lift Ban on Publication Rights and Membership Benefits of IEEE members in Iran, Cuba, Libya and Sudan

A Petition to the IEEE President and Board of Directors

We regretfully learned that under new interpretations of the U.S. Treasury Department regulations, IEEE has decided to suspend its activities, publication and contribution rights to any resident of Cuba, Iran, Libya, and Sudan, and will no longer provide membership privileges to residents of these countries. We have also learned that IEEE has deactivated the accounts of all paying members resident in these countries. More than 1800 IEEE
members are affected. Specifically, this decision results in the prevention of publication and contribution rights to all Professors and Students within these countries, they are no longer permitted by the new IEEE regulations to submit a single paper for publication in any IEEE publication.

As far as Iran is concerned, where this ban has had to most effect, Iranian Electrical and Electronics Professors have always played a positive and contributing role in IEEE publications and standards. Iranian Professors submit dozens of papers on an annual basis to IEEE publications and have actively participated in many IEEE events.

Their aspirations and enthusiasm towards IEEE created the solid foundation for the first IEEE Student Branch to be established in Iran in 1997. Since the establishment of the first Student Branch in 1997 in Iran, much effort has been made to introduce IEEE and its goals to the Iranian community. Iranian Student Branches have been very successful in organizing technical activities. More than 50 conferences, workshops, and short courses have been organized during the last few years, all of which are well attended by students and professionals. The International Millennium Seminar on Electrical Engineering and four editions of Iranian Student Conferences on Electrical Engineering, which attracts more than 2000 students each year, are just a few examples of their efforts. For such achievements, the Region 8 Exemplary Student Branch Award was given to the University of Tehran and Sharif University of Technology for two consecutive years of 1999 and 2000, respectively. Also, the prestigious Larry K. Wilson Award for Regional Students Activity was granted to Ali Shahrokni, the University of Tehran Student Branch Chair, in 1998. Iranian Branches were equally very successful in promoting the IEEE membership for which the University of Tehran Student Branch was recognized with the Region 8 Membership Growth Award in 2000. With great sorrow, the decision made by IEEE Head Quarter puts an end to all such efforts and any future activity.

It is also noteworthy to mention that Iranians as well as Cubans, Libyans and Sudanese have all made great contributions to the field of Electrical and Electronics Engineering as well as to IEEE standards and publications. I am sure that you are aware that almost every IEEE publication to date has at least one Iranian or person of Iranian orgin contributing to it.

Your decision to ban any form of publication, participation and contribution by Cuban, Iranian, Libyan and Sudanese Professors and Students is a source of disrespect to all of those from these countries who contribute to your standards and publications as well as the whole Academic Community in general and all Electrical and Electronics Engineers around the world.

This decision is clearly against Sec. I-104, Part 12 of IEEE Bylaws, Statement of Non-prejudice, which states that admission to membership in IEEE in any grade shall not be affected by the race, religion, nationally, or sex of the applicant. It is also in IEEE in any grade shall not be affected by the race, religion, nationality, or sex of the applicant. It is also in contrast with IEEE Codes of Ethics and its lifelong strives to seek a better life for all people in the world.

We understand that since IEEE is incorporated in the U.S., it should comply with the U.S. laws and regulations and we appreciate all efforts made by IEEE staff and officers to alleviate the harm of this situation on members and volunteer activities. However, we believe that IEEE should preserve its worldwide and independent character and take a stronger stand to save its own community against external pressures and stereotyping.

We would also like to mention that other International Academic and Engineering societies who are U.S. based and do indeed have Iranian members and contributors within Iran have yet to make any such "interpretations" of the law, neither have they allowed any such interpretations to effect their
publication, contribution, participation and membership laws and regulations. Just to mention a few are, American Geophysical Union, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, AAAS (publisher of Science).

We hereby:

1. Demand that any sanction or ban on contribution, publication, participation, branch student activity by the IEEE on any Professor or Student from Cuba, Iran, Libya and Sudan be lifted immediately without any precondition.

2. Demand the immediate re-activation of all Cuban, Iranian, Libyan and Sudanese member's email accounts as well as the frozen membership benefits.

3. Demand that immediate re-authorization and sponsorship of all student branch activities within Cuba, Iran, Libya and the Sudan without any precondition.

4. are aware of Mr. Adler's open letter (http://www.ieee.org/openletter) in regards to this issue and we refuse to accept the interpretation of the law that IEEE has taken into place.

5. Extend our support to any effort aimed at keeping the IEEE a nonpolitical organization and promoting its Codes of Ethics for all individuals regardless of their citizenships, nationality, location and race.