COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
The Committee on Human Rights (CHR), created in 1976, is a standing committee of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. It uses the influence and prestige of the institutions it represents in behalf of scientists, engineers, and health professionals anywhere in the world who are unjustly detained or imprisoned for exercising their basic human rights as promulgated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). More information about the CHR.

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK
The CHR also serves as the secretariat of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (H.R. Network). It works to address grave issues of science and human rights, particularly the unjust detention or imprisonment of scientists, scholars, engineers, and health professionals throughout the world. It seeks to promote the free exchange of ideas and opinions among scientists and scholars in all countries, and it stands in solidarity with sister national academies and scholarly societies worldwide to support their independence and autonomy. More information about the H.R. Network.

In the spotlight  

Today, on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Professor Sidney Verba, Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the National Academies, reminds scientists throughout the world of the unjust imprisonment of their scientific colleague, and urges them to reaffirm today their commitment to actively support those colleagues “whose rights are ignored and abused.” He reminds them of the importance of the UDHR to their work as scientists and to the advancement of science itself. He goes on to call on the United Nations Security Council to “urgently ensure implementation of Resolution 2139” in relation to the continuing crisis in Syria and reminds the member countries of the council’s 2014 call for respect of “the principle of medical neutrality and free passage for medical personnel, equipment, and transport” in Syria. Statement by Dr. Verba. 

Tajik Doctoral Student Permitted to Leave Tajikistan
September 12, 2014

Earlier this week the Tajik authorities lifted travel restrictions on Alexander Sodiqov, a Tajik doctoral student in political science at the University of Toronto. He arrived in Toronto on Wednesday, September 10 to resume his studies and was joined the following day by his wife and daughter.

Alexander Sodiqov and wife Musharaff Sodiqova

Mr. Sodiqov was arrested on June 16, 2014, in the restive autonomous region of Gorno-Badakshan (GBAO) in Tajikistan, where he was undertaking academic research on conflict resolution for the U.K.’s University of Exeter. A month earlier several people were killed and some half dozen people were injured during a police operation against suspected criminals, which led to clashes between the security forces and local residents who were protesting against the use of excessive force by police.

Mr. Sodiqov was detained while interviewing one of the protest leaders. When the authorities accused him of “subversion and espionage,” stating that his email account contained evidence that he was working for a foreign intelligence agency, the CHR investigated the case, spoke with knowledgeable and trustworthy sources, issued an Action Alert, and wrote several formal inquiries to Tajik government authorities in English and Russian. A month later he was released on bail while the investigation continued. Mr. Sodiqov’s doctoral adviser, Associate Professor of Political Science Edward Schatz, told the CHR today that the investigation has not been officially closed but will expire in one year. Given that Mr. Sodiqov was allowed to leave Tajikistan despite the serious nature of the initial accusations made against him, it is expected that the case will be officially closed in the near future or simply left to expire after one year.
  

Network Issues Press Release Following 11th Biennial Meeting
June 3, 2014

On the occasion of the 11th biennial meeting of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (Network) hosted last week by the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Halle, grave human rights abuses perpetrated against scientific colleagues in several countries were presented.  In particular, distinguished representatives from 29 national academies discussed and condemned the blatant abuse of health professionals and violation of the principle of medical neutrality in Syria--the primary focus of this statement by the Network's Executive Committee.  Read press release and symposium program.  Also see article from the Academy of Science of South Africa.  

British chemist Robin Perutz described his impressions as representative of the Royal Society to the May 26-28 Eleventh Biennial Meeting of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies.  Read the Royal Society's science policy blog.                                                                                    

Medical Doctor and Former Rector of the University of Istanbul, Released by Turkish authorities
March 12, 2014

The CHR learned yesterday from colleagues in Turkey that Kemal Alemdaroglu had just been released from Silivri prison and returned home.  We have been working closely with his family and expect they will send us details about the circumstances of his release in the coming days.  Meanwhile, we wanted to share the good news and to thank our “Correspondents,” and Network participating academies for their many interventions in Dr. Alemdaroglu’s behalf.  For background information on his case and the Ergenekon Trial, see our 2013 report, Scientists, Engineers, and Medical Doctors in Turkey:  A Human Rights Mission.

Turkish Medical Doctor Fatih Hilmioglu Released on Medical Grounds
February 20, 2014

The CHR has just learned from Turkish colleagues that Dr. Fatih Hilmioglu has been granted a precautionary release from Silivri prison on medical grounds. Turkish doctors have testified that he suffers from stage three liver cancer. The Constitutional Court made the ruling one day after Dr. Hilmioglu's lawyers submitted a report by a team of medical experts stating that the medical treatment Dr. Hilmioglu requires would not be possible in the Silivri prison facility. Dr. Hilmioglu's lawyer has stated to the press that the Constitutional Court's ruling was taken as a precaution, and was the first of its kind. Read more

CHR Director Carol Corillon Speaks at Gresham College
   • Academics urged to do more on human rights, Times Higher Education, December 13, 2013

Turkish Engineer Kemal Gürüz Released from Prison Pending Trial Outcome

Dr. Kemal Guruz (left) and Dr. Mehmet Haberal (right) with former NAS President Dr. Bruce Alberts in September 2013.

September 5, 2013

CHR has just been informed about the release of Kemal Gürüz, former head of the Higher Education Board (YÖK) in Turkey, by his wife Guniz. The court ordered his release from prison pending the outcome of the February 29 Postmodern Coup Trial, which began earlier this week. The only non-member of the military charged in the trial, he had been held in prison since June 2012. At the end of August, he was sentenced in another trial, called Ergenekon, to 13 years 11 months in prison. He is permitted to remain free pending the outcome of his appeal. For more information on Professor Gürüz's case, see the report below.

Scientists, Engineers, and Medical Doctors in Turkey: A Human Rights Mission: A report to the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies by Carol Corillon, Peter Diamond, and Hans-Peter Zenner

The report follows a mission undertaken by the three authors in February, which included visits to Sincan high security prison outside the capital, Ankara, and to Silivri high security prison, about a two-hour drive from Istanbul. The report describes four enormous and highly-irregular political trials heard by the otherwise defunct “High Criminal Courts.”

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