International Tribunal for Sentencing Scientists for Crimes against Mankind

As part of a process towards the creation of a Tribunal held by independent NGOs, we hereby present our very preliminary draft.

In the case of genetic engineering, as well as mobile phone technology, two areas that we are especially acquainted with (footnote 1):

• There are reasons to suspect that scientists have contributed with misleading or distorted research data, thereby endangering public safety.
• Scientists in national and international bodies regulating the safety standards have ignored or suppressed important information of crucial importance for the assessment of the safety of said technologies.
• Said misconduct of these scientists has promoted the commercial application of genetic engineering and mobile phones in spite of sufficient evidence to prove that these technologies represent a significant danger to the health of mankind as well as the environment.

- therefore we find it necessary, for the prevention of further misuse of the status as a scientist for promoting commercial or political interests, that a Tribunal is created for impartial judgement of possible crimes against mankind by said scientists.

We suggest the members of the following bodies are the first ones to be subjected to trial, because their power and widespread impact makes the crimes of these scientists especially serious:

• The scientific members of the FAO Codex Alimentarius that has accepted the application of the unscientific principle of "Substantial Equivalence" for safety assessment of genetically engineered foods (see Inadequate safety assessment of GE foods). Because of this, millions of people are eating GMOs, insufficiently tested for safety, thereby running the risk of being exposed to dangerous poisons, see "The Showa Denko Tryptophan disaster".
• The scientific advisors of the EU commission who have ignored important research data regarding the safety of mobile phones, wrongly concluding that mobile phones are unlikely to lead to an increase in cancer in humans (see our recent appeal to the EU to limit the usage of mobile phones in youth and the reply of EU).
• Those scientists at the FDA who have been ignoring both significant research regarding the safety of genetically engineered foods as well as of mobile phones.

The definition of Crimes against mankind needs to be updated

This process includes the formulation of a more modern definition of what is a crime against mankind.

According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum:

"Crimes against mankind constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings. They are not isolated or sporadic events, but are part either of a government policy (although the perpetrators need not identify themselves with this policy) or of a wide practice of atrocities tolerated or condoned by a government or a de facto authority. Murder, extermination, torture, rape, political, racial, or religious persecution and other inhumane acts reach the threshold of crimes against humanity only if they are part of a widespread or systematic practice. Isolated inhumane acts of this nature may constitute grave infringements of human rights, or depending on the circumstances, war crimes, but may fall short of falling into the category of crimes under discussion."

We find this definition outdated. Because science now has developed powerful technologies that may cause serious suffering or death of millions and because globalization enables their rapid dissemination, we find it justified to expand the definition to include the promotion of such technologies by irresponsible and corrupt scientists. This is because the recommendation of scientists has a decisive influence on the possibility to commercialize such technologies. Moreover, promoting a technology that may cause widespread harm, by ignoring or suppressing the truth, represents a serious violation of scientific code.

Crime prevention and punishment

Firsthand, the purpose of the Tribunal will be preventive, by disinspiring scientists from irresponsible and corrupt promotion of hazardous technologies. Until now, they have been able to do so without any risk of being accused of harmful behaviour.

Also, by sentencing scientists, and making their names publicly known, the quilty ones will be classified as irresponsible and unreliable, and will thereby be prevented from continuing their destructive activity as safety assessment advisors. Through the Trials, the public will also become more aware of the dangers of the technologies, thereby offsetting the promotive influence of the actions of the guilty scientists.

Footnote 1

For details, see:

• Major conclusions about the safety of genetically engineered foods"
• Mobile phone technology

Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology (PSRAST)