AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

FACTS OF THE CASE:

In April of 2004, Dr. Jaime Lagunez Otero, a highly regarded biologist and human rights activist working at the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s (UNAM) Chemistry Institute, was fired -- after twelve years, he suddenly found himself locked out of his own laboratory, dismissed without explanation. Since then, the university has denied him access to his personal possessions, archives and computational infrastructure.

Dr. Lagunez, a biomedical researcher by training, was a level A researcher for UNAM and a member of the ‘Sistema Nacional de Investigadores’ (SNI), a government-sponsored organization that certifies the competence level of local scientists. Since 1992, Dr. Lagunez has published original research papers in the domain of nucleic acids and their computational analysis, allowing his group to propose compounds that could co-adjuvate in the treatment of breast cancer and inhibit HIV. In his pursuit to recover his work, Dr. Lagunez filed a law-suit against the university, but after two years his case is still pending. While the University has remained evasive about the reasons for his dismissal, Dr. Lagunez and others suspect that it was politically motivated; retaliation for his role in human rights activism outside of the University.

Dr. Lagunez has been a long-time supporter of efforts to protect Mexican cultural heritage. He has openly criticized the Mexican government’s promotion of the construction of Costco and Wal-Mart warehouses upon important cultural sites. The activities of those businesses have even endangered UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the 1,200 year-old ruins of Teotihuacan. Besides being involved in local boycotts and peaceful protests, Dr. Lagunez’s environmental and cultural group has internationalized opposition by joining a coalition of other non-governmental organizations to petition the U.S.-based TIAA-CREF pension fund to withdraw its investments from companies that disregard cultural heritage sites, abuse human rights or promote unsafe products.

Despite being highly qualified, Dr. Lagunez has been unable to find other work in his field in Mexico. He believes that, due to his continuing work in human rights, high ranking authorities have participated in blocking many university positions he could otherwise obtain.

(Sources of information for this case include: Montreal Mirror, The Times Higher Education Supplement , INTERCIENCIA, correspondence with Dr. Lagunez, Dr. Jaime Requena, Dr. Carlos Gershenson Garcia, Dr. Neil Wollman.)

RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• Article 19(1): Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

• Article 15 (3): The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to respect the freedom indispensable for scientific research and creative activity.
• Article 6: The State Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right to work, which includes the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts, and will take appropriate steps to safeguard this right.

The Human Rights Defenders Declaration

• Article 11: Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of his or her occupation or profession.
• Article 12(2): The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the [Universal Declaration of Human Rights].
• Article 7: Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to develop and discuss new human rights ideas and principles and to advocate their acceptance.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

• Expressing concern that Dr. Jaime Lagunez Otero appears to have been fired in retaliation for exercising his internationally protected human right of freedom of expression;
• Requesting that Dr. Jaime Lagunez Otero be immediately and unconditionally reinstated to his position at the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and
• Expressing serious concern for the future of academic freedom in Mexico.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

Ms. Josefina Vázquez Mota
Minister of Education
Ministry of Education
República de Argentina, #28
Mexico City, Federal District (Distrito Federal)
Mexico

Salutation: Madam:

Dr. Juan Ramón de la Fuente
Rector
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Cuidad Universitaria
Mexico DF 04510
Mexico

Salutation: Dear Dr. Juan Ramón de la Fuente:

Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive, or direct any questions you may have to Josh Robbins, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005; tel. 202-326-6797; email jrobbins@aaas.org; or fax 202-289-4950.

The keys to effective appeals are to be courteous and respectful, accurate and precise, impartial in approach, and as specific as possible regarding the alleged violation and the international human rights standards and instruments that apply to the situation. Reference to your scientific organization and professional affiliation is always helpful.

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case after 90 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.

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