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Since 1992, the Science and Human Rights Program (SHR or the Program) has published the Directory of Persecuted Scientists, Engineers, and Health Professionals. The Directory presents an overview of the Program's casework, which is conducted through the AAAS Human Rights Action Network (AAASHRAN). AAASHRAN uses e-mail and the Internet to inform AAAS members and other subscribers of cases deservin... More

Since 1992, the Science and Human Rights Program (SHR or the Program) has published the Directory of Persecuted Scientists, Engineers, and Health Professionals. The Directory presents an overview of the Program's casework, which is conducted through the AAAS Human Rights Action Network (AAASHRAN). AAASHRAN uses e-mail and the Internet to inform AAAS members and other subscribers of cases deserving special attention, and to coordinate scientists' efforts to appeal to governments on behalf of their colleagues. Two or three cases or issues are circulated each month, with all the information needed to take action in a succinct bulletin. The Directory complements our online version of AAASHRAN. The AAASHRAN website offers several additional features, including a fully searchable database of all cases from 1994 to the present, a database of appeal letters sent by the AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility, and sample letters of appeal that individuals can use to draft their own letters.

AAASHRAN builds on the long-standing tradition of letter writing as an effective means of reminding governments that their transgressions have not gone unnoticed. Many scientists who have been released from prison credit their release to the strong international attention to their cases. Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim (AAASHRAN case number EG0004.Ibr) thanked all those who wrote letters to Egyptian officials about his case. He stated, "Thousands of you had never met me or any of my associates at Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies. But you supported the principles and values for which we stand in this part of the world: democracy, human rights, peace, and development for all. We are determined to continue our struggle, and hope that you will continue your support."

The Program monitors human rights violations perpetrated against scientists, engineers, and health professionals, and organizes campaigns on their behalf. We encourage scientists, engineers, and scientific and engineering organizations to work for the promotion and protection of the human rights standards enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international human rights treaties. The Program's work is based on the principle that these rights are preconditions for scientific endeavor and should be defended and encouraged as a matter of scientific freedom and responsibility. Under the UDHR, these rights include, but are not limited to:

?the right to life, liberty, and security of person (Article 3);
?freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment (Article 5);
?freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile (Article 9);
?freedom of movement and residence (Article 13);
?freedom of thought (Article 18);
?the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the right to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas (Article 19);
?freedom of association (Article 20);
?the right to work, to free choice of employment (Article 23); and
?the right to education (Article 26).

The Program focuses its individual casework on three main areas: 1) violations of scientific freedom and the professional rights of scientists, engineers, health professionals, students in any of these fields, scientific organizations, and professional groups representing their interests; 2) violations of the human rights of scientists not directly related to the conduct of science; and 3) participation by scientists in practices which infringe on the human rights of others. The Program's guidelines for the adoption of cases of concern appear in Appendix A.

For casework purposes, the Program defines scientists as those who are members of any of the disciplines meeting the criteria for affiliation with AAAS, or accepted as affiliate societies of AAAS.

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