Endangered Scholars Worldwide

Endangered Scholars Worldwide We are distressed to report that once again, the most serious violations ofacademic freedom andfree inquiry are occurring in Iran, where aprofessor oflaw, two AIDS researchers, and a physician have been imprisoned, all accused ofacts against the statefor which no evidence has been provided. Theplights ofallfour are described below. Given the seriousness of these violations, we urge you once again to act now on behalfofthese scholars. In particular, we urge thatyou add your name to the petition demanding the release ofMehdi Zakerian, which you can do by visit­ ing our website at . Please also urge your colleagues to do so as well. The more voices ofprotest, the more effective it will be. —Arien Mack Information current, to the best of our knowledge, as of September 22, 2008. IRAN m e h d i z a k e r i a n , a p ro m in en t scholar o f in tern atio n al relations and an assistant professor at Islamic Azad University in Tehran, was detained on August 15, 2008 in Tehran. There has been no statem ent of any charges against him , nor any inform ation issued regarding his current location and condition. Dr. Zakerian, w ho is also chair of the International Studies A ssociation of Iran and editor of the bilin­ gual English/Farsi jo u rn al International Studies, was fired last year from his job at Tehran University. His detention has prevented him from attending th e fall sem ester at th e University of Pennsylvania Law School, w here he had been aw arded the position o f visiting scholar. Endangered Scholars W orldw ide v d r s . a r a s h and k a m ia r a l a e i, two brothers w orking on the preven­ tion and treatm en t of HIV/AIDS, w ere detained by Iranian security forces on June 28, 2008. No charges have yet been brought against them , but a Tehran prosecutor has accused them of trying to “recruit individuals” to overthrow th e Iranian governm ent, according to the Associated Press. The brothers helped establish a series of advanced HIV/AIDS clinics and a n atio n al HIV prevention plan. They also participated in th e first US-funded people-to-people exchange w ith postrevolutionary Iran in 2006, visiting Tufts-New England Medical C enter and o th er m edical-related sites w ith a group of Iranian doctors. Kamiar, who has a m aster’s degree in public health from Harvard, was enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the State University of New York-Albany and was hom e in Iran for a sum m er break at the tim e of his arrest. The authorities have n o t released inform ation about w here the brothers are being held, b u t they are believed to be in Tehran’s Evin prison. d r . m o s t a f a A iA V i was sentenced to 15 years im prisonm ent by an Iranian court on August 22, 2008. Dr. Alavi is a doctor and researcher w ho ran a nongovernm ental organization called th e Iranian Elite A ssociation th a t sought to boost in tera ctio n betw een educated Iranians and global academ ic centers. He has reportedly been held in G ohardasht prison since M arch 2007 and in itially stood trial in January 2008, w hen he was charged w ith “plotting against the regim e.” Dr. Alavi suffers from num erous illnesses including diabe­ tes and heart problem s, and has been refused necessary m edication w hilst in prison. Appeals to: His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘ Ali Khamenei Leader ofthe Islamic Republic The Office ofthe Supreme Leader Islamic Republic Street— Shahid Keshvar Doust Street Tehran Islamic Republic of Iran E-mail: info@leader.ir Salutation: Your Excellency vi social research Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie Shahroudi Head ofthe Judiciary Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Q_azaiyeh/Offlce of the Head ofthe Judiciary Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., South of Serah-e Jomhouri Tehran Islamic Republic of Iran E-mail: info...