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A resolution on human rights violations against scientists in Ethiopia whose cases are documented in the 1996 AAAS Directory of Persecuted Scientists, Engineers, and Health Professionals.

February, 1997, Seattle, WA


Whereas the fostering of scientific freedom and responsibility in the United States and in other countries is a basic objective of the American Association for the Advancement of Science;

Whereas the American Association for the Advancement of Science is deeply concerned about the arbitrary detention, detention without charge or trial, denial of freedom of expression, and dismissal from employment for political reasons of Ethiopian scientists;

Be it resolved that the AAAS Council considers the scientists listed below to have been among those arbitrarily deprived of their human rights and academic freedom, and respectfully requests that the Ethiopian government release the imprisoned scientists from detention and allow them to leave the country if they so desire, reinstate those professors who were dismissed from Addis Ababa University during term of coverage of valid contract, and comply with its obligation to provide them retirement and other benefits.

Scientists arbitrarily detained:

Alemayehu Teferra, (Civil Engineer, President of Addis Ababa University,
dismissed from University April 1993, arrested 2 April 1993, detained
without charge)

Asrat Buli (Medicine, arrested 15 February 1996, detained without charge)

Asrat Woldeyes (Surgery, dismissed from university April 1993, arrested
July 1993, sentenced to 5 and 1/2 years' imprisonment)

Girma Bekelle (Government Official, sciences, arrested September or
October 1994, detained without charge)

Mohamed Abdo Tuko (Electrical Engineering, arrested February 1995)

Mohamoud Ugas Mohamed Hashi (Social Sciences, arrested between March and
July 1994, disappeared)

Taye Wolde Semayat (Political Science, arrested 30 May 1996, faces
possible life sentence)

Teferra Wonde (Medicine, arrested May 1989, disappeared May 1990)

Teshome Mutama (Nursing, arrested/disappeared February 1996)
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