We, the undersigned, stand in defense of scientific integrity, open inquiry, and the fundamental right of researchers to pursue knowledge free from political interference.

Science thrives on transparency, rigorous debate, and the ability to follow evidence wherever it leads. Yet, around the world—including in the United States and authoritarian regimes such as China—we are witnessing an alarming rise in political efforts to censor, manipulate, or control scientific discourse. These attacks not only undermine fundamental academic freedoms but also threaten global progress in public health, environmental protection, technological innovation, and human rights.

Our Demands
We call on governments, funding bodies, academic institutions, and international organizations to:

1. Protect Scientific Freedom: Ensure that research funding decisions are made based on scientific merit, not political ideology.
2. Stop Censorship in Public Health and Environmental Science: Allow government scientists to communicate freely with the public and publish research without political interference.
3. Preserve Open Access to Data: Governments must not delete, withhold, or manipulate scientific data that serves the public good.
4. End Retaliation Against Scientists: Protect researchers from political persecution, dismissal, or harassment for pursuing objective science.
5. Hold Violators Accountable: Establish mechanisms to investigate and counteract political interference in science, including independent oversight bodies.

Scientific integrity is the foundation of progress, public trust, and global collaboration. We refuse to let it be compromised by political agendas.

Join us in standing for free inquiry, evidence-based decision-making, and the right of scientists everywhere to conduct research without fear of censorship or retaliation.

Sign this petition and demand action to defend scientific freedom.

Examples for concerning political action to censor or control scientific discourse

United States (Trump Administration)

• Censorship of Public Health Research: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has banned the use of certain words in research publications, including terms related to gender, identity, and reproductive health, limiting scientists’ ability to address urgent public health challenges.
• Suppression of Research on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has frozen funding for projects that involve topics related to diversity, equity, or inclusion, directly violating principles of academic freedom.
• Flagging of “Politically Sensitive” Research: NSF has created lists of words used to identify research that might violate President Donald Trump’s executive orders, imposing ideological restrictions on federally funded scientific work.
• Removal of Scientific Data: Government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NOAA, have systematically removed publicly available climate and environmental research from official websites, hindering access to crucial data.
• Targeting of Scientists and Federal Employees: Researchers within government agencies have been pressured, reassigned, or fired for producing work that contradicts political narratives, silencing scientific expertise in decision-making.

China and Other Authoritarian Regimes

• Control Over Pandemic Research: The Chinese government heavily restricted access to COVID-19 data, censored early warnings from scientists, and silenced doctors and researchers who sought to share critical information with the world.
• Genomic Research Censorship: Work on sensitive topics such as human rights abuses in Xinjiang, including research on genetic tracking of ethnic minorities, has been suppressed, with scientists facing persecution.
• Suppression of Climate Science: China has limited the publication of research that criticizes its environmental policies, stifling global discussions on pollution and carbon emissions.
• Harassment and Detention of Researchers: Scientists and academics who publish work critical of government policies have been arrested, silenced, or stripped of research funding.