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Published online 17 September 2008 | Nature 455, 269 (2008) | doi:10.1038/455269a
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Iran holds AIDS doctors
Scientists in call for release of HIV researchers.
Iran is under mounting pressure to reveal the whereabouts of two of the nation's HIV researchers, who have been detained without charge since late June.
The brothers, Arash and Kamiar Alaei, have achieved international acclaim for their progressive HIV-prevention programme and were scheduled to speak about it at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City last month.
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Physicians for Human Rights and other groups have launched a campaign for the release of these AIDS researchers, who have had little access to legal counsel and whose human rights have been violated. To join us, go to www.iranfreethedocs.org and sign our petition.
And people wonder why we are concerned about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. This detaining of AIDS scientists shows that Iran is a medieval regime. Iran needs to be subject to UN trusteeship
Dear Mr. Kaine, While this is an unfortunate case and one of many cases of human rights abuses in Iran, your conclusions are hardly justified. This has nothing to do with nuclear weapons, and, in any case, there are nations (currently invading two of Iran's neighbors) which are much greater threats to world peace than Iran. This forum is not supposed to be a place for nationalist hatred ("medieval regime"...) like you display it.
Deae Mr Stiefel If you truly believe the US to be the worlds greatest threat to world peace, then you should boycott us. That means not accepting NIH grants, not submitting to US journals, not attending conferences hosted in the US.
I certainly agree that this is unacceptable behavior by Iran, but we all must be careful not to incite prejudice against Iranian people. Remember Iran is not a true democratic nation and its people cannot choose whoever they want to lead the country. And yes, this is related to a nuclear Iran, because it demonstrates the lack of free speech and expression within Iran, which is necessary to keep nuclear aggression at bay. Where would America, and the Cold War, be without the 1960's anti-war movement?