Ilham Tohti has called on his family to engage lawyers and lodge an appeal for him through the Chinese judicial system. Tohti was arrested on July 30, 2014 and charged, after a period of detention, with separatism, which he denies. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Tohti was a Professor at Central Minorities University in Beijing. He has been an advocate for the Uighur ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Reminds Presidents Obama and Xi Jinping to Release Wang Yu, Li Heping and Ilham Tohti
Encouraged by China's recent release of Chen Kegui and Guo Yushan, CCS calls upon both Presidents to facilitate the release of Chinese Human Rights attorneys, Uighur Professor Ilham Tohti and others. ... Continue Reading>>
Death Sentence in Absentia of Egyptian Scholar Called Baseless
More than 40 academic colleagues of political science professor Emad el-Din Shahin signed an open letter of protest against an Egyptian court's death sentence, handed down in a mass trial that lacked all elements of due process. CCS joined what appeared to be retaliation for Shahin's pro-democracy stance. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi Arab Republic of Egypt c/o Embassy of Egypt to the United ... Continue Reading>>
UAE Visa Denial to NYU Professor Ross Prompts Letter of Inquiry to Pres. Sexton
Andrew Ross, a professor at NYU, had been studying and critiquing labor practices in the Gulf. Ross' research focused on alleged exploitation of migrant construction workers at NYU's proposed campus in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). In March, his visa to continue his research was denied by UAE authorities. In view of NYU's agreement with UAE to respect to academic freedom at the proposed ... Continue Reading>>
Activist Jailed in China and Denied Access to Counsel
Guo Yushan, a scholar and public intellectual who founded a public policy think tank in China, was arrested on January 3, 2014 for "operating an illegal business," although the government has not formally charged him with this crime. He was denied access to counsel for three months after his arrest, and his defense lawyer has also been detained. CCS urges President Xi Jinping to investigate ... Continue Reading>>
Economist Co-founder of Human Rights Association Sentenced to 10 years for Sedition Against Saudi Arabia
Mohammed al-Qathani, an economics professor calling for implementation of rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was sentenced to 10 years in jail in 2013. CCS protested conviction based on peaceful expression of opinion and freedom of association and asked for his release. His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Ministry of the Interior P.O. Box ... Continue Reading>>
Seven Students Reportedly Convicted on Separatism Charges in China
View image | gettyimages.com Seven students of Professor Ilham Tohti's have reportedly been sentenced to three to eight years in prison in China on charges of separatism. They were arrested at the same time that Tohti was, and CCS is concerned that some of the students were coerced into testifying against Professor Tohti in order to receive lighter sentences. President Xi Jinping The State ... Continue Reading>>
Malaysian Law Professor’s Remarks
On Crisis Lead to Sedition Charges
Azmi Sharom, an associate professor of law at the University of Malaysia Faculty of Law compared an ongoing political crisis to a situation in 2009 and criticised the secrecy with which the issue was treated. He is being prosecuted for sedition. CCS requested that to the extent his statements were made in respect to his professional competence as a legal scholar, the charges should be dropped as ... Continue Reading>>
Professors Arrested in Egypt
According to news reports, Professors Mostafa Zidan and Magdy Khalifa were arrested in Egypt on charges of belonging to the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Both academics are on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions, including ill treatment and harsh conditions. The allegation of harsh treatment and the resulting hunger strikes seem to imply that rights have not been granted, rights which ... Continue Reading>>
Ilham Tohti, Arrested in January
Now Charged with Separatism
On July 30, prosecutors announced online that Ilham Tohti, a professor at Central Minorities University in Beijing, had been formally charged with separatism, a crime which carries a potential death penalty. Tohti, an economics professor of economics and advocate for the rights of the Chinese Uighur minority, was arrested on January 15, 2014 and held incommunicado until late June. Tohti's ... Continue Reading>>