Petition Letter: Release Wrongfully Imprisoned Iranian Scientist, Omid Kokabee

Goal: Urge Iran to release Ph.D. student, Omid Kokabee imprisoned under false charges while visiting his family

Omid Kokabee is an Iranian Ph.D. student studying experimental laser physics from the University of Texas who, after returning home to visit family over the winter holiday, was arrested in February 2010 for “communicating with a hostile government” (undertaking his Ph.D. projects) and “illegitimate/illegal earnings” (receiving financial assistance from his university). Mr. Kokabee’s family was also pressured to convince Mr. Kokabee to cooperate with the Iranian Authorities’ research projects. Mr. Kokabee claims that this research lies in military nuclear applications of his expertise, tunable lasers. As a result, Mr. Kokabee was sentenced to 10 years in a notorious Iranian prison “Evin Prison”. Furthermore, authorities prevented recommended medical treatment for kidney stones of Mr. Kokabee while in prison.
He is not a political activist, is not involved in nuclear-related research, and quite obviously denies all of these ridiculous charges. Nevertheless, Mr. Kokabee spent 15 months in prison before even being convicted in May 2012, lost his appeal in August 2012, was never allowed to see the proof against him, nor was he able to talk with a lawyer. His trial was broadcast on television with others convicted of espionage for Mossad, which carried the burden of the implication that he was connected similarly. oMr. Kokabee’s family was also pressured to convince Mr. Kokabee to cooperate with the Iranian Authorities’ research projects. Mr. Kokabee claims that this research lies in military nuclear applications of his expertise, tunable lasers. In addition, he has recently been denied medical treatment while serving his sentence.
Numerous organizations associated with Mr. Kokabee, including the American Physical Society, the International Optics Society (SPIE), the Optical Society of America, and the European Optical Society, have written letters to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressing the possibility that Mr. Kokabee’s charges were meant to coerce him into the Iranian nuclear program.
The American Physical Society specifically stated that, “Mr. Kokabee has no training in nuclear physics, is not politically active, and is not associated with any political movement in Iran. Rather his primary concerns were his science studies in the field of optics. This area of physics has essentially no overlap with nuclear technology.” He simply wants to return to the United States in order to continue his research in optics.
Please sign this petition and get the U.S. government involved in this terrible breach of human rights.
Since tensions between Iran and 5+1 are currently at a lowest, the case of Mr. Kokabee is one of human rights. The undersigned wish to respectfully request that your government bring up the case of Omid Kokabee to Iranian officials in order to secure his fair treatment and to promote the human rights of scientists globally. Please do all that you can to ensure this injustice is remedied and Mr. Kokabee is allowed to return to his research in Austin, Texas.
Thank you for your attention to our concern.