Appeal for Indian Medical Doctor, Binayak Sen

An informal group of as many 40 Nobel laureates from 12 countries have written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging for immediate release on bail of paediatrician and human rights activist Dr Binayak Sen.

Sen was sentenced to life term by a trial court in Raipur on 24 December on sedition charges over his alleged links with Maoist ideologue Narayan Sanyal.

"We, the 38* undersigned Nobel Laureates, respectfully express our astonishment and dismay at the unjust life sentence handed down last month in India to a fellow scientist and human rights advocate, 61-year-old Dr Binayak Sen.

"We note that, when Dr Sen was on trial in 2008 and many of us appealed for his release on bail, a year later the Supreme Court of India concurred with our opinion and ordered his immediate release. Several months after voicing our concern about Dr Sen's detention, one of us traveled to Chhattisgarh; met government officials; consulted Dr Sen's family, lawyers, and colleagues; visited his remote clinic to learn more about his selfless work with the Adivasis; and, after a few days and many hours spent waiting in the Raipur prison yard, finally met with Dr Sen himself in the presence of the prison warden.

"We have seen that Dr Sen is an exceptional, courageous, and selfless colleague, dedicated to helping those in India who are least able to help themselves. Yet his recompense has been two years in prison under difficult conditions, a blatantly unfair trial lasting two years in the so-called 'fast track' sessions court, an unjust conviction of sedition and conspiracy, and condemnation to life imprisonment.

"We earnestly hope that our renewed appeal is heard. We know that there are leaders in India who have the power, humanity, patriotism, and decency to speak out against this injustice. We entreat those leaders to act now, to urge Dr Sen's immediate release on bail, and insist that this time his appeal is heard without delay under the highest standards of Indian law.

"Surely, those who would see the largest democracy in the world survive and thrive can do no less at this crucial time for both Dr. Sen and for the future of justice in India."

Respectfully:

1. Peter Agre, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2003
2. Kenneth J Arrow, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, 1972
3. Richard Axel, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2004
4. David Baltimore, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1975
5. Martin Chalfie, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2008
6. Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1997
7. Robert Curl, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1996
8. Johann Deisenhofer, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1988
9. Richard R. Ernst, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1991
10. Edmond H Fischer, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1992
11. Walter Gilbert, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1980
12. Roy J Glauber, Nobel Prize in Physics, 2005
13. Paul Greengard, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2000
14. David J Gross, Nobel Prize in Physics, 2004
15. Roger Guillemin, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1977
16. Dudley Herschbach, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1986
17. Antony Hewish, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1974
18. H Robert Horvitz, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2002
19. François Jacob, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1965
20. Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, 2002
21. Eric R Kandel, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2000
22. Lawrence R Klein, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, 1980
23. Roger D Kornberg, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2006
24. Sir Harold W Kroto, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1996
25. Finn E Kydland, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, 2004
26. Yuan T Lee, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1986
27. Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1986
28. Roderick MacKinnon, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2003
29. Sir James Mirrlees, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, 1996
30. Joseph E Murray, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1990
31. Douglas D Osheroff, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1996
32. John C Polanyi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1986
33. V Ramakrishnan, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2009
34. Sir Richard Roberts, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1993
35. Jens C Skou, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1998
36. Jack Steinberger, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1988
37. Sir John Sulston, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2002
38. Charles H Townes, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1964
39. Klaus von Klitzing, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1985
40. Torsten N Wiesel, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1981.

*After this appeal was released two additional Nobel Laureates requested to sign it, bringing the total number of signatories to 40 as of Tuesday, 8 February. Their names are included above.

(See: Free Binayak Sen, 40 Nobel laureates urge PM) / (See: Chhattisgarh high court reserves order on Dr Binayak Sen's bail plea)