Kamiar and Arash Alaei incident

Alaei Brothers
EducationHarvard MS, Oxford, MSt, Isfehan MD, Tehran MPH, SUNY at Albany Doctoral degree [1]
Occupation(s)Visiting Professor of ST Antony's College, University of Oxford, Distinguished Visiting Global Health Scholar at Drexel University [2] and Co-Presidents of the Institute for International Health and Education, Former Directors of Global Institute for Health and Human Rights and Public Service Professor of University at Albany, Former WHO/PAHO Consultant.[3]
Criminal chargeConspiracy to overthrow the Iranian government
Criminal statusPrison: Kamiar June 22, 2008 - Oct 23-2010, Arash June 22, 2008 -August 2011

Dr. Kamiar Alaei (Persian: کامیار علایی) and his brother Dr. Arash Alaei (Persian: آرش علایی) are two Iranian HIV/AIDS doctors who were detained in Tehran's Evin prison from June 2008 through Dec 2010 and August 2011, respectively. Prior to their arrest, they developed harm-reduction programs in Iran and developed the program Global Health in the Middle East and Central Asia, an HIV/AIDS training program for regional health experts.[4]

The doctors were tried in a one-day, secret trial on December 31, 2008[5] for alleged conspiracy to overthrow the Iranian government and with a number of charges including: “communications with an enemy government” and seeking to overthrow the Iranian government under article 508 of Iran's Islamic Penal Code. Speaking at a press conference, Iranian Judiciary spokesperson Ali-Reza Jamshidi claimed: “They recruited and trained people to work with different espionage networks to launch a velvet overthrow of the Iranian government”.[6]

On January 20, 2009, the brothers and their attorney were informed that they had been convicted. Arash was sentenced to six years in prison; Kamiar was sentenced to three years.[7]

The brothers received Heinz R. Pagels Human Rights of Scientists Award from the New York Academy of Science in 2009,[8] the Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights by the Global Health Council in June 2011,[9] and the first award for leadership in health and Human Rights by PAHO/WHO in December 2011.[8]

On July 21, 2012, the brothers received the inaugural Elizabeth Taylor Award in Recognition of Efforts to Advocate for Human Rights in the field of HIV during the opening ceremonies of the AIDS 2012 conference.[10]

On April 20, 2013, Alaei brothers were honored Citizens of the University[11] Dr. Alaei was awarded the 2015 Ellis Island Medal of Honor on May 9, 2015. The Ellis Island Medals of Honor are sanctioned by the U.S. Congress and the recipients’ names are listed in the Congressional Record. Six Presidents of the United States, Nobel Prize winners, athletes, leaders of industry, artists, and others are among the remarkable group of individuals to have previously received the award.[12][13]

  1. ^ "Newsletter" (PDF). conted.ox.ac.uk. 2015. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  2. ^ "Kamiar Alaei, MD, MPH, MS, DRPH, MST | Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health". Archived from the original on 2019-12-19.
  3. ^ "Founders". IIHE. 2007-02-26. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  4. ^ "UAlbany School of Public Health Student Named Asia21 Fellow". Archived from the original on May 21, 2008.
  5. ^ "Albany Times-Union, Dec. 31, 2008".[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Tehran Times". Archived from the original on February 5, 2009.
  7. ^ "Albany Times-Union, Jan. 21, 2009".[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b "Drs. Arash and Kamiar Alaei Present Grand Rounds on November 14th". The Institute for Family Health. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  9. ^ "USA TODAY". USA Today.
  10. ^ "IAS Press Release" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Home Page". www.alumni.albany.edu.
  12. ^ "Congressional Record, Volume 161 Issue 89 (Thursday, June 4, 2015)". www.gpo.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  13. ^ "PAAIA Congratulates Iranian American Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipients | PAAIA". PAAIA. 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2018-09-24.