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

9 December 1999

President Yasser Arafat
Palestinian Authority
Al-Muntada
Gaza
Palestinian Authority

Fax: 011 972 822 365

Dear President Arafat:

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 143,000 individual members and 275 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 our deep concern about the harassment and arrest of academics, members of the Palestinian Parliament, and former politicians, which began on 28 November 1999. It is our understanding that the actions taken against the individuals are based on their signing a petition that is critical of your government. We are troubled by the reported arrests of eleven of the signatories and attempts to arrest nine of the signatories who are members of Parliament.

The individuals who have reportedly been arrested are the following:

* Dr. Ismat Shakhshi, professor of chemistry at An Najah University, summoned to the Nablus police station on 28 November for questioning. Although allowed to leave on US$12,500 bail, she had to return for questioning the next morning;
* Dr. Yaser Abusafiyya, physician from Nablus, detained by Palestinian police;Dr. Abdulsittar Qassem, professor of history at An Najah University, arrested by Palestinian General Security Services in Nablus;
* Dr. Abdulrahim Kittana, physician from Tulkarem, arrested by Palestinian General Security Services in Nablus;
* Dr. Abdul Samara, writer and editor from Ramallah, detained by Palestinian police, and transferred to Jericho prison on 29 November to await the General Prosecutor of the State Security Courts;
* Ahmad Katamesh, writer from Ramallah, detained by Palestinian police, and transferred to Jericho prison on 29 November to await the General Prosecutor of the State Security Courts;
* Dr. Adnan Odeh, researcher for the Union of Parliamentary Researchers from Nablus, arrested by Palestinian police;
* Dr. Afif Sulaiman, physician from Nablus, arrested by Palestinian police;
* Ahmad Shaker Doobeen, school teacher from Hebron, arrested by Palestinian police;
* Bassam Shaka'a, former mayor of Nablus, placed under house arrest; and
* Waheed Alhamdallah, former mayor of Anabta, placed under house arrest.


It is our understanding that the detainees have not yet been formally charged and that some were initially denied legal counsel. We are also concerned that signatories of the petition were ordered to retract their statements and to apologize. The Committee has also received reports indicating that the Palestinian Authority has previously harassed and arrested its critics, who have included journalists, human rights activists, and political commentators.

We would like to point out that the harassment of the individuals who signed the petition constitutes a serious violation of international human rights standards listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They include, the right to liberty and security of person, freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, and freedom of opinion and expression.

We call on you to use your good offices to assure that these individuals, detained solely for the legitimate exercise of their right to freedom of expression, are released immediately and unconditionally. The Committee urges the Palestinian Authority to cease its efforts to silence its critics and to respect international human rights standards.

We thank you for addressing our concerns.

Sincerely,



Irving Lerch
Chair
AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility

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