The first four academics who were arrested for signing a “Peace Petition” will attend a court hearing on Friday, April 22 at 2:00 pm. CCS has written the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, John Bass, to request that he send a representative to observe the hearing. It is felt that attendance from the international community is critical to assure that the hearings are fair, legal and that international ... Continue Reading>>
Turkish Scholars Arrested, Investigated and Fired from Jobs for Signing Petition
Over 1100 Turkish scholars signed a petition requesting better treatment of the Kurds and asking for a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish situation. Many of those who signed the petition were terminated from their jobs, detained on criminal charges, and investigated. Four scholars have been arrested. CCS has written to President Erdogan requesting that he intercede and release the professors who ... Continue Reading>>
Scholar Ilham Tohti Remains in Prison
Ilham Tohti, an Economics professor formerly at Minzu University in Beijing, and an advocate for the rights of the Chinese Uighur community, still sits in jail, sentenced to a life in prison for expressing his beliefs in a peaceful way. CCS has written again to President Xi Jinping asking him to please investigate this case and release Ilham Tohti as well as the other individuals that are in ... Continue Reading>>
Trial for Moroccan Professor Scheduled for March 23
Maati Monjib, a Moroccan historian and Professor at Mohammed V University in Rabat, is scheduled for trial, with other co-defendants, for “harming internal state security.” Monjib is cited for expressing political opinions as President of the Moroccan Association for Investigative Journalism and as a co-founder of Freedom Now, an organization dedicated to defending freedom of expression and ... 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 Signs Scholars at Risk Letter in Support of Turkish Scholars
New York, January 21, 2016 – This afternoon, a coalition of 20 higher education networks and associations from around the world have issued a joint public letter expressing grave concern over recent reports of widespread pressures on members of Turkey’s higher education and research community. Read the Letter The Committee of Concerned Scientists is one of the 20 organizations that co-signed ... Continue Reading>>
Scholars Who Signed Petition Detained in Turkey, Many Dismissed from Jobs
Turkish authorities rounded up scholars who signed a petition requesting the military to stop their behavior towards the Kurdish community in the south eastern part of the country. Universities also began dismissing the professors who had signed the petition. Those detained have now been released but they do face investigation and possible arrest. Many have already been dismissed from their ... Continue Reading>>
Moroccan Historian Denied Travel for Conference Faces Criminal Charges
Professor Maati Monjib, a Moroccan historian, was banned from traveling out of the country to attend a professional conference in Spain. He began a hunger strike, became ill and was hospitalized. The ban was lifted and hunger strike ended but Professor Monjib and several of his colleagues were charged with “harming internal state security,” a charge for which he can receive five years in prison. ... Continue Reading>>
Russian Librarian Placed Under House Arrest for Allegedly “inciting hatred”
Natalia Sharina, a Russian librarian, was placed under house arrest for allegedly “inciting hatred” because the library contained books banned under Russian anti-extremism laws. Ms. Sharina was detained and may be tried as an attempt to intimidate librarians. The Committee of Concerned Scientists has written to President Putin requesting that he take all steps necessary to ensure that charges ... Continue Reading>>
Nasser bin Ghaith Re-Arrested in Abu Dhabi
Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, a prominent academic and Economist, was re-arrestd in Abu Dhabi allegedly for criticizing Egypt. bin Ghaith was re-arrested by state security agents on August 18 when leaving his office. He has not been heard from since that time. Neither his attorney nor his family members have heard from him nor have they received any information on his whereabouts or charges against ... Continue Reading>>