Teenager killed by Indian Police During Kashmir Protest

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Managing Editor

SRINAGAR, Kashmir – Police in India-administered Kashmir reprovingly shot and killed a 16-year-old boy on Saturday during a demonstration on the outskirts of the city of Srinagar, the regions summer capital, as a separatist strike shut down the region for a second second day of violent clashes between Kashmiri separatist and Indian officials. The young boy’s uncle claims his nephew was detained by Indian police before he was shot and killed at point-blank range; Indian officials say they are investigating the allegations.

Protesters disperse amid smoke of tear gas fired by Indian police during a demonstration in Srinagar on 17 April 2015. (Photo courtesy of the Express Tribune)

Indian police reported that they had arrested two officers accused of being involved in the shooting a few hours after the incident. Witnesses say three others were injured during clashes with police. In a police statement Indian Police expressed concerns over the killing of the young protester saying; “regret the unfortunate incident.” the statement added that “a preliminary inquiry conducted into the matter indicates that the forces deployed have acted in violation of the laid-down SOP (Standard Operating Procedure).”

The demonstrators erupted in response to India’s apparent crackdown on separatists leadership within occupied Kashmir. The police killing occurred after protests erupted the day before after Friday prayers. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into crowds of protesters on Friday as demonstrators threw rocks at police and changed anti-Indian and pro-Pakistan slogans, Indian officials said. Earlier, Indian Police arrested Masarat Alam, a top Kashmiri separatist leader for allegedly leading an anti-India demonstration earlier in the week. Alam was placed under house arrest on Thursday night and then formally arrested Friday. His arrested came just weeks after he was released from prison after serving an five yer term for organizing anti-Indian protests in 2010. During the clashes on Friday, 30 people, mainly police officers, were injured as pro-Pakistani demonstrators in the city of Srinagar set fire to an Indian flag and threw rocks at police while protesting the arrest of Masarat Alam.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam addressed the violence in Kashmir saying; “brutality and coercion will not suppress aspirations and struggle of Kashmiris of their right to self-determination, promised by the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” she said. “Pakistan is deeply concerned at increase in systematic human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir and condemns brutal use of force by Indian security forces.”

Anti-Indian sentiment runs deep within the Indian administrated region of Kashmir. The Himalayan territory is dived by the Line of Control which separates the Pakistan-administered region from the Indian-Administrated region divining families and communities with shared cultural heritage between the two states. A number of militant organizations have operated in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir since the insurgency began in 1989, an estimated 68,000 people have killed in the fighting.

For more information please see:

The Express Tribune – Police Shoot 16-Year-Old Protester Dead in Indian Kashmir – 18 April 2015

The New York Times – One Killed in Kashmir Valley Protest – 18 April 2015

The Times of India – Jammu & Kashmir Police Accept Lapses in Narbal firing that Killed a Teenager – 18 April 2015

Reuters – Violent Clashes Erupt in Kashmir Over Arrest of Separatist Leaders – 17 April 2015

Prosecutor Drops Charges Against President Kirchner of Argentina

By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will no longer face allegations in court that she tried to cover up Iran’s involvement in a 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires.  The prosecutor has dismissed the allegations.

Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner / Image courtesy of Haaretz.com / AP

Prosecutor Javier de Luca’s decision to drop the case could mean a definitive end to the accusations that have stormed the nation, according to Argentina’s state-run Telam news agency.

The case put the international community on alert in January of 2015 after the original prosecutor who brought the allegations was found dead in his home.

Alberto Nisman’s dead body was discovered just days after making the accusations against President Kirchner.  His death jarred conspiracy theories and outrage.

Nisman accused the Argentine government of agreeing not to go after Iranian suspects in the bombing in exchange for a favorable trade deal.

The bombing occurred in 1994 and is the deadliest terrorist attack in the country’s history.  It is suspected that Iranians bombed the Jewish community center in the Argentine capital.  Eighty-five people were killed, and hundreds were injured.

Iran denies any involvement in the bombing.

After Nisman’s death another prosecutor took over and the case went to court in February.  A judge dismissed the case, saying that Nisman’s allegations did not hold up.

Furthermore, the Argentine government has sought to discredit Nisman.  Last week it made accusations that Nisman received salary kick-backs from the IT specialist who had been working with him on his investigation into the bombing.

Nisman spent the embezzled money on champagne, women and lavish vacations, according to President Kirchner’s cabinet chief.

After the dismissal, the case went to prosecutor de Luca for a possible appeal.

Yesterday, de Luca announced that in his investigation he found that “there was no crime here, either carried out or attempted,” according to Telam.

For more information, please see:

CNN – In Argentina, prosecutor drops allegations against President Kirchner – 21 Apr. 2015

Forward – Argentina Prosecutor Dismisses Iran Terror Cover-Up Case Against President – 21 Apr. 2015

Haaretz – Argentina prosecutor dismisses cover-up case against president – 21 Apr. 2015

Yahoo – Argentina court throws out case against Kirchner again – 21 Apr. 2015

Syrian Network for Human Rights: Waiting for the Second Ghouta Attack

Atrocity Accountability in Syria: What Criminal Investigations Have Uncovered

International Criminal Justice Today

ABA ICC Project

Thursday Apr 16, 2015

On April 14, 2015, the American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Human Rights and its International Criminal Court Project hosted a closed-door meeting of experts entitled “Atrocity Accountability in Syria: What Criminal Investigations Have Uncovered”, which featured a distinguished panel including Ambassador Stephen J. Rapp, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, Professor Larry D. Johnson, Professor of Law at Columbia Law School and former U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Dr. William Wiley, Executive Director of the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), and Chris Engels, Head of Regime Crimes Team for CIJA. Senior Counsel of the ABA Center for Human Rights and the Director of the ABA’s ICC Project, Kip Hale, moderated the discussion.

(Photo curtesy of International Criminal Justice Today and The American Bar Association Center for Human Rights and its International Criminal Court Project)

The event focused on the atrocity crimes investigations conducted by CIJA in Syria, specifically investigations of widespread detention centers crimes committed by Assad regime officials throughout Syria. The panelists’ remarks covered such issues such as the need for contemporaneous criminal investigations during the commission of atrocities, CIJA’s model and mandate, the results of CIJA’s investigations, and how all of this may impact policy on Syria. An informative and engaging discussion followed between the panelists and the assembled experts from the US government, policy think tanks, human rights and rule of law organizations, diplomats, and other members of civil society.

 

Hundreds Feared Dead After Migrant Boat Capsizes

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

ROME, Italy – A boat leaving Libya with around 700 migrants has capsized in the Mediterranean south of the Italian coast. So far only 28 survivors have been pulled from the water, along with 24 bodies; the rest are still missing with hundreds presumed dead.

The Italian Coast Guard was involved in the search for survivors after the boat capsized. (Photo courtesy of The New York Times)

 

The boat was 20 meters long and capsized 70 miles north of Libya. A Portuguese ship was directed by Italian authorities to go save the migrant ship after those aboard sent out a distress signal. When the Portuguese vessel neared the migrant ship, a large number of those aboard rushed to the side of the boat facing the Portuguese ship and their boat capsized. Four days earlier, another migrant boat capsized off the Libyan coast leaving 400 dead in addition to the 144 that had to be rescued. On April 6, 7 drowned near Turkey after a boat containing 29 Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Over 900 migrants have already died this year in the Mediterranean attempting, with some days requiring up to 20 migrants boats and 8,000 migrants in need of help.

French President Hollande and Human Rights Watch both called on the European Union to help in the rescue more, claiming that these deaths are preventable. Pope Francis also called on the EU to take action “decisively and quickly to stop these tragedies from recurring.” The EU in return is organizing to prepare a European Migration Strategy to be adopted by mid-May. Italian Prime Minister Renzi focused the blame on human traffickers for using ships of such poor quality to send over migrants. The International Organization of Migration estimates 3,072 migrants drowned last year, following 700 from 2013.

While it appears that this instance involved a prompt response, EU’s foreign policy chief, Italian Federica Mogherini, says “Now is time for the European Union as such to tackle these tragedies without delay.” Pope Francis also demanded decisive and quick responses for those “looking for a better life.”

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Hundreds Feared Dead After Boat Filled With Migrants Capsizes in Mediterranean – 19 April 2015

The New York Times – Hundreds Feared Dead After Boat Filled With Migrants Capsized in Mediterranean – 19 April 2015

CNN – ‘Genocide’ charged as boat capsizes in Mediterranean – 19 April 2015

Fox News – Migrant boat capsizes off Libya, 400 feared dead – 15 April 2015

Sunday’s Zaman – 7 drown as migrant boat capsizes near Datca – 6 April 2015