Stop Bias Against Iranian Students and Academics in The Netherlands

In a radical and unprecedented move Twente University in Enschede, The
Netherlands, has decided on a total exclusion of and denial of
admission to all Iranian nationals. The university bases its decision
upon the request of the Dutch Ministry of Education to "exercise
vigilance and prevent specialized teaching or training of Iranian
nationals of disciplines which would contribute to Iran's
profileration of sensitive nuclear activities and development of
nuclear weapon delivery systems" in compliance with the resolution
1373 of UN Security Council.

This unfair, biased and highly unethical decision has shocked the
Iranian-Dutch community in The Netherlands. We believe that by this
decision the Iranian-Dutch community (with a high number of
professionals and academics in the technology sector and engineering
faculties) will be targeted as a whole and it will make them subject
to "ethnic profiling" by the Dutch authorities. We are concerned that
this precedent is only the first step in a larger process towards
instituionalizing the "profiling" of Iranian immigrant community and
Iranian nationals in The Netherlands.

We also doubt the legality of this decision and question its
effectiveness in relation to the UN resolution which is never meant to
target individual Iranian nationals at random or harming the basic
human rights of Iranian people.

We believe that we can not sit in vain and let this happen. We believe
that massive international action is needed in order to stop this
process by all poitical, publicity and judicial means necessary
(within the boundaries of international and Dutch law).

Therefore we ask you to express your outrage and sign this petition.
We ask you to bring this fact into the attention of all relevant
organizations and institutions in your countries and communities in
order to create awareness and raise as many voices and acts of protest
as possible.