For over 30 years, the Committee has supported the family of Dr. Boris Weisfeiler, Professor of Mathematics at Penn State University, in their search for the truth concerning the disappearance of Weisfeiler while hiking in Chile during the Pinochet regime. Finally, classified documents concerning Weisfeiler in the US Embassy in Chile and in the US State Department were declassified, resulting in ... Continue Reading>>
Lengthy Hunger Strike by Bahraini Activist Protesting Prison Conditions Concerns Family
Dr. Abdul Jalil Al-Singace, a former professor of mechanical engineering and human rights activist, has been in jail under conditions he considers to be inhumane. His hunger strike has been ongoing since March 2nd, according to reports, and his family is gravely concerned about his health. CCS asked Bahraini authorities to investigate Dr. Al Singace's situation and prison conditions for ... Continue Reading>>
Sudden Transfer to Interrogation Ward of Omid Kokabee of Grave Concern
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>>
Turkish Professor Received Two Year Sentence Over Headscarf Ban
Dr. Rennan Pekunlu, a professor of astrophysics at Ege University in Turkey was sentenced to two years in jail over charges that he stopped students that were wearing headscarves from attending classes. Dr. Pekunlu denies the charges and says that he was only telling students that they were violating the ban on wearing headscarves at Universities. The ban was lifted in 2010. His lawyer, Fatih ... Continue Reading>>
Good News: Palestinian Astronomer Released
Imad Barghouthi was released on Jan. 22, 2015, according to his lawyer, Jawad Boulos. Boulos said that at the hearing appealing the detention he presented the CCS letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu protesting Barghouthi's detention and that this had impressed the court. Barghouthi asked his lawyer to convey his gratitude to CCS. Related articles Israel's Detention of Palestinian Astronomer ... Continue Reading>>
Iranian Appeals Court Upholds
Kokabee’s Ten-year Sentence
In a surprising setback for efforts to free imprisoned Iranian physicist Omid Kokabee an appeals court in Iran rejected th opinion of its supreme court and reaffirmed his ten-year prison sentence. There was no explanation of this ruling and it is unclear whether Kokabee will be able to appeal. We will continue to advocate for Kokabee in spite of this disappointment. Related articles Young ... Continue Reading>>
Israel’s Detention of Palestinian Astronomer Traveling to Conference Violates Human Rights
CCS protests Israel's detention without charges of Dr. Imad al-Barghouthi, an astro-physicist and professor at al-Quds University, while he was traveling to the United Arab Emirates to a conference. Such interference with academic freedom and due process violates international conventions, CCS writes, as well as human rights specifically mentioned in Israel's agreement with the EU for research and ... Continue Reading>>