The second Human Rights and Science symposium of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina was held in Strasbourg. At the event scientists and scholars, representatives of human rights organisations, and delegates from European academies of sciences and humanities came together to discuss human rights violations in academic work. The ethics of biosciences were the main focus of the public symposium.
Researchers regularly face human rights issues in their work. In some countries – including those in Europe – they repeatedly come against state repression if they publicly express their opinions or criticise social injustices. They must also often ask themselves if their work violates human rights – for example from the perspective of medical ethics. From 8 to 9 September the Human Rights Committee (HRC) of the Leopoldina held its second symposium on this topic. It invited scientists and scholars, representatives of human rights organisations, and delegates from European academies of sciences and humanities to come together at the Palais d'Europe in Strasbourg and discuss the worldwide violation of human rights in academic work and of researchers and students.
Prof. Hans-Peter Zenner, member of the Leopoldina Presidium and chair of the Human Rights Committee, underlines the necessity to enhance the coordination of the human rights activities of all the players in this field, particularly with the European Federation of National Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA). In addition to reports from European academies of sciences and humanities, participants also heard about the Council of Europe's activities in the field of bioethics, and about the work of the European Court of Human Rights. A valuable contribution was the report and the discussion of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina has founded its Human Rights Committee in 2001. In July 2003 the HRC became a member of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (IHRN). In doing so, it joined around 70 other member academies and scholarly societies from all over the world. The Network and its member academies work on behalf of persecuted scientists and scholars around the world. They visit prisons and write notes to the relevant authorities, urging them to respect human rights. Disimprisonment and improvement of the conditions of custody have been achieved this way. They also hold symposia and compile publications to raise awareness of human rights issues in sciences and humanities, and to support the work of other human rights organisations. The general public and even academic institutions themselves are largely unfamiliar with the activities of the Network and know little about the many human rights violations suffered by academics today. This is why the Leopoldina regularly organises events to provide information on human rights standards and institutions, and to explore topics that are particularly relevant to Europe.