After welcoming Dr. Al-Singace's release from jail earlier in March, in response to protests, CCS wrote again to express our deep disappointment in learning of his re-arrest only days later, especially in view of his poor health. Here is the text of our letter: ... Continue Reading>>
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Vietnamese Mathematician Pham Minh Hoang Arrested
Vietnamese mathematician Pham Minh Hoang was arrested and accused of sedition after publishing blogs criticizing the environmental impact of bauxite extraction. The Committee of Concerned Scientists wrote a letter to the government of Vietnam, protesting his arrest on charges of sedition. ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Protests the Arrest and Conviction of Boris Nemtsov
Dr. Boris Nemtsov, a physicist and former Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, was arrested on December 31, 2010, while participating in a peaceful rally in Moscow. A court sentenced him to 15 days in jail for "disobeying police instructions." According to news reports, Nemtsov tried to appeal his sentence as violating his human rights to a fair trial but the court refused to hear ... Continue Reading>>
Dr. Binayak Sen Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
On Dec. 25, 2010, Dr. Binyak Sen, a pioneer of health care to poor and indigenous communities in Chhattisgarh state and a human rights activist, was convicted of sedition and conspiracy under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Safety Act, 2005, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2004 by a state court. According to Amnesty International, Dr. Sen was convicted ... Continue Reading>>
India Refuses Access to Scholar
Professor Shapiro is Chair of the Department of Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, where he is an Associate Professor. On November 1st, 2010, Professor Shapiro traveled to India with his wife, Professor Angana Chatterji. Professor Chatterji, a frequent visitor to the region, was granted entry to India, although she had been stopped several times before, while her ... Continue Reading>>
Bulgaria’s 141-year Old Science Academy Under Attack
The Bulgarian Parliament reviewed legislation on December 8, 2010 that would dismantle the Bulgarian Academy of Science into separate institutes under the direction of the Minister of Education and the Council of Ministers. The Minister of Finance of Bulgaria has mentioned publicly the advantages of selling the assets of the Academy, according to news reports. ... Continue Reading>>
Bulgaria's 141-year Old Science Academy Under Attack
The Bulgarian Parliament reviewed legislation on December 8, 2010 that would dismantle the Bulgarian Academy of Science into separate institutes under the direction of the Minister of Education and the Council of Ministers. The Minister of Finance of Bulgaria has mentioned publicly the advantages of selling the assets of the Academy, according to news reports. ... Continue Reading>>
Russian Physicists Arrested
Drs. Svytoslav Bobyshev and Yevgeny Afanasyev, professors at Baltic State Technical University in St. Petersburg, Russia have been detained since March without a trial at Moscow’s Lefortovo maximum-security prison. The professors have reportedly been accused of spying and passing state secrets to unidentified Chinese citizens. The accusations stem from a cooperative relationship ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Urges Chinese Authorities to Release Chinese Activists
CCS wrote a letter to Chinese authorities concerning Ding Zilin, her husband Jiang Peikun, as well as for Liu Xia. Associates of Ding Zilin, a former professor of philosophy, a spokesperson for the Tiananmen Mothers and a supporter of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, state that they have been unable to contact her or her husband by phone or email since October 8, 2010. ... Continue Reading>>
Chinese Activist Liu Xiaobo is Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
"International human rights law and standards are above the nation-state, and the world community has a duty to ensure they are respected," the Chairman of the Nobel Prize committee says in explaining its award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo. Liu, who is serving an 11 year sentence for "subverting state power" after peacefully circulating the "Charter 08" petition to ... Continue Reading>>