Tuna Altinel, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Lyon-1 University of France, has been acquitted of “membership in a terrorist organization” at his final hearing. Altinel had been found not guilty in a previous hearing, but when he went to inquire about the status of his passport he was re-arrested due to charges imposed by the prosecutor. No travel ban has been issued to Altinel, but his ... Continue Reading>>
Espionage Charges Dropped Against French-Iranian Scholar
One of the charges against Fariba Adelkhah, a French-Iranian researcher in Anthropology and Social Sciences, was dismissed - that of Espionage. Dr. Adelkhah was arrested in June 2019 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps for spying. They have also, according to her attorney, dismissed the charge “of disturbing the public order.” However, there are still two remaining charges - “spreading ... Continue Reading>>
Cambridge Student Detained in South Sudan Pardoned and Released
Peter Biar Ajak, a Ph.D. student who was critical of his country’s government was arrested in July 2018 in South Sudan. He was sentenced to two years in prison. Mr. Ajak was one of the country’s “Lost Boys” who was resettled in America and had studied at Lasalle University in Philadelphia, then Harvard and then Cambridge. He returned to Sudan in July 2018 to participate in a youth conference ... Continue Reading>>
Ugandan Academic/Writer/Feminist Receives Award While Imprisoned
Dr. Stella Nyanzi, Ugandan academic, writer and feminist activist was awarded the Oxfam Novib/PEN International award for Freedom of Expression. Dr. Nyanzi remains in Luzira Women's Prison in Kampala, where she has been for the past 15 months for criticizing the President and his mother through her poetry. At the award ceremony, held in the Hague, an empty chair was used to symbolize her ... Continue Reading>>
Greek Statistician Still Being Tried for Accurately Assessing Greece’s Budget Deficits
Andreas Georgiou, a well-respected economist and statistician, and former president of the Hellenic Statistical Authority, continues to be harassed and prosecuted for publishing, by all accounts, an accurate assessment of the Greek budget deficits. He has been tried multiple times, found innocent of the charges, or the charges were thrown out but another charge continued to be filed. ... Continue Reading>>
Pennsylvania Teacher Arrested in Egypt for Criticizing the Egyptian Government on Social Media While Visiting Family
Reem Mohamed Desouky, a teacher in Pennsylvania, was arrested in Egypt for criticizing the Egyptian government on social media. It is unclear if charges have been filed, but she is currently being detained in prison. CCS is writing the President of the United States requesting his involvement in freeing a U.S. citizen. ... Continue Reading>>
US Citizen, Physician, Imprisoned in Saudi Arabia Since 2017
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>>
Former Professor of Fatih University Sentenced to 9 Years In Prison – Still in Jail
Ahmet Metin Sekizkardes, a former journalist and professor of Fatih University was arrested in July 2016 on charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organization. He was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison and is still confined. The charges appear to be unsubstantiated. Fatih was one of the top private universities in Turkey and closed by the government after the failed coup ... Continue Reading>>
Former Rector of Turgut Ozal University Still In Jail After Three Years
Abdulkadir Sengun was the Rector and Professor of Turgut Ozal University. He was arrested following the July 16 attempted coup and charged with being a member of an armed terrorist organization. He was sentenced to more than eight years in prison. Turgut Ozal University was one of the schools that the current Turkish administration closed. His relationship to the school seems to be the basis for ... Continue Reading>>
UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Responds to CCS Letter Supporting Junaid Hafeez
The Committee of Concerned Scientists wrote the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights concerning the egregious case of Junaid Hafeez and his sentence to death for blasphemy in Pakistan. The News Release that was issued by the OHCHR is below. Pakistan blasphemy death sentence for Junaid Hafeez is “travesty of justice”- UN experts GENEVA (27 December 2019) – UN human rights ... Continue Reading>>