Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali is still sentenced to death in Iran for espionage, according to the Iranian authorities. Many human rights organizations have written directly to the Ayatollah and the President requesting dismissal of his case and his release. Many have now requested the United Nations Special Rapporteurs intercede on his behalf and at a minimum dismiss the death sentence he faces. CCS’ ... Continue Reading>>
Committee of 100, the United Chinese Americans, the Ohio Chinese American Association and Nine Additional Community Groups, Demand Justice for Sherry Chen
Numerous organizations were outraged and are demanding justice for a Chinese-American, award-winning hydrologist, Sherry Chen. In 2014, she was falsely accused of spying for China. The charges were dropped in 2015. In 2016, she was fired from her job at the Commerce Department. Sherry appealed her firing to the Merit Systems Protection Board and won. In April 2018, the Chief Administrative ... Continue Reading>>
Ahmadreza Djalali Writes Supporters Pleading for Their Continued Advocacy. Physical Condition In Prison Deteriorating.
Ahmadreza Djalali, emergency and disaster medicine physician and lecturer, is still confined in a prison in Iran awaiting execution (or a reversal of his sentence). He came, by invitation, to lecture university students when he was arrested and accused of spying. The trial was unusual, he was initially banned from seeing family or an attorney; and during the trial was allegedly not allowed to ... Continue Reading>>
Egyptian-Born US Physics Teacher Facing Deportation/Death Due to US Immigratiton Policies
Ahmed Abdelbasit, an Egyptian-born physics teacher in New Jersey, faces deportation and a death penalty should he be returned to Egypt. Abdelbasit has no criminal record and has requested asylum in the United States. He has now been detained by ICE agents. CCS has contacted the Secretary of Homeland Security requesting clarification as to the reasons that a law abiding asylum seeker would be ... Continue Reading>>
NOAA Scientist Wins Case – Ordered To Be Reinstated to Job With Back Pay Granted
NOAA scientist, Sherry Chen, was wrongfully arrested and as a result lost her position at NOAA. She was accused by the US government of spying for China. After an investigation it was found by the Justice Department that she was innocent and she was released. But, she was not re-hired by the US Commerce Department. She was accused of stealing sensitive information from a database regarding the ... Continue Reading>>
Birzeit University Student Council President Kidnapped by Israeli Forces for Student Activism
Omar Kiswani, the student council president at Birzeit University in the West Bank, was kidnapped by Israeli soldiers in early March. He was held at a detention center for a month without a charge nor access to an attorney. On April 2nd he was allowed an attorney visit. CCS has written the Israeli Minister of Justice requesting that Kiswani be charged or released April 28, 2018 Ayelet ... Continue Reading>>
US Scientist Leaves US After Petty Felony Conviction
Chunzai Wang, an expert on climate change and hurricanes, had been employed at NOAA for the past 17 years. Dr. Wang is a naturalized US citizen. He won the Employee of the Year Award at NOAA in 2012 and a second award at NOAA in 2013. Wang was accused of supplementing his income without notifying his supervisor when he spoke at scientific conferences in China while on annual leave. He was paid a ... Continue Reading>>
Thai Professor Arrested for Facebook Post
On a recent trip to the United States, a picture of the Prime Minister and his wife appeared in the press. The picture showed the wife of the Prime Minister carrying a very expensive purse. Professor Charnvit Kasetsiri shared that post on Facebook. He will be prosecuted under the Computer Crimes Act and faces up to five years in prison and a fine. April 26, 2018 Chakthip ... Continue Reading>>
Founder of HR Website Detained for Allegedly “Leaking State Secrets”
Huang Qi, a computer engineer in China, has been detained since November 2016. He was arrested allegedly for his role as founder of a human rights focused website, 64 Tianwang. He established the website over 20 years ago but has been recently accused of “leaking state secrets.” He has not, as yet, been charged and legal documents have not been shared with Huang or his lawyer. He reports he is ... 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>>