Dr. Walid Fitaihi was arrested in 2017 and held without charges for 21 months. Initially, he was held at the Ritz Carlton hotel for the first three months and then transferred to a prison south of Riyadh. In January 2019, he was transferred to a different prison. Fitaihi is being tried on vague charges linked to his social media activity - criticizing the killing of peaceful protestors since ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Asks New Saudi King to Reconsider Badawi Case
Crown Prince Salman has become the new King of Saudi Arabia with a more progressive view of government and his country. With this in mind, the Committee of Concerned Scientists have approached the new King requesting that he review the Badawi case and consider dropping his charges and releasing him from confinement. The King’s views are much more in line with the views that Badawi was ... Continue Reading>>
Raif Badawi Awarded Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism by the Los Angeles Press Club
Raif Badawi, Saudi Arabian blogger, imprisoned since 2012 for "insulting Islam," will be recognized by the Los Angeles Press Club with the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism. His wife will accept this award for him on June 24. The Press Club President, Chris Palmeri, said the press club is demanding Badawi's immediate release. There is also new hope for Badawi as ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Requesting Saudi Arabia to Review Sentence for Mohammad Al-Qathani
Economics Professor who co-founded the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association that encourages the Saudi Kingdom to comply with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Professor al-Qathani, after a 10-year travel ban, was convicted of planting seeds of sedition, breaking allegiance with the ruler, defaming the judiciary and turning ... Continue Reading>>
Raif Badawi Still In Jail in Saudi Arabia for Critical Blog
Raif Badawi still in jail in Saudi Arabia for a blog critical of the Saudi Arabian government. It was a non-violent expression of his opinion that led to a sentence of 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes. The Committee of Concerned Scientists has written the new leader of Saudi Arabia in hopes that he will review the case with new eyes and honor the human rights commitments to which Saudi Arabia is a ... Continue Reading>>
Raif Badawi Has Written a Book
Raif Badawi, a blogger who was sentenced to flogging by the Saudi Arabian government, has written and published a book of his writings called 1000 Lashes. It is available at some libraries and on Amazon. ... Continue Reading>>
Lashes to Be Carried Out for Saudi Arabian Blogger
Raif Badawi, a Saudi blogger who was charged with insulting Islam was sentenced to 10 years in prison and public flogging. He was hurt so badly during the first series of beatings that following ones were postponed. Recently, his family was informed that they would begin again, but not in public. CCS has requested that the conviction be overturned as he was only exercising his right of free speech ... Continue Reading>>
President Obama: Demand that Saudi Arabia Release Badawi and al-Qahtani
In light of the President’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, CCS requests his assistance in the release of two prisoners: Mohammed al-Qahtani and Raif Badawi. Mohammed al-Qahtani, a Professor of Economics was sentenced in 2013 to 10 years in prison for speaking out for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia. He co-founded the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, calling for Saudi Arabia to implement ... Continue Reading>>
2015 Annual Report
During 2015, the Committee of Concerned Scientists continued to advocate on behalf of scientists, academics, engineers and physicians. We wrote in concern for more than 21 individuals or groups of individuals, located in 11 countries. We generally addressed our letters to the heads of state, as well as to the country’s ambassadors, the United States ambassador for the particular jurisdiction, ... 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>>