Iran Open Letter

Editor’s Note:  The following Open Letter was published in August 3, 2009, issue of the New York Times, in a full-page.

To Shirin Ebadi and to All the dissidents —

the brave men and women of Iran:

Do not feel abandoned. 

Do not lose hope. 

The world knows that its physical and spiritual survival is linked to yours. 

We, the undersigned Nobel Laureates, strongly condemn the flagrant human rights violations in the wake of the recent presidential election in Iran.

We deplore the violent and oppressive tactics the current regime is using to dissuade protestors from expressing their right to free speech.  Your election was shamelessly tampered with and your human rights disregarded. We are outraged by your government’s denial of basic liberties to its people, such as detaining large groups of professors, students and innocent civilians, and denying proper funeral services to victims of its violence. These events, and the decision to ban all international media from covering these events, are blatant violations of the democratic principles your government claims to uphold. 

We are well aware that throughout the long and glorious history of the Iranian civilization, your ancestors have often stood firmly against both interference from without and repression from within. Today, once again, you are fighting for a just cause.

We urge President Obama and the world’s political leadership to support, with all means at their disposal, the people of Iran, who deserve to have their votes counted, their voices heard, and their dignity respected.

Richard Axel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2004)

Baruj Benacerraf, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1980)

Paul Berg, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1980)

Günter Blobel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1999)

Mario R. Capecchi, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2007)

Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2004)

Stanley Cohen, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1986)

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Prize, Physics (1997)

Elias James Corey, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1990)

Robert F. Curl Jr., Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1996)

John B. Fenn, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2002)

Edmond H. Fischer, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1992)

Jerome I. Friedman, Nobel Prize, Physics (1990)

Donald A. Glaser, Nobel Prize, Physics (1960)

Sheldon Glashow, Nobel Prize, Physics (1979)

David J. Gross, Nobel Prize, Physics (2004)

Roger Guillemin, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1977)

Leland H. Hartwell, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2001)

Dudley R. Herschbach, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1986)

Avram Hershko, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2004)

Roald Hoffman, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1981)

Tim Hunt, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2001)

Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize, Economics (2002)

Eric R. Kandel, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2000)

William S. Knowles, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2001)

Roger D. Kornberg, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (2006)

Harold W. Kroto, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1996)

Finn E. Kydland, Nobel Prize, Economics (2004)

Eric S. Maskin, Nobel Prize, Economics (2007)

John Mather, Nobel Prize, Physics (2006)

Craig C. Mello, Nobel Prize, Medicine (2006)

Marshall W. Nirenberg, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1968)

George A. Olah, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1994)

John C. Polanyi, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1986)

Stanley Prusiner, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1997)

Robert C. Richardson, Nobel Prize, Physics (1996)

Richard J. Roberts, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1993)

Heinrich Rohrer, Nobel Prize, Physics (1986)

Jens C.Skou, Nobel Prize, Chemistry (1997)

Hamilton O. Smith, Nobel Prize, Medicine (1978)

Wole Soyinka, Nobel Prize, Literature (1986)

Joseph H. Taylor Jr., Nobel Prize, Physics (1993)

Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Prize, Peace (1984)

Betty Williams, Nobel Prize, Peace (1976)

Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize, Peace (1986)

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