CCS is alerting Dr. Mohammad Javad Ardashir Larijani about this worrisome development in Kokabee's imprisonment, contradicting earlier suggestions that a pardon might be forthcoming. ... Continue Reading>>
Iran’s Support for Science Might
Open Way for Kokabee Pardon
After a strong statement by Dr. Mohammad Javad Larijani, a highly placed Iranian official, on the importance of science to the Islamic Republic, CCS requests his assistance in obtaining a pardon for Omid Kokabee. As we had before, we emphasize Kokabee's poor health in prison and the Iranian supreme court's assertion of his innocence. ... Continue Reading>>
Omid Kokabee Accepts AAAS Award with Letter from Iranian Prison
Omid Kokabee was this year's winner of the prestigious 2014 Scientific Freedom & Responsibility Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The award was presented on February 13 at the AAAS Annual Meeting in San Jose, California. "Given that Omid Kokabee could not be present because he’s in prison, the audience was very moved. I exaggerate only a little when I say ... Continue Reading>>
Bahrani Professor’s Abrupt Citizenship Revocation Violates Universal Human Rights Declaration
Bahrain's Interior Ministry revoked Dr. Masaud Jahromi's citizenship without notice or opportunity to respond, on grounds of "terrorist activities" or "advocating regime change through illegal means." OUR PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES The Jahromi Archive Jahromi, Chair of the Ahlia University's Computer Science Department, has never participated in either of these. CCS wrote protesting such arbitrary ... 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>>
Iranian Students Around the World Demand Medical Attention, Due Process for Kokabee
In a statement of solidarity with Omid Kokabee, 161 Iranian PhD students and graduates released an open letter demanding medical attention and due process for the imprisoned physics student. The signers included students from Tehran's Sharif University of Technology, MIT, Princeton, Johns Hopkins and Columbia, including several winners of International Science Olympiad ... Continue Reading>>
France’s Science Academy Gold Medal Honors Work and Life of Joel Lebowitz
The Academie des Sciences of the Institute of France awarded its 2014 Grande Medaille, its highest distinction, to Joel Lebowitz, Director of the Rutgers Center for Mathematical Sciences Research and co-chair of the Committee of Concerned Scientists, calling him "a man of science and peace." Besides his prominence as a world leader in statistical physics, the citation describes Lebowitz, the only ... 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>>
Kokabee Denied Medical Care in Jail
Moved to Inhumane Prison Quarantine
Omid Kokabee, the graduate student at Texas University/Austin who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2011, has been denied medical care for kidney and stomach problems and was recently transferred to Evin Prison’s quarantine without basis, according to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. We reproduce the Campaign’s article of September 4, 2014 in full below. CCS has been ... Continue Reading>>
US Government Agencies Concerned with Human Rights Listed by AAAS Committee
Juan S. Gallardo, past co-chair of the Committee on the Welfare of Scientists of the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition, has compiled a list of US Government agencies and Congressional committees that are concerned with human rights abuses. This list includes links to and contact information for these resources. ... Continue Reading>>