Dutch Court lifts Ban for Iranian Scholars and Students

In July 2008, the Dutch Government banned Iranian citizens, as well as Dutch citizens of Iranian descent, from certain university graduate programs. In addition, students and scholars from these groups were forbidden to enter five research locations. This measure was allegedly meant to prevent the spread of “proliferation sensitive information”.

Short after the announcement, a group of Iranian-Dutch citizens, including a student, a PhD candidate, and a university professor, initiated a legal procedure stating the fact that such a distinction between different ethnical groups is not only extremely stigmatizing, but also discriminatory.

Today, we are pleased to hear that the district Court of The Hague has concluded that such a distinction solely based on nationality is unjustified and, hence, not permitted. According to the verdict, the State has failed to demonstrate the need for treating Iranian and Iranian-Dutch students and scholars any different than other nationalities. Securing information can be perfectly achieved without such a discriminatory regulation, for instance, through an individual screening. The court, therefore, finds the regulation discriminating and in violation of Article 26 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The regulation has thus been declared invalid and as a consequence, this measure must be lifted promptly.

Jelle Klaas, the attorney of the claimants says: “The State of the Netherlands is rightly punished for the discrimination of people of Iranian descent. The court agreed with us on all important points raised by us. If the State is concerned about security issues regarding nuclear information and facilities, they should improve their security against everyone, not just against one group of people.”

The Court's verdict is a victory for science and academic freedom.

In the news:

• Court Rebukes Dutch Policy on Iranian Scientists, Science, 3 feb 2010
• Ban of Iranians at nuclear sites overturned, NRC, 3 feb 2010

Stop discrimination against Iranians in education

We are outraged by the Dutch ministers' decision (Verhagen and Plasterk), to exclude Iranian students from certain Master programmes. With this decision, the ministers claim to abide by a UN resolution, in which the member states are instructed to be cautious with respect to the provision of proliferation sensitive information to Iran.

We, however, consider this decision unacceptable, since it is discriminatory and ineffective:

• Discriminatory, because Iranian students -- including those with a Dutch passport -- are excluded from certain studies merely on the basis of their nationality,
• Ineffective, since according to various experts, Master programmes at the Dutch universities do not provide students with proliferation sensitive knowledge. It would be wiser, as many institutes already do, to safeguard sensitive information, instead of stigmatizing an entire population.

We call upon the Dutch government to withdraw this unjust decision and put an end to discrimination in education.