Imprisoned Iranian wins AAAS scientific responsibility prize

An Iranian PhD student, who was jailed for refusing to cooperate with the Iranian military, has been awarded a prize by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The AAAS has awarded the 2014 Scientific Freedom and Responsibility award to Omid Kokabee, who has continued his doctoral work in optics and physics with the University of Texas at Austin from prison.

“It is uncommon that scientists risk their freedom in defense of the principle of scientific freedom for all scientists, and yet this 32-year old physicist, at the beginning of a promising career, has done just that,” said the award’s selection panel. “Honoring Mr Kokabee as the recipient of the prestigious award will send a message to his captors and to the world, and provide Mr Kokabee with moral support during his perilous ordeal.”