Imprisoned Physicist Honored For Refusing To Work On Iran's Nuclear Program

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Imprisoned Physicist Honored For Refusing To Work On Iran's Nuclear Program

Posted by Unknown on Monday September 23, 2013 @07:02PM from the no-silex-for-you dept.

New submitter I3MOUNTAINS writes "Omid Kokabee, a University of Texas graduate student who has been imprisoned in Iran for more than two years, received the American Physical Society's Andrei Sakharov human rights prize for refusing to collaborate on the country's nuclear program. In May, an Iranian court sentenced him to ten years in prison for 'communicating with a hostile government' and receiving 'illegal earnings.' The so-called 'illegal earnings' were the student loans he received while in Texas."

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Guts by spamchang · 2013-09-23 19:10 · Score: 4, Insightful

This guy has 'em. There are other ways to sacrifice for worthy principles than warfare.
Hook 'em.
So, how about... by Radagast · 2013-09-23 19:13 · Score: 5, Interesting

Any prizes for Mordechai Vanunu?

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--Joakim Ziegler
Iranian nuclear program by Vintermann · 2013-09-23 19:14 · Score: 3, Insightful

Wouldn't it be nice if the west had the entire moral high ground on this? Considering iranian physicists and physics professors are murdered by foreign agents over a low shoe, you can't blame Iran for being paranoid.

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xkcd is not in the sudoers file. This incident will be reported.
Re:Questions by drkim · 2013-09-23 19:36 · Score: 5, Funny

The article says he was studying lasers and optics. This makes him an unlikely choice for a nuclear anything program.
Congratulation!
You are the one-millionth poster on /. to post without reading the article! Great job! Keep up the good work!
[Balloons drop] [Confetti mortars fire]
"Iran has been pursuing a kind of uranium enrichment called SILEX which uses carbon dioxide lasers, the same kind of lasers that Kokabee was using in his graduate studies."
Re:Questions by Swave+An+deBwoner · 2013-09-23 19:47 · Score: 4, Informative

Answer to 2) is in TFM#1:

Iran has been pursuing a kind of uranium enrichment called SILEX which uses carbon dioxide lasers, the same kind of lasers that Kokabee was using in his graduate studies.
Answer to 1) took a few more Google cycles:

Did you know that thousands of Iranian students study in the United States each year? In fact, for the past several years, the number of Iranian students studying in American colleges and universities has steadily grown such that Iran is now 22nd among the top 25 places of origin for international students.
And, in recent months, President Obama and Secretary Clinton have announced big steps forward in promoting exchange and opportunity with the Iranian people. As Secretary Clinton announced in May 2011, (http://www.youtube.com/), new visa regulations now allow Iranian students to receive two-year, multiple entry visas. This gives young Iranians the opportunity to return home for family events, to participate in internships, to travel outside the United Statesâ"and they wonâ(TM)t need to get a new visa every time.
You can find the quote here:
http://iran.usembassy.gov/education.html
The so-called 'illegal earnings' by Chrisq · 2013-09-23 19:58 · Score: 3, Funny

The so-called 'illegal earnings' were the student loans he received while in Texas.
I hate to think how much compound interest he will have accumulated while in jail.
Re:College loans == illegal earnings . . . ? by m00sh · 2013-09-23 20:16 · Score: 3, Interesting

Islam generally frowns on "usury", so I guess a determined Iranian Religious Judge could easily fudge a conviction with a trumped up charge about that. Islamic Banking jumps through all kind of hoops to keep the Imams happy when making loans and paying interest.
But I'm curious if student loans are a general problem with Islam . . . ? Do pious students avoid them . . . ?
This would be a catastrophe for the US, if it would wake up tomorrow an Islamic Republic . . . all those students saddled with debt that will never be able to pay back would face prison, as well!
My wacky thought for the morning . . .
Foreign citizens are not eligible for student loans in the US. Kokabee probably got some other form of financial assistance like a fellowship or an assistantship. The summary is wrong.
The wikipedia article says he was working on his second PhD. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omid_Kokabee
What is the point of getting a second PhD? Other than financial, I don't see other reason to pursue a second PhD. Besides, all the class credits would transfer and you'd basically end up doing research what a post-doc would do but be a PhD student.
Re:Questions by viperidaenz · 2013-09-23 20:36 · Score: 3, Insightful

But you took a lot of money off them in the process.
That's all that matters, right?
Re:Questions by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-23 20:38 · Score: 3, Interesting

What a bunch of BS. there.
I am Iranian scholar staying outside Iran. Your post does not make any sense whatsoever.
Re:First! by durrr · 2013-09-23 21:25 · Score: 4, Funny

Well, something that will never get nuked are that guys student loans.
Re:Questions by mestar · 2013-09-23 21:48 · Score: 4, Funny

"Iran is now 22nd among the top 25 places of origin for international students."
Yes, yes, but how high is it among the top 100?
Re:Questions by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-23 22:43 · Score: 4, Funny

Well, obviously if they're 22nd among 25 they would be 88th among 100th.
Really, it's depressing how down is math level in /. these days.