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

January 14, 1999

Dr. Negaso Gidada
President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Office of the President
P.O. Box 1031
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: 011-2511-55-07-22

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 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, we are writing to commend your government on the release of Dr. Asrat Woldeyes, former professor and dean of the medical faculty at Addis Ababa University and long-time political prisoner. We received notice from the United States Embassy in Addis Ababa that Dr. Asrat was released on 27 December 1998 and permitted to travel abroad to receive medical attention for a cardiac condition.

You may be aware that in 1997, AAAS passed a resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of scientists who are prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia, including Dr. Asrat. In 1998, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program honored Dr. Asrat at its annual science and human rights reception, held in conjunction with the AAAS Annual Meeting. We are pleased to share the news of your humanitarian gesture with our colleagues.

Sincerely,



Mary Gray Irving Lerch
Chair, AAAS Committee on Scientific Chair, AAAS Committee on Scientific
Freedom and Responsibility Freedom and Responsibility

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