January 30

0, 2014

Dear Dr. Jaime

J Lagunez Otero,

Re.: Conffirming AAA

AS action on
n your beha
alf

I write thiss letter to con

nfirm the action taken by
y the Ameri can Associaation for the Advancement of
Science Hu uman Rightss Action Nettwork (AAA ASHRAN) onn your behallf.

On 13 Octtober 2006, AAASHRAN

A N posted on the AAAS w website an aaction alert oon your behaalf. The
contents of that action alert are attaached to thiss letter. AAA
AS no-longeer issues indeependent acttion
alerts and the
t action allert specific tot your casee is no-longeer available oon the organiization webssite.
An archivee of the prev
vious page on n which you ur alert was pposted is currrently availaable here:
http://shr01.aaas.org/p
projects/human_rights/aaaashran/alertt.php?a_id=3332. This linnk is temporaary.

Anyone reequiring indeependent verrification of the

t contentss of this letteer may contaact me at
jwyndham
m@aaas.org.

Yours sinccerely,

Jessica Wyyndham
Associate Director
Scientific Responsibili
R ity, Human Rights
R and Law
L Program
m

Ameerican Associationn for the Advanceement of Science

1200
0 New York Avenue e, NW, Washington n, DC 20005 USA
Tel: 202 326 6600
6 Fax: 202 28
89 4950
www.aaas.org
w
AAAS Human Rights Action Network

Date: 13 October 2006

Case Number: me0706_ote
Victim: Jaime Lagunez Otero
Country: Mexico
Subject: Researcher fired and blacklisted for human rights activities
Issues: Academic and scientific freedom; Freedom of opinion and expression;
Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion
Type of alert: New

FACTS OF THE CASE:

In April of 2004, Dr. Jaime Lagunez Otero, a highly regarded biologist and human rights activist
working at the National Autonomous University of Mexicos (UNAM) Chemistry Institute, was
fired -- after twelve years, he suddenly found himself locked out of his own laboratory, dismissed
without explanation. Since then, the university has denied him access to his personal possessions,
archives and computational infrastructure.

Dr. Lagunez, a biomedical researcher by training, was a level A researcher for UNAM and a
member of the Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI), a government-sponsored organization
that certifies the competence level of local scientists. Since 1992, Dr. Lagunez has published
original research papers in the domain of nucleic acids and their computational analysis, allowing
his group to propose compounds that could co-adjuvate in the treatment of breast cancer and inhibit
HIV. In his pursuit to recover his work, Dr. Lagunez filed a law-suit against the university, but after
two years his case is still pending. While the University has remained evasive about the reasons for
his dismissal, Dr. Lagunez and others suspect that it was politically motivated; retaliation for his
role in human rights activism outside of the University.

Dr. Lagunez has been a long-time supporter of efforts to protect Mexican cultural heritage. He has
openly criticized the Mexican governments promotion of the construction of Costco and Wal-Mart
warehouses upon important cultural sites. The activities of those businesses have even endangered
UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the 1,200 year-old ruins of Teotihuacan. Besides being
involved in local boycotts and peaceful protests, Dr. Lagunezs environmental and cultural group
has internationalized opposition by joining a coalition of other non-governmental organizations to
petition the U.S.-based TIAA-CREF pension fund to withdraw its investments from companies that
disregard cultural heritage sites, abuse human rights or promote unsafe products.

Despite being highly qualified, Dr. Lagunez has been unable to find other work in his field in
Mexico. He believes that, due to his continuing work in human rights, high ranking authorities have
participated in blocking many university positions he could otherwise obtain.

(Sources of information for this case include: Montreal Mirror, The Times Higher Education
Supplement , INTERCIENCIA, correspondence with Dr. Lagunez, Dr. Jaime Requena, Dr. Carlos
Gershenson Garcia, Dr. Neil Wollman.)
RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Article 19(1): Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Article 15 (3): The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to respect the freedom
indispensable for scientific research and creative activity.
Article 6: The State Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right to work, which
includes the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely
chooses or accepts, and will take appropriate steps to safeguard this right.

The Human Rights Defenders Declaration

Article 11: Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful
exercise of his or her occupation or profession.
Article 12(2): The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the
competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any
violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other
arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in
the [Universal Declaration of Human Rights].
Article 7: Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to develop and
discuss new human rights ideas and principles and to advocate their acceptance.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes
freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information
and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

Expressing concern that Dr. Jaime Lagunez Otero appears to have been fired in retaliation
for exercising his internationally protected human right of freedom of expression;
Requesting that Dr. Jaime Lagunez Otero be immediately and unconditionally reinstated to
his position at the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and
Expressing serious concern for the future of academic freedom in Mexico.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

Ms. Josefina Vzquez Mota

Minister of Education
Ministry of Education
Repblica de Argentina, #28
 Mexico City, Federal District (Distrito Federal)
Mexico

Salutation: Madam:

Dr. Juan Ramn de la Fuente

Rector
Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico
Cuidad Universitaria
Mexico DF 04510
Mexico

Salutation: Dear Dr. Juan Ramn de la Fuente:

Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive, or direct any questions you
may have to Josh Robbins, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW,
Washington, DC 20005; tel. 202-326-6797; email jrobbins@aaas.org; or fax 202-289-4950.

The keys to effective appeals are to be courteous and respectful, accurate and precise, impartial in
approach, and as specific as possible regarding the alleged violation and the international human
rights standards and instruments that apply to the situation. Reference to your scientific organization
and professional affiliation is always helpful.

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case
after 90 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.