Hada, an ethnic Mongolian dissident and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, was recently rushed to emergency treatment due to serious health concerns. In 1995, Hada was arrested for his political activism while advocating on behalf of ethnic Mongolian herders and has been inhumanely treated in the years since. CCS strongly urges his release from detention and his reunion with his family. RFA: Ethnic ... Continue Reading>>
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Baku State University Teacher in Azerbaijan Still Not Allowed to Return to Work
Mr. Araz Aliyev was once a professor at Baku State University (BSU) in Azerbaijan. On December 23, 2023, he was abducted by people in civilian clothes, subjected to torture for 24 hours, and denied access to his lawyer and family. The next day, he was sentenced to 25 days in prison. He was arrested again in March 2024 and once more subjected to violence. In September 2024, he was dismissed from ... Continue Reading>>
Environmental Scientist Targeted for Illuminating Illegal Tin Mining
Bambang Hero Saharjo is being sued and harassed for testifying in court that illegal tin mining in Indonesia has caused billions of dollars in environmental damages. Mongabay:Indonesian scientist under fire for revealing extent of illegal tin mining Bambang Hero Threatened with Criminalization (Again) The Guardian: Scientist who takes on firms causing wildfires wins John Maddox prize ... Continue Reading>>
UPDATE: Salma al-Shehab released from Saudi Arabian jail
Leeds University PhD student Salma al-Shehab was imprisoned in 2021 and sentenced to serve 34 years in prison after retweeting some posts that were disliked by the government. She has been released and reunited with her family. Salma al-Shehab was arrested in 2021 on holiday in Saudi Arabia after posting tweets supporting women’s rights. Continue reading... ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Vice-Chair, Zafra Lerman, to receive International Advocate for Peace Award
On March 6th, Zafra Lerman will be presented with the International Advocate for Peace Award by the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Previous awardees include Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and Bishop Tutu. READ MORE... ... Continue Reading>>
Russian-Israeli Princeton doctoral student still held hostage in Iraq
Elizabeth Tsurkov, a doctoral student, has been missing in Iraq since 2023 after being abducted in Baghdad while conducting research for Princeton University. She is being held by the Kata’ib Hezbollah or Hezbollah Brigades. The Committee is concerned about her condition and asks the Iraqi government to find and release her to the United States as soon as possible. Times of Israel January ... Continue Reading>>
UPDATE: Carlos Correa located and released from prison
After being forcibly detained in an undisclosed location, Carlos Correa has been released from where he was being held at a detention center in Caracas: Read more on espacio publico ... Continue Reading>>
Venezuelan professor and human rights activist abducted
Carlos Correa, a renowned professor and researcher at the Human Rights Center of the Andrés Bello Catholic University and Executive Director of the NGO, Espacio Público, was abducted on January 7th by alleged state officials who forced him into an unmarked vehicle, and he has not been seen since. The Committee is concerned and asks the Venezuelan government to disclose his location. Ifex: ... Continue Reading>>
Belarusian State University Lecturer Detained in Azerbaijan
Mr. Igbal Abilov, lecturer at the Belarusian State University in ethnic studies, was recently arrested in Azerbaijan. The Committee is concerned that Abilov’s arrest may be due to his studies into ethnic minorities present in Azerbaijan, in collaboration with academics in Armenia, ahead of COP29 in Baku. He should be released and allowed to return to Belarus, as well as review documents relating ... Continue Reading>>
Narges Mohammadi’s Temporary Medical Release is Grossly Insufficient
Permanent and Unconditional Release of Nobel Peace Laureate Is Critical December 5, 2024 – Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and renowned Iranian human rights defender, has been granted a 21-day medical release from Evin Prison by the Iranian authorities, after repeated denials and delays in receiving critical medical care. This temporary release falls drastically short of ... Continue Reading>>