Committee members
Inaugural Committee Members 2019-2022
CFRS monitors individual and generic cases of scientists whose freedoms and rights are restricted as a result of carrying out their scientific research, and provides assistance in such cases where its intervention can provide relief and support activities of other relevant actors. In addition to this, members of CFRS are involved in a range of projects involving international partners and other Committees within the ISC.
- Statement on defending scientific integrity in Greece and beyond, (issued 24 August 2021)
- Statement on the occasion of the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (issued 9 August 2021)
- Statement on protecting scientific freedoms to combat the Covid-19 pandemic (issued 2 June 2021)
- Statement on concerns for scientific freedom around the world (issued 18 May 2021)
- Statement on protecting human rights and scientific freedom in Myanmar (issued 6 April 2021)
- Statement on detention and capital sentence of Ahmadreza Djalali (issued 8 December 2020).
- Statement on Scientific Freedom in Japan (issued 26 November 2020).
- Statement calling for the release of researchers associated with the Persian Heritage Wildlife Foundation currently detained in Iran (issued 26 August 2020)
- Ethical responsibilities of scientists at a time of a global threat (issued 15 June 2020)
- Advisory note: Procedures for addressing threats to scientific freedom (issued May 2021)
- ISC position on conference and event boycotts (issued May 2021)
- ISC position on visas and online accessibility (issued May 2021)
- Advisory note: Responsibilities for Preventing, Avoiding, and Mitigating Harm to Researchers Undertaking Fieldwork in Risky Settings (issued September 2017).
- 1st Meeting of the International Science Council’s Committee for Freedom and Responsibility in Science, 18-19 November 2019
- See also the short history of CFRS and its predecessor organisations, written by the former Committee Secretary Peter Schindler in 2009.
The New Zealand government has actively supported CFRS since 2016. This support was generously renewed in 2019, with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, supporting CFRS via CFRS Special Advisor Gustav Kessel, based at Royal Society Te Apārangi, and by Dr Roger Ridley, Director Expert Advice and Practice, Royal Society Te Apārangi.
The work of the CFRS is supported by:
CFRS Executive Secretary & Senior Science Officer
vivi.stavrou@council.science
Special Advisor to the Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in Science
gustav.kessel@council.science
