Professor Tohti Tunyaz: Welcomed the release from prison of Tohti Tunyaz, an Uighur historian and writer, but protested his inability to leave China to rejoin his family in Japan, under restrictions imposed by Chinese authorities. At the time of his arrest, Tohti was studying for a PhD in Uighur history and ethnic relations at Tokyo University, in Japan. Tohti was sentenced to 11 years in prison ... Continue Reading>>
Our Work
Misguided and Illegal Boycott
We wish to alert American Chemical Society members to a worrisome development: More than 190 faculty members and student groups at U.S. colleges have endorsed a boycott of Israel academics. The group promoting the boycott calls itself “U.S. Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel.” We are very concerned about this movement (both of us sit on the board of the Committee of Concerned ... Continue Reading>>
Scholar Rescue Fund Report Indicates that Threats to Scholars are Chronic and Widespread
“Scholar Rescue in the Modern World” Defines Academic Oppression Index NEW YORK, April 16, 2009 – A new report issued this week by the Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund indicates that intimidation, repression and fear have threatened to silence surprisingly high numbers of the world’s academics and forced many others to flee their homelands in search of a safe space to ... Continue Reading>>
China: over 8,000 sign the petition
Over 8,000 sign the petition by Liu Xiaobo urging their government to comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (see http://www.hrichina.org) ... Continue Reading>>
Liu Gang
CCS met the announcement of the trial of the physics graduate student Liu Gang on charges of "conspiracy to overthrow the Government" with cables to Premier Li Peng and leaders of Chinese science. Our message of distress at Liu's being tried for his nonviolent participation in the democracy movement fell on deaf ears as the trial proceeded and culminated in a six- year sentence. This sad ... Continue Reading>>
Fang Lizhi
When the Chinese astrophysicist Fang Li Zhi fell from grace in 1988 for allegedly fomenting student unrest, CCS sprang into action. We sent letters protesting restrictions placed on his travel for participation in scientific exchanges abroad and on contacts with his students at home. A member of our National Board visited him in Beijing to ascertain strategies he wanted pursued. At several ... Continue Reading>>
Irina Brailovsky
Mathematician Irina Brailovsky's story typifies those of hundreds of Jewish scientists, engineers and physicians who applied to emigrate from the USSR in the 1970s and 1980s. In retaliation, they were dismissed (or demoted) from professional employment and were shut out from mainstream Soviet science. She, her husband Victor, a computer science expert, and family were first refused exit in ... Continue Reading>>
Yuri Orlov
The internationally distinguished high energy physicist Yuri Orlov held top research and honorary posts in the Soviet scientific world until authorities took note of his growing leadership role in the human rights movement.In retaliation for founding the Moscow chapter of Amnesty International in 1973, Orlov was dismissed from his post at Moscow's Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism. Undaunted, in ... Continue Reading>>