The Committee of Concerned Scientists wrote a letter to commend the US Ambassador to China, The Honorable Max Baucus, for taking a position and making a public statement in support of the detained Human Rights attorneys in China. Specifically, he mentioned the two attorneys for whom we have advocated in the past – Wang Yu who was the attorney for Ilham Tohti and Li Heping who was the attorney for ... Continue Reading>>
Our Work
A History of Human Rights Work at the American Physical Society
CCS Advisory Board member, Dr. Edward Gerjuoy, Professor Emeritus of the University of Pittsburgh's Physics Department, has penned a very informative article on the development of the American Physical Society's involvement in the defense of human rights. Read the American Physical Society's Defense of Human Rights ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Urges Saudi King to Pardon Blogger
CCS wrote to the King of Saudi Arabia, requesting a pardon for Raif Badawi, a Saudi Arabian blogger who was sentenced to a 10-year prison term as well as weekly floggings for "insulting Islam through electronic channels." By subjecting Badawi to torture, Saudi Arabia violates agreements that it is party to: The UN Convention Against Torture and the Arab Charter on Human Rights. November 30, ... Continue Reading>>
Highlights of 2015 Cases
Throughout 2015, CCS advocated for 15 cases in behalf of scientists, academics and doctors in 10 countries. The following are highlights of our cases so far. The situation in China has become dire for Human Rights attorneys. We advocated for two of them who defended CCS clients in past cases. In Iran, the situation has not improved for Omid Kokabee but we have continued to write in his ... Continue Reading>>
Omid Kokabee Hospitalized
Omid Kokabee has been hospitalized with severe stomach pain and bleeding after spending almost 5 years of his 10 year sentence in Tehran's Evin prison. Related articles Untreated Kidney Stones Sends Imprisoned Physicist to Hospital (iranhumanrights.org) ... Continue Reading>>
Physicist and Human Rights Activist Narges Mohammadi Arrested Again in Iran
Narges Mohammadi, a physicist, engineer and human rights advocate has again been arrested for allegedly meeting with the European Union's Foreign Policy Chief while the EU official was visiting Iran. CCS is requesting that Ruhani examine the case and release Narges, particularly due to her life-threatening health conditions. October 28, 2015 Hasan Fereidun Ruhani President, The Islamic ... Continue Reading>>
Nasser bin Ghaith Re-Arrested in Abu Dhabi
Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, a prominent academic and Economist, was re-arrestd in Abu Dhabi allegedly for criticizing Egypt. bin Ghaith was re-arrested by state security agents on August 18 when leaving his office. He has not been heard from since that time. Neither his attorney nor his family members have heard from him nor have they received any information on his whereabouts or charges against ... Continue Reading>>
Physicist’s Group Writes in Support of Omid Kokabee
Herbert Berk, chair of the American Physical Society's Committee on International Freedom of Scientists, writes an editorial in the Washington Post in support of Omid Kokabee. Berk writes soliciting wider support from the general public and government officials for his release. Omid Kokabee is a gifted graduate student in Physics who is languishing in an Iranian prison for refusing to participate ... Continue Reading>>
Raif Badawi, Saudi Blogger, is Awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
Raif Badawi, on October 29, was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Badawi is a blogger from Saudi Arabia currently serving a prison sentence for insulting Islam on his website. Related articles Jailed, flogged Saudi blogger Badawi wins EU rights prize (washingtonpost.com) Sakharov Prize: nominations for 2015 unveiled (appablog.wordpress.com) ... Continue Reading>>
Saudi Blogger Who Has Been Jailed And Flogged for Insulting Muslim Clerics Awarded Major Free-Speech Award
Raif Badawi was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize (which he shares with British poet James Fenton). Badawi is serving a 10-year sentence for insulting Islam and breaking Saudi Arabia's technology laws with his liberal blog. Related Articles Flogged Saudi blogger wins Pinter free-speech prize (washingtonpost.com) Raif Badawi (concernedscientists.org) ... Continue Reading>>