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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

Proceedings

Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting London, May 18-20, 2005

International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

This document was made possible through the generous financial support of the Royal Society, the British Academy, the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, the Scherman Foundation, Inc., and general operating funds provided to the Committee on Human Rights by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

For information, contact the Network secretariat:

International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies

c/o Committee on Human Rights

The National Academies

500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001 Tel: 202-334-3043 Fax: Email: chr@nas.edu http://www7.nationalacademies.org/humanrights/Network_Description.html

Copyright 2006 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK of ACADEMIES AND SCHOLARLY SOCIETIES

THE NETWORK AIMS TO PUT INTO PRACTICE THE PROFESSIONAL DUTY OF SCIENTISTS AND SCHOLARS TO ASSIST THOSE COLLEAGUES WHOSE HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE BEEN—OR ARE THREATENED TO BE—INFRINGED AND TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE INDEPENDENCE OF ACADEMIES AND SCHOLARLY SOCIETIES WORLDWIDE.


[Approved unanimously at the May 11, 2001, fifth biennial meeting of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies, held at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris, France.]

Overview of the Network’s Mission

The International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies assists colleagues (scientists and scholars) around the world who are subjected to severe repression solely for having nonviolently exercised their rights as promulgated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It also promotes human rights consciousness-raising and institutional commitment to human rights work among counterpart academies and scholarly societies worldwide and encourages and protects their independence.

The Network was created in May 1993 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. It has met biennially—in 1995 in Amsterdam at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 1997 in Rome at the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, in 1999 in Stockholm at The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and The Royal Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, in 2001 in Paris at the French Academy of Sciences, in May 2003 at the Centro Stefano Franscini at the Monte Verità in Ascona, Switzerland when hosted by the Council of the Swiss Scientific Academies and, most recently, in 2005 at the Royal Society in London.

The next meeting of the Network will be held in April 2007 in Colombo and will be hosted by the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka.

Some 70 academies and scholarly societies have sent representatives to attend Network meetings. National academies and scholarly societies that have human rights

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

committees and actively support the work of the Network are considered to be members. The Network has an Executive Committee that administers the Network. In addition to founding members François Jacob (France), Pieter van Dijk (Netherlands), and Torsten Wiesel (USA), (sadly, founding member Max Perutz died in February 2002), the Executive Committee includes Arjuna Aluwihare (Sri Lanka), Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (France), Belita Koiller (Brazil), John Polanyi (Canada), and Edoardo Vesentini (Italy). The Committee on Human Rights of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C. serves as secretariat for the Network. Carol Corillon directs the committee and is Executive Director of the Network.

Other academies that want to consider the creation of a human rights committee and full involvement in the Network are welcome to send a prominent member as an observer to a Network meeting before making a final decision. Both members and observers are encouraged to refer potentially relevant cases and human rights issues to the Network's secretariat for investigation and possible action.

Institutions that are members of the Network have full autonomy and act at their own discretion. They intervene, in the name of their institutions, on cases and issues brought to their attention by the Network secretariat through regular Action Alerts. These alerts often involve colleagues who are held without trial or who have received harsh sentences. Many are confined under deplorable conditions, often in solitary confinement. Some have been tortured, most have been mistreated, and many are in poor health.

All members of the Network are expected to actively support its goals and to keep the secretariat informed of their efforts and any subsequent results. The Network secretariat also prepares private petitions for imprisoned colleagues that are submitted to UNESCO's Committee on Conventions and Recommendations by selected academies and individuals. The Network occasionally sends observers to the trial of a colleague or colleagues.

Members of the Network believe that academies and scholarly societies worldwide are in a unique position to help promote and protect human rights, to raise the consciousness of academies and scholarly societies about human rights abuses and what they can do to help resolve them, to gain the freedom of their imprisoned colleagues, to assist others whose rights are unjustly and severely restricted, to support the independence of sister academies throughout the world, and to encourage scientific exchange and cooperation. Because academies and scholarly societies are held in high esteem and their dignity, integrity, and objectivity are widely recognized, their efforts, through a worldwide network, can be a powerful and effective tool in advancing respect for human rights.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

Summary Statement The International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies May 2005 Meeting, The Royal Society, London

The International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies, created in 1993, met at the Royal Society in London from 18-20th May 2005, at its 7th biennial meeting, with representation from 42 scientific academies around the world.


The participants of the meeting noted with considerable concern that human rights violations are increasing, sometimes behind a façade of legal rectitude and particularly in reaction to the major terrorism events of September 2001. It was affirmed that torture, detention without due process, and other human rights violations cannot be accepted, even in light of urgent measures needed to combat and weed out terrorism.


It also was affirmed that basic rights and freedoms must be maintained, even under the most difficult of circumstances, and that the Network is appropriately and particularly concerned with the basic rights of scientists and scholars. The meeting participants were gratified to review the documentation on the many individual human rights ‘cases’ that the Network had addressed, and in some instances helped redress, during the previous two years and expressed determination to continue those efforts.


During the meeting it considered amongst other issues the rights of scientists to work and communicate with others, in different situations in the world. The importance of maintaining the rights of these colleagues to freely work and travel in the pursuit of science, and exchange ideas with others in their field, even across the most apparently intransigent political divides, was strongly endorsed by the Network. The participants expressed their opposition to boycotts and moratoria of scientific exchange between institutions and among individuals. The members of the Network also expressed concern about excessive difficulties in obtaining permission to, and visas for, travel.


The Network members were pleased to note new and positive developments regarding scientific cooperation, for example, those between Israeli and Palestinian academics and institutions which promote the exchange of ideas and may serve as an example for constructive non-violent action in other similar situations.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

With Gratitude

On the occasion of its seventh biennial meeting, the members of the Executive Committee of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies acknowledge with gratitude the generous support received from the British Academy, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Richard Lounsbery Foundation, Scherman Foundation, Inc., Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Open Society Fund, Royal Society (UK), National Academy of Sciences (USA), National Academy of Engineering (USA), and Institute of Medicine (USA).


The Executive Committee would particularly like to thank the Royal Society, London for graciously hosting this three-day event and the British Academy for its generous organizational and administrative assistance prior to and during the event, as well as for hosting the meeting of the Israeli-Palestinian Science Organization following the Network meeting. We are particularly indebted to Ruth Cooper at the Royal Society, Jane Lyddon at the British Academy, and Jennifer Baky at the U.S. National Academies for their assistance to the Network’s secretariat in overseeing many programmatic, logistical, and administrative aspects of the meeting.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK of ACADEMIES AND SCHOLARLY SOCIETIES

Executive Committee [See Appendix B for biographies.]

Arjuna Aluwihare

Sri Lanka

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji

France

Pieter van Dijk*

Netherlands

François Jacob*

France

Belita Koiller

Brazil (as of 2006)

John Polanyi

Canada

Edoardo Vesentini

Italy

Torsten Wiesel*

USA

Executive Director

Carol Corillon

*

Founding member

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK of ACADEMIES AND SCHOLARLY SOCIETIES

Participants and Academies Represented

Albania – Albanian Academy of Sciences

Rexhep Meidani

Australia – National Academies Forum of Australia

Derek Denton

Austria – Austrian Academy of Sciences

Hermann Hunger

Bangladesh – Bangladesh Academy of Sciences

M. Shamsher Ali

Belgium – Royal Academy of Belgium

Amand Lucas

Bosnia and Herzegovina – Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Muhamed Filipovic

Canada – Royal Society of Canada

Eva Kushner

Chile – Chilean Academy of Sciences

Tito Ureta

Columbia – Columbian Academy of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences

Moises Wasserman

Costa Rica – National Academy of Sciences of Costa Rica

Marino Protti

Croatia – Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Davorin Rudolf

Czech Republic – The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Jiri Niederle

Denmark – The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters

Henrik Zahle

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

Egypt – Academy of Scientific Research and Technology of Egypt

Ahamed M. Saleh

Estonia – Estonian Academy of Sciences

Peeter Tulviste

Finland – Finnish Academies of Science and Letters

Juha Sihvola

France – French Academy of Sciences

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji*

Germany – German Academy of Natural Sciences, Leopoldina

Johannes Eckert

Ghana – The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences

Felix I. D. Konotey-Ahulu

Greece – Academy of Athens

Emmanuel Roucounas

Israel – The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Daniel Friedmann

Italy – Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei

Massimmilla Baldo Ceolin

Japan – Science Council of Japan

Michiatsu Kaino

Jordan – Royal Scientific Society of Jordan

Khaled Zuhair Kahhaleh

Kenya – Kenya National Academy of Sciences

Joseph Otieno Malo

Kosovo – Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo

Rexhep Ismajli

Kyrgyzstan – National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic

Janybek Jeyenbaev

Mongolia – Mongolian Academy of Sciences

Amarsanaa Jugnee

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

Morocco – Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco

Driss Dahak

Nepal – Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology

Dayanand Bajracharya

The Netherlands – Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

Pieter van Dijk*

Norway – Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters

Arne Haaland

Slovenia – Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Alenka Selih

Sri Lanka – National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka

Arjuna Aluwihare*

Sweden – The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Erling Norrby

Switzerland – Council of the Swiss Scientific Academies

Harald Reuter

Taiwan – Academia Sinica

Yuan T. Lee

Uganda – Uganda National Academy of Sciences

Paul Mugambi

United Kingdom – The Royal Society

Lorna Casselton

United States of America – The National Academies

Peter Agre

Carol Corillon

Torsten Wiesel*

Regional Academies

Academia Europaea

Arnold Wolfendale

African Academy of Sciences

Gideon Barak A. Okelo

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

Pontifical Academy

Nicola Cabibbo

Guests

Upendra Baxi,

India

Dan Bitan,

Israel

Gregg Bloche,

United States

Phillip Campbell,

United Kingdom

Michael Clegg,

United States

Ralf Dahrendorf,

United Kingdom

Hasan Dweik,

Palestine

Julia Higgins,

United Kingdom

Robert Hinde,

United Kingdom

Latsami Khamphoui,

Laos

Janet Lowenthal,

United States

Nicholas Mann,

United Kingdom

Jonathan Marks,

United Kingdom

Sari Nusseibeh,

Palestine

Onora O’Neill,

United Kingdom

Nigel Rodley,

United Kingdom

Peter Schindler,

Switzerland

John Sulston,

United Kingdom

Menahem Yaari,

Israel

*

Executive Committee member

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×

 

 

Human Rights, Tolerance, and Peace

 

61

   

 Welcome and Overview – Professor Claude Cohen-Tannoudji,

 

61

   

 Joint Statement – Professors Sari Nusseibeh and Menachem Magidor,

 

61

   

 Views of Science and Tolerance Today in the Middle East Professors Sari Nusseibeh and Menahem Yaari,

 

64

   

 Human Rights and Our Future – Lord Dahrendorf,

 

70

   

 Concluding Remarks,

 

80

 

 

Max Perutz Memorial Lecture

 

83

   

 Welcome – Dr. Torsten Wiesel,

 

83

   

 Max Perutz: Chemist, Molecular Biologist, Human Rights Activist Sir John Meurig Thomas,

 

84

   

 The Archimedean Level: Right in the Face of Might Professor Sari Nusseibeh,

 

91

   

 Discussion,

 

98

   

 Workshop: Scientists, Human Rights, and Prospects for the Future

 

103

   

 Welcome and Introductory Remarks – Professor Lorna Casselton,

 

103

   

 Purpose, Function, and Future of the Network, a Discussion Dr. Torsten Wiesel,

 

104

   

 Peace and Security through Science – Professors M. Shamsher Ali and Robert Hinde,

 

127

   

 Torture, Psychiatric Abuse, and Health Professionals Professor Tito Ureta,

 

135

   

 Barriers to the Universality of Science, Including Boycotts Professors Yuan T. Lee and Michael Clegg,

 

142

   

 Status and Future of the Israeli-Palestinian Science Organization (IPSO) Professor Harald Reuter,

 

152

Appendix A

 

– Speakers’ Biographies

 

157

Appendix B

 

– Executive Committee Members’ Biographies

 

161

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2006. International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies: Proceedings - Symposium and Seventh Biennial Meeting, London, May 18-20, 2005. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11740.
×
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This report is the proceedings of the seventh biennial meeting of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies. (The international Network, created in 1993, consists of 70 national academies and scholarly societies around the world that work to address serious science and human rights issues of mutual concern. The Committee on Human Rights of the U.S. National Academies serves as the Network's secretariat.) The meeting was held on May 18 and 20, 2005, at the Royal Society in London. The main events of the meeting were a semipublic symposium, entitled Scientists, Human Rights, and Prospects for the Future, and a workshop on a variety of topics related to science, engineering, and health in the human rights context.

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