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Letter of Appeal from the AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility

26 February 2001


His Excellency Mohammed Hosni Mubarak
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Abdeen Palace
Cairo, EGYPT
Fax: 011 20 2 390 1998


Your Excellency:

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the largest organization of natural and social scientists in the United States, and the world's largest federation of scientific organizations, with 145,000 individual members and 300 affiliated groups. Our AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility was formed in 1976 to protect the human rights of scientists and to deal with issues relating to scientific freedom worldwide.

On behalf of the Committee, I am writing to express my continued concern that the charges against Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim may be part of a larger attempt by the Egyptian authorities to stifle political dissent and intimidate human rights defenders. The AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility joins the international human rights community in our concern that this case will have a damaging effect on the human rights community in Egypt.

I am especially concerned that the trial of Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim and his associates at the Ibn Khaldun Center is being tried in the State Security Court. It is the Committee's understanding that due process is limited in the State Security Court and the defendants do not have a right to appeal. I am concerned that the charges against him do not seem to warrant conducting his trial in this court.

In addition, it is my understanding that the Egyptian authorities are holding Dr. Ibrahim's passport. If this is the case, I respectfully request that Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim's passport be returned to him and that he be allowed to travel freely.


Sincerely,


Carole Nagengast, Ph.D.
Chair
AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility


CC: The Honorable Daniel Kurtzer, American Ambassador

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