and research community. Read the Letter The Committee of Concerned Scientists is one of the 20 organizations that co-signed ... Continue Reading>>
Appeal for Professor Mohammad Hossein Rafiee Fanood
Professor Rafiee's appeal may be heard next week. His family is hopeful that there will be a positive verdict from the courts. It appears that the support he has received is having a positive response. Related Letter Scholars’ Open Letter to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran More than 350 scholars have signed a letter urging President Ruhani to release Dr. Rafiee. January 27, ... Continue Reading>>
Scholars Who Signed Petition Detained in Turkey, Many Dismissed from Jobs
Turkish authorities rounded up scholars who signed a petition requesting the military to stop their behavior towards the Kurdish community in the south eastern part of the country. Universities also began dismissing the professors who had signed the petition. Those detained have now been released but they do face investigation and possible arrest. Many have already been dismissed from their ... Continue Reading>>
Two Human Rights Lawyers Formally Charged in China
Wang Yu, lawyer for Ilham Tohti, and Li Heping, lawyer for Chen Guangcheng, were detained by Chinese authorities in July 2015. CCS, at that time, wrote a letter requesting their release. They have now been formally arrested with charges that could result in life sentences. January 22, 2016 President Xi Jinping The State Council General’s Office 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu Beijingshi ... Continue Reading>>
Moroccan Historian Denied Travel for Conference Faces Criminal Charges
Professor Maati Monjib, a Moroccan historian, was banned from traveling out of the country to attend a professional conference in Spain. He began a hunger strike, became ill and was hospitalized. The ban was lifted and hunger strike ended but Professor Monjib and several of his colleagues were charged with “harming internal state security,” a charge for which he can receive five years in prison. ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Thanks US Officials for Defense of Scientific Freedom
The Committee of Concerned Scientists extends support and gratitude to the Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, and the Kathryn Sullivan, Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for their refusal to allow politics to interfere with free scientific inquiry and in defense of scientific freedom. December 14, 2015 The Honorable Penny Pritzker Secretary of ... Continue Reading>>
Chinese-American Hydrologist Terminated by US Government with No Evidence
Sherry Chen, a Chinese-American hydrologist, was terminated from her position at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after an investigation as a spy for China found no grounds for charges. The Committee of Concerned Scientists wrote to the Deputy Director of the National Weather Service at NOAA requesting that Ms. Chen be reinstated in her position as an hydrologist. The ... Continue Reading>>
Russian Librarian Placed Under House Arrest for Allegedly “inciting hatred”
Natalia Sharina, a Russian librarian, was placed under house arrest for allegedly “inciting hatred” because the library contained books banned under Russian anti-extremism laws. Ms. Sharina was detained and may be tried as an attempt to intimidate librarians. The Committee of Concerned Scientists has written to President Putin requesting that he take all steps necessary to ensure that charges ... Continue Reading>>