AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

AAAS Action Alerts

The AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program calls attention to human rights abuses involving scientists and scientific communities through the circulation of Action Alerts issued by professional associations on behalf of their colleagues or by human rights organizations.

Cases that are publicized through the Action Alerts are researched and developed by the association or organization that submits the call for action. The alerts provide important background information on the case(s), and recommend specific actions to support the victim(s) of human rights abuse. The Action Alerts reach hundreds of AAAS members and other concerned scientists and engineers who are a part of SRHRL's network.

Alerts 2012-2013

Call for Letters on Behalf of Pinar Selek of Turkey

Call for Letters on Behalf of Ilham Tohti of China

Call for Letters on Behalf of Professor Kemal Gürüz of Turkey

Call for Letters on Behalf of Mr. Omid Kokabee of Iran

Call for Letters on Behalf of Mohamed Raed al-Tawil of Syria

Call for Letters on Behalf of Professor Busra Ersanli of Istanbul

Call for letters on Behalf of Dr. Abdul Jalil Al-Singace of Bahrain

Call for Letters on Behalf of Professor Kemal Gürüz of Turkey

Call for Letters on Behalf of Mr. Omid Kokabee of Iran

From:	Scholars at Risk Network
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Pinar Selek of Turkey
Date:	February 28, 2013

Scholars at Risk Network is gravely concern over reports that Ms. Pınar Selek of Turkey, a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Strasbourg, was convicted in absentia on January 24, 2013 and sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for her alleged role in a 1998 explosion at an Istanbul market.

SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that Ms. Selek receives a fair opportunity to appeal this recent sentence before an impartial tribunal, that any charges or convictions related to her academic activities are lifted, and that in the interim, her case is addressed in a manner consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial and detention, in accordance with Turkey's obligations under international law.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 300 universities and colleges in 34 countries dedicated to promoting academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, SAR intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

Background

Ms. Pınar Selek is a writer and scholar whose research and writing focuses on women in disadvantaged or marginalized groups, including street children, prostitutes, transgendered individuals, and Kurdish communities. Scholars at Risk understands that because of her work with Kurdish populations, Ms. Selek was charged with "membership in an illegal organization" under Turkey's Anti Terror Law, a charge reflecting the authorities' allegation that Ms. Selek's research on Kurdish issues links her to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which is banned in Turkey and designated a terrorist organization by multiple countries. We understand that an allegation linking Ms. Selek to the PKK was seriously discredited when the accuser recanted his statement in court and stated that he gave Ms. Selek's name after being tortured. We further understand that Ms. Selek disavows the allegation that she is a member or otherwise associated with the PKK, and rather that this charge against her stems only from her research and writing on Kurdish issues.

Scholars at Risk understands that it is Ms. Selek's alleged ties to the PKK which have led to her accusation of acting as an accomplice in a 1998 explosion at the Istanbul Spice Bazaar. We further understand that after being arrested in July 1998, she was detained in an Istanbul prison for more than two years and was allegedly tortured while being interrogated about her Kurdish research subjects. She was released after forensic testing determined the blast was likely caused by a gas leak. The prosecution of Ms. Selek continued, however, and in June 2006 the Istanbul 12th Heavy Criminal Court declined to make a ruling after all the prosecution's witnesses recanted their statements. After successive remands from the Court of Cassation, Ms. Selek was acquitted twice by the Istanbul 12th Heavy Criminal Court in May 2008 and February 2011. It is our understanding that, in November 2012, during the presiding judge's leave of absence, the Istanbul 12th Heavy Criminal Court decided to review the case for a fourth time and found Ms. Selek guilty. On January 24, 2013, she was sentenced in absentia to aggravated life imprisonment. We have learned that an arrest warrant has since been issued for Ms. Selek and sent to Interpol.

Absent any additional or contrary information, the facts as described appear to indicate that Ms. Selek was arrested and charged as a result of nonviolent expressive activity and association with others, conduct which is expressly protected under international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory, and the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is party.

Scholars at Risk therefore respectfully urges the appropriate authorities to ensure that Ms. Selek receives a fair opportunity to appeal this recent sentence before an impartial tribunal, that any charges or convictions related to her academic activities are lifted, and that in the interim, her case is addressed in a manner consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial and detention, in accordance with Turkey's obligations under international law.

Take Action

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

- respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that Ms. Selek receives a fair opportunity to appeal this recent sentence before an impartial tribunal;

- respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that any charges or convictions related to her academic activities are lifted; and

- respectfully urging appropriate authorities to ensure that her case is addressed in a manner consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial and detention, in accordance with Turkey's obligations under international law.

PLEASE WRITE TO:

President Abdullah Gül
Office of the President
Cumhurbaskanligi Kosku
Cankaya
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 470 13 16

COPIES TO:

Mr. Sadullah Ergin
Minister of Justice
06669 Kizilay
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 419 3370

The Honorable Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

The Honorable John F. Kerry
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520, USA

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkish-representations.en.mfa for a list of Turkish embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Republic of Turkey
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10012, USA
scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu
Fax: +1 212-995-4402

From:	Scholars at Risk Network
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Professor Ilham Tohti of China
Date:	February 12, 2013

Scholars at Risk is concerned over public reports that Professor Ilham Tohti, a public intellectual and economics professor from China, was denied permission to leave China to take up a position as a Visiting Scholar at Indiana University in the United States.

SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to inquire into the matter and explain publicly the circumstances of any restrictions on Professor Tohti's travel or, if there are no official restrictions, to expedite approval of any pending or future travel requests.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 300 universities and colleges in 34 countries dedicated to promoting academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, SAR intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

Background

Professor Tohti is a professor at the Central Minorities University in Beijing, and he was invited by Indiana University to take up a one-year position as a Visiting Scholar. Scholars at Risk understands that Professor Tohti and his daughter attempted to depart for the United States on February 2nd but were prevented from boarding an outbound plane from Beijing Capital International Airport. Reports indicate that Professor Tohti and his daughter were going through airport security checks when they were stopped by police. Furthermore, SAR understands that Professor Tohti and his daughter were held in separate interrogation rooms, and while Professor Tohti's daughter was permitted to depart for the United States on a later flight, Professor Tohti was held in custody for 10 hours, before being sent back to his apartment without explanation.

Free exchange of ideas is one of the most basic human rights and values of all academic communities. Freedom of travel is one of the most important avenues for furthering such exchange among academic colleagues. Recognizing this, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory, protects freedom of expression, right to travel and scientific exchange. Public reports that Professor Tohti was denied permission to travel to take up a position at Indiana University suggest that these rights have not been respected. Therefore, in the absence of any clearly legitimate, publicly expressed grounds for doing so, the apparent restricting of Professor Tohti's travel suggests serious concerns not only about his ability to engage with colleagues in his field, but also about intimidation of intellectuals generally in China and about the ability to conduct world-class scholarship in such an environment. These are suggestions SAR finds particularly distressing given both China's rich intellectual history and the important role that China and Chinese universities and scholars in particular should play in the development of knowledge, research and scholarship in the 21st century.

Scholars at Risk therefore respectfully urges the appropriate authorities to investigate the situation and to explain publicly the circumstances of any restrictions on Professor Tohti's travel or, if there are no official restrictions, to expedite approval of any pending or future travel requests.

Take Action

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

- respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to investigate the situation;

- respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to explain publicly the circumstances of any restrictions on Professor Tohti's travel; or, if there are no official restrictions, to expedite approval of any pending or future travel requests.

PLEASE WRITE TO:

President Hu Jintao
The State Council General Office
2 Fuyoujie
Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
People's Republic of China

COPIES TO:

H.E. Mr. Yang Jiechi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
No. 2, Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100701
CHINA
Email: webmaster@mfa.gov.cn

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/ for a list of Chinese embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the People's Republic of China
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

The Honorable John F. Kerry
Secretary of State
United States of America
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA

Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10012, USA
Email: scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu
Fax: +1 212-995-4402

From:	Scholars at Risk Network
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Mr. Omid Kokabee of Iran
Date:	December 3, 2012

Scholars at Risk Network calls for letters on behalf of Omid Kokabee, a doctoral student of physics imprisoned in Iran.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 300 universities and colleges in 34 countries dedicated to promoting academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases like that of Omid Kokabee, involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, Scholars at Risk intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

SAR is concerned about recent reports of Mr. Kokabee's deteriorating health, his reported lack of access to medical care and a recently-imposed additional 91-day-sentence.

Background

SAR understands that on August 19, 2012, Mr. Kokabee's sentence of 10 years in prison was upheld by Tehran's court of appeal. He was reportedly convicted of communicating with a hostile government. Reports indicate that no evidence in support of the charge was presented at the trial, and that Mr. Kokabee has repeatedly denied the charge. Scholars at Risk is concerned that the charge could be related to his academic work as a doctoral student in physics, which, if substantiated, would constitute a serious infringement of academic freedom. SAR understands that Mr. Kokabee recently received an additional sentence, without a trial, of 91 days in custody, allegedly for offering lessons in English, Spanish, French and physics to other inmates. Furthermore, and most distressingly, reports indicate that he was diagnosed with kidney stones by the prison doctor but was refused medical care for this serious condition.

The reported lack of medical care and imposed prison sentence without trial suggest a disregard of basic human rights and international standards of due process, fair trial and detention, as guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is signatory. SAR therefore respectfully urges the appropriate authorities to intervene to ensure Mr. Kokabee's well-being while in custody, including ensuring regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to medical treatment, especially with regard to his most recent diagnosis; and to intervene in Mr. Kokabee's case, to urge authorities to reconsider the appeals court's decision.

Take Action

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

- respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to intervene to ensure Mr. Kokabee's well-being while in custody, including ensuring regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to medical treatment, especially with regard to his most recent diagnosis; and

- respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to intervene in Mr. Kokabee's case, to urge authorities to reconsider the appeals court's decision.

PLEASE WRITE TO:

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khazaee
Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
622 Third Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10017, USA
Email: iran@un.int
Fax: +1 (212) 867-7086

COPIES TO:

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh
(Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave. (south of Serah-e Jomhouri)
Tehran 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir

Committee of Concerned Scientists, Inc.
c/o Sophie Cook
400 East 85th Street, Apt. 10K
New York, NY 10028
Email: sophiecook@earthlink.net

The Honorable Hillary Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA

The Honorable Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mfa.gov.ir/cms/cms/Tehran/en/Missions/ for a list of Iranian embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Islamic Republic of Iran
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10012, USA
scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu
Fax: +1 212-995-4402

From:	Amnesty International
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Mohamed Raed al-Tawil of Syria
Date:	November 19, 2012

Amnesty International USA calls for urgent action on behalf of Syrian Arab Red Crescent worker Mohamed Raed al-Tawil, who has been held in incommunicado detention at an unknown location since his arrest in Damascus, the Syrian capital, on 8 November. He is believed to have been subjected to torture or other ill-treatment.

Background

According to a local contact, Mohamed Raed al-Tawil was at work at the Damascus headquarters of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent when an unknown man entered the office. The man asked Mohamed Raed al-Tawil to join him in the street under the pretense of having noticed that the lights in his car were on. When Mohamed Raed al-Tawil and a colleague exited the building, a group of armed men arrested Mohamed Raed al-Tawil. According to the colleague, they did not provide any reasons for his arrest but showed him an arrest warrant issued by Political Security.

The Syrian authorities have not notified Mohamed Raed al-Tawil's family about his detention, his current whereabouts or any charges against him, despite repeated inquiries by his family and friends.

The same contact told Amnesty International that a detainee released on 13 November claims to have shared a cell with Mohamed Raed al-Tawil at a Damascus branch of State Security. The former detainee said that, on one occasion, Mohamed Raed al-Tawil was taken to another room nearby and that he heard him screaming and being interrogated about providing medical assistance to members of the armed opposition. He also said that when Mohamed Raed al-Tawil was returned to their shared cell, he had bruises and other wounds on his body, and told him that he had been tortured and was suffering from severe back pain as a result.

Take Action

Please write immediately in Arabic, English or your own language:

• Urging the Syrian authorities to reveal the whereabouts of Mohamed Raed al-Tawil and ensure that he is protected from torture or other ill-treatment, is given immediate access to his family and lawyer and any medical care he may require;
• Asking for clarification of Mohamed Raed al-Tawil's legal status, and calling on the authorities to release him if he is not to be charged with an internationally recognizable criminal offense, and tried according to international fair trial standards;
• Calling on the Syrian authorities to promptly set up an independent and impartial investigation into allegations that Mohamed Raed al-Tawil was subjected to torture or other ill-treatment.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 31 DECEMBER TO:

President
Bashar al-Assad
Fax: 011 963 11 332 3410 (keep trying)
(Fax is the only reliable communication method; please do not send letters)
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Interior
Major General Mohamad Ibrahim al-Shaar
Fax: 011 963 11 311 0554
(Fax is the only reliable communication method; please do not send letters)
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Walid al-Mu'allim
Fax: 011 963 11 214 6253 (keep trying)
(Fax is the only reliable communication method; please do not send letters)
Salutation: Your Excelleny

Also send copies to:
Ambassador
Dr Imad Moustapha
Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic
2215 Wyoming Ave. NW
Washington DC 20008 USA
Phone: 1 202 232 6316
Fax: 1 202 234 9548 -OR- 1 202 265 4585 -OR-1 202 232 4357
Email: info@syrembassy.net -OR- consular@syrembassy.net

For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa33512.pdf

Additional Information

Mohamed Raed al-Tawil has been working in different capacities with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent for approximately 18 years. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent is part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Amnesty International has previously documented human rights abuses against injured people and health workers, including many who had treated wounded individuals without informing the authorities about them to protect them from arrest and possible torture. For more information, please see Amnesty International's report Health crisis: Syrian government targets the wounded and health workers, October 2011 (http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE24/059/2011/en).

For an insight into torture and other ill-treatment in Syria's detention centers, please see I wanted to die: Syria's torture survivors speak out, March 2012 (http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE24/016/2012/en).

Amnesty International has received the names of some 650 persons believed to have died in the custody of the Syrian security forces since the beginning of the unrest – nearly 500 of them in 2012 alone. Amnesty International documented this practice in August 2011: Deadly detention: Deaths in custody amid popular protest in Syria (http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE24/035/2011/en).

Go to the interactive Eyes on Syria map (www.eyesonsyria.org) to see where human rights violations are being committed in Syria, and Amnesty International's global activism to seek justice.

From:	Scholars at Risk Network
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Professor Busra Ersanli of Istanbul
Date:	September 27, 2012

Scholars at Risk Network calls for letters in advance of the upcoming October 1st trial of Professor Busra Ersanli, a professor of political science at Marmara University in Istanbul.

Scholars at Risk is an international network of over 290 universities and colleges in 34 countries dedicated to promoting academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases like that of Professor Ersanli, involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, Scholars at Risk intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

Background

Scholars at Risk understands that Professor Ersanli serves as a member of the constitutional commission of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), a political party. Professor Ersanli and dozens of others were arrested on October 28, 2011 in Istanbul during a police operation that appears to have targeted the BDP, and on November 1, 2011 Professor Ersanli was charged with “membership of a terrorist organization” under Turkey’s Anti Terror Law, a charge which reflects the authorities’ allegation that the BDP is linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which is banned in Turkey and designated a terrorist organization by multiple countries. SAR further understands that the BDP publicly disavows this allegation, and SAR is not aware of any allegation that Professor Ersanli is a member or otherwise associated with the PKK but rather that the charge against her stems only from her work on the intra-party constitutional commission of the BDP. Professor Ersanli was released on July 13, 2012, pending the remainder of her trial, which SAR understands is scheduled to begin on October 1st.

Absent any additional or contrary information, the facts appear to indicate that Professor Ersanli was arrested and charged as a result of nonviolent expressive activity and association with others, conduct which is expressly protected under international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory, and the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is party.

Scholars at Risk therefore respectfully urges the appropriate authorities to intervene in Professor Ersanli’s case, to ensure that any charges stemming from conduct protected under these instruments are dismissed, and to ensure that the trial on any charges not dismissed proceeds in a manner consistent with Turkey’s obligations under domestic and international law, in particular internationally recognized standards of due process and fair trial procedures.

Take Action

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

-respectfully urging authorities to intervene in Professor Ersanli’s case, to ensure that any charges stemming from conduct protected under the above-mentioned instruments are dismissed; and

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure that the trial on any charges not dismissed proceeds in a manner consistent with Turkey’s obligations under domestic and international law, in particular internationally recognized standards of due process and fair trial procedures.

PLEASE WRITE TO:

President Abdullah Gül
Office of the President
Cumhurbaskanligi Genel Sekreterligi
06689 Çankaya
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 470 13 16
Email: cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr

COPIES TO:

Mr. Sadullah Ergin
Minister of Justice
06669 Kizilay
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 419 3370

The Honorable Hillary R. Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC, 20520, USA

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkish-representations.en.mfa for a list of Turkish embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Republic of Turkey
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

The Honorable Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

From:	Scholars at Risk Network
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Dr. Abdul Jalil Al-SIngace of Bahrain
Date:	September 5, 2012

Scholars at Risk calls for letters following the September 4th High Court of Appeals ruling against Dr. Abdul Jalil Al-Singace, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Bahrain, Isa Town.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 280 universities and colleges in 34 countries dedicated to promoting academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases like that of Professor Gürüz, involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, Scholars at Risk intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

Background

SAR is gravely concerned that Dr. Abdul Jalil Al-Singace has been sentenced to life in prison -- a sentence which was upheld by the High Court of Appeals on September 4th -- on allegations stemming from his exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of association rights protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain has acceded. As SAR wrote in letters of August 27, 2010, October 14, 2010, March 18, 2011, June 22, 2011, April 27, 2012, and August 9, 2012, we respectfully urge the appropriate authorities to ensure that the continuing appeal process is a fair one, consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial and detention, in accordance with Bahrain's obligations under international law, and that any charges, convictions or sentences against Dr. Al-Singace related to his peaceful exercise of human rights are lifted.

Take Action

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

-respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that the continuing appeal process is a fair one, consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial and detention, in accordance with Bahrain's obligations under international law; and

-respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that any charges, convictions or sentences against Dr. Al-Singace related to his peaceful exercise of human rights are lifted.

PLEASE WRITE TO:

Dr. Ali Bin Fadhl al-Bouainain
Attorney General
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs
Diplomatic Area, Manama P.O. Box 450
Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: +973 1-753-6343

COPIES TO:

Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa
Minister of the Interior
Ministry of Interior
Diplomatic Area, Manama P.O. Box 13
Kingdom of Bahrain

The Honorable Hillary R. Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520, USA

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mofa.gov.bh/ for a list of Bahraini embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Kingdom of Bahrain
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

To view a model letter of appeal, as well as a copy of SAR's letter, please visit: http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Education-Advocacy/Alerts-Scholars-in-Prison.php.

From:	Scholars at Risk Network
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Professor Kemal Gürüz of Turkey
Date:	July 24, 2012

Scholars at Risk is gravely concerned over reports that Professor Kemal Gürüz-a former university rector, retired professor and chemical engineer-has been arrested.

SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails urging the appropriate authorities to intervene in Professor Gürüz's case and to ensure that it proceeds in a manner consistent with Turkey's obligations under domestic and international law; to ensure Professor Gürüz's well being in custody; and to ensure reasonable opportunity for Professor Gürüz's release on bail or bond.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 280 universities and colleges in 34 countries dedicated to promoting academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases like that of Professor Gürüz, involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, Scholars at Risk intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

Background

Professor Kemal Gürüz is a scholar of chemical engineering, former rector of Karadeniz Technical University in Trabzon, Turkey, and a retired professor of chemical engineering at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey. He also served as president of Turkey's Council of Higher Education, a national board of governors for all institutions of higher education, and the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council.

Scholars at Risk understands that, in late June 2012, Professor Gürüz was traveling abroad when he was informed that the police wanted to interrogate him in Turkey. He subsequently returned home and presented himself at the Ankara Courthouse on June 25th. Reports indicate that he was interrogated for 3 hours, after which he was ordered to be jailed. Although the exact charges against him have not been made public, SAR understands that Professor Gürüz's arrest relates to his alleged role in the political transition in 1997 in Turkey. Media reports indicate that Professor Gürüz has previously stated publicly that he had "done nothing illegal." Scholars at Risk understands that Professor Gürüz is currently being held in Sincan prison in Ankara, where he is permitted only limited contact with his family.

The suddenness of Professor Gürüz's arrest without clear public explanation and the lack of any clear basis for his pre-trial detention suggest a failure to adhere to standards of international due process, fair trial and detention, as guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Turkey is signatory. In addition, Professor Gürüz's treatment, taken into account with the many recent reported arrests of academics and journalists throughout Turkey, raises concerns about the ability of scholars to work freely and safely in Turkey.

Scholars at Risk therefore respectfully urges the appropriate authorities to intervene in Professor Gürüz's case and to ensure that it proceeds in a manner consistent with Turkey's obligations under domestic and international law, in particular internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial, free expression and freedom of association. Scholars at Risk urges the appropriate authorities to ensure Professor Gürüz's well being in custody, including access to counsel and family. We also respectfully urge the appropriate authorities to ensure reasonable opportunity for Professor Gürüz's release on bail or bond, as we understand that the standard grounds for pre-trial detention (prevention of violence, failure to appear and evidence preservation) are lacking.

Take Action

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

-respectfully urging authorities to intervene in Professor Gürüz's case and to ensure that it proceeds in a manner consistent with Turkey's obligations under domestic and international law, in particular internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial, free expression and freedom of association;

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure Professor Gürüz's well being in custody, including access to counsel and family; and

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure reasonable opportunity for Professor Gürüz's release on bail or bond, as Scholars at Risk understands that the standard grounds for pre-trial detention (prevention of violence, failure to appear and evidence preservation) are lacking.

PLEASE WRITE TO:

President Abdullah Gül
Cumhurbaskanligi Genel Sekreterligi
06689 Çankaya, Ankara
Turkey
Fax: +90 312 470 13 16
Email: cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr

COPIES TO:

Mr. Sadullah Ergin
Minister of Justice
06669 Kizilay
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 419 3370

The Honorable Hillary R. Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520, USA

The Honorable Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkish-representations.en.mfa for a list of Turkish embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Republic of Turkey
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer St., 4th floor
New York, NY 10012 USA
Fax: +1 212 995-4402
Email: scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu

To view a model letter of appeal, as well as a copy of SAR's letter, please visit: http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Education-Advocacy/Scholars-in-Prison-Profile.php?sch_uid=2222.

 

From:	Scholars at Risk Network
Re:	Call for Letters on Behalf of Mr. Omid Kokabee
Date:	May 24, 2012

Scholars at Risk calls for letters on behalf of Mr. Omid Kokabee of Iran, a doctoral student and physicist. SAR is concerned about the recently-imposed ten-year prison sentence against Mr. Kokabee. SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that Mr. Kokabee receives a fair appeal hearing and that convictions related to his academic activities are reconsidered.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 280 universities and colleges in 34 countries dedicated to protecting the human rights of scholars around the world and to raising awareness, understanding of, and respect for the principles of academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, SAR intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

Background

Mr. Omid Kokabee holds two advanced degrees in photonics and is an accomplished experimental laser physicist and doctoral student at the University of Texas, Austin. Scholars at Risk understands that Mr. Kokabee was arrested in February 2011 at Tehran airport after visiting his parents over the winter break. After 15 months in detention, reports indicate that Mr. Kokabee was sentenced on May 13, 2012 to ten years in prison for allegedly communicating with a foreign government. It is reported that no evidence in support of these charges was presented at the trial, and that Mr. Kokabee has repeatedly denied the charges.

The suddenness of Mr. Kokabee's arrest in February without clear public explanation, his prolonged detention and conviction without evidence suggest a disregard of international standards of due process, fair trial and detention, as guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is signatory. Taking into account arrests of academics throughout Iran following the June 2009 election, Mr. Kokabee's prolonged detention and conviction suggest a wider attempt to intimidate intellectuals and to limit academic freedom in Iran—a suggestion Scholars at Risk finds particularly distressing and unfortunate, given Iran's rich intellectual history and traditional support for the values of scholarship and free inquiry. SAR finds this even more distressing given the current tensions in the region and the world, which appear to warrant more rather than fewer exchanges and discussions among scholars inside and outside of Iran.

Scholars at Risk therefore joins with the many national and international academic associations, human rights organizations and individual scholars in respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to ensure that Iran's obligations under international law are upheld with regard to Mr. Kokabee. SAR respectfully urges authorities to intervene to ensure Mr. Kokabee's well-being while in custody, including ensuring regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to medical treatment. SAR urges authorities to ensure that Mr. Kokabee receives a fair opportunity to appeal this recent sentence before an impartial tribunal, that any charges or convictions related to his academic activities are lifted, and that in the interim, his case is addressed in a manner consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial and detention, in accordance with Iran's obligations under international law.

Take Action

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure that Iran's obligations under international law are upheld with regard to Mr. Kokabee;

-respectfully urging authorities to intervene to ensure Mr. Kokabee's well-being while in custody, including ensuring regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to medical treatment;

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure that Mr. Kokabee receives a fair opportunity to appeal this recent sentence before an impartial tribunal; and

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure that any charges or convictions related to his academic activities are lifted, and that in the interim, his case is addressed in a manner consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial and detention, in accordance with Iran's obligations under international law.

PLEASE WRITE TO:

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khazaee
Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
622 Third Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10017, USA
Email: iran@un.int
Fax: +1 (212) 867-7086

COPIES TO:

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh
(Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave. (south of Serah-e Jomhouri)
Tehran 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir

The Honorable Hillary Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA

Committee of Concerned Scientists
Email: sophiecook@earthlink.net

The Honorable Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mfa.gov.ir/cms/cms/Tehran/en/Missions/ for a list of Iranian embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Islamic Republic of Iran
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

(page updated 03/01/2013)