UK Academies express concern over treatment of Mexican scientists

On 3 December, the Royal Society joined the Academy of Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Learned Society of Wales, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh in expressing their concern regarding the treatment of 31 Mexican scientists and scientific administrators who have been accused of serious financial crimes, and urging that any further investigatory action in connection with the alleged activities of these individuals follows due process and is in accord with Mexico’s commitments under international human rights law.Their call, made in a joint letter to President Obrador, follows reports of repeated attempts to arrest and detain these individuals without sufficient evidence.The case has sparked concern among the international science community, with several national science academies and over 100 individual researchers from around the world speaking out about the treatment of the scientists.