Free Rainforest Researcher Marc van Roosmalen
- van: Peter Kobel
- ontvanger: Brazilian Minister of Justice Tarso Genro
Marc van Roosmalen is a world-renowned botanist and primatologist whose research in the Amazon rainforest has led to the discovery of five species of monkeys and a new primate genus. But Dr. van Roosmalen has been sentenced to nearly 16 years in jail in Brazil on spurious or trivial charges, including keeping orphan monkeys at his home.
Dr. van Roosmalen, who won Time magazine's Heroes for the Planet environmental award in 2000, has been outspoken about illegal logging in the Amazon. He is the victim of a witch-hunt because of his struggle to protect species and their natural habitat from loggers and soy companies. Supporters argue that his sentence amounts to criminalizing science in Brazil.
Please sign the petition asking Brazilian Minister of Justice Tarso Genro to give Dr. van Roosmalen a full and complete pardon immediately.
Dear Mr. Genro, Minister of Justice:
We, the undersigned, ask that biologist Dr. Marc van Roosmalen be given a complete and unconditional pardon.
Dr. van Roosmalen, a world-renowned scientist, was recently sentenced to nearly 16 years in jail on a number of charges, including having several native orphan monkeys at his home. But Dr. van Roosmalen has spent decades researching the riches of Brazil's rainforest and has made important contributions, such as the discovery of new primate species.
Many in the world scientific community are concerned that his harsh sentence will have a chilling effect on conservation research in Brazil. Because the protection of Amazonian region is of vast importance both to Brazil and the world, that would be a great tragedy.
It is for that reason that we ask for Dr. van Roosmalen's unconditional pardon. Thank you for taking the time to consider our petition.
Respectfully,
