Iranian-American scholar Kian Tajbakshs, a sociologist and urban planner, was arrested in July 2009. An Iranian Revolutionary court convicted him in October of fomenting unrest against the government and sentenced him to 15 years in prison, although he denied all of these charges. We have now learned that Iran has brought new charges of espionage against Kian Tajbakhsh. Dr. Tajbakhsh was ... Continue Reading>>
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Venezuelan scientists terminated
Dr. Reinaldo Di Polo, a physiologist, and Dr. Gioconda San Blas, a microbiologist, were distinguished scientists at the Centro de Biofisica y Bioquimica (IVIC) in Caracas. IVIC faculty retire after 30 years of service and then take part in the Permanence in Research Activities (PLI) program, a program that has been in place for decades. The PLI program includes 3-year terms that are renewable. The ... Continue Reading>>
Chinese activist imprisoned
On Monday, November 23, 2009, Huang Qui was sentenced to three years in prison for “illegal possession of state secrets” by the Chengdu Wuhou District Court, Sichuan Province, after being tried in a three-hour secret trial in August, 2008. Huang has been in detention since June, 2008. According to his wife, Zeng Li, his health has seriously deteriorated and he has been diagnosed with an abdominal ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Co-chairs write letter to the editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education
'Everyone Loses' When Boycotts Exclude a Country's Scholars To the Editor: Some academics in the United States and Canada are proposing a boycott of Israeli academics. And in Britain, the University and College Union, which has over 120,000 members, has voted to frame new resolutions to boycott Israeli academics that might overcome legal obstacles that stood in the way of similar measures in ... Continue Reading>>
Ergenekon Trials in Turkey of Academics
Dr. Mehmet Haberal, an internationally respected transplant surgeon and rector of Bashkent University, and Dr. Ferit Bernay, a medical doctor and former rector of 19 Mayis University, are among 194 people who are on trial for allegedly attempting to overthrow the democratically elected government by violence -- serious charges that could lead to several life sentences In addition, 10 other ... Continue Reading>>
Spanish Government disqualifies Israeli Ariel University from Solar Decathlon Europe
The Spanish Housing Ministry has disqualified Ariel University Center of Samaria from competing in the finals of the international competition between university architecture departments to design and build a self-sufficient house using solar power. The Ariel University Center reached the finals together with 20 other universities from around the world after two years of collaboration with the ... Continue Reading>>
Iranian-American scholar arrested
Iranian-American scholar Kian Tajbakshs, a sociologist and urban planner with a doctorate from Columbia University, was arrested in July, 2009. An Iranian Revolutionary court convicted him on October 20 of fomenting unrest against the government and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. He was prosecuted with more than 100 other defendants in show trials after the election sparked protests. He has ... Continue Reading>>
Peruvian scholar harassed
Dr. Salomon Lerner Febres, former president of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, reported that on September 5, 2009 his dogs were poisoned and killed. On September 23, 2009 anonymous calls were made to his home and to his office, warning that “What we did to your dogs, we will do to you.” Dr. Febres is the current president of the Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and was ... Continue Reading>>
Russian human rights activist in hiding
Journalist and human rights activist Alexandr Podrabinek has gone into hiding because of death threats after publishing an article about the current Government’s defense of the former Soviet Union’s crimes against the Russian people. His wife, Alla Podrabinek, has alleged that the entire family was the target of a campaign of intimidation “either on the direct orders of the Russian authorities or ... Continue Reading>>
Dr. Nozima Kamalova
In August 2009, CCS assisted the human rights organization Scholars at Risk in obtaining a fellowship for 2009 at New York University Law School for Dr. Nozima Kamalova, a lawyer and human rights activist, who would be in grave danger if she returned to her native Uzbekistan. The fellowship will enable Dr. Kamalova to remanin in the United States and to continue her research on human rights. ... Continue Reading>>