Syria Justice and Accountability Centre: Standardized ISIS Detention Procedures: Structured Brutality, Battlefield Adaptability

 

July 22, 2015

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Over the past several months, the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre’s (SJAC) Documentation Team in Turkey has worked to document detention centers run by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The Team interviewed four former ISIS detainees and gathered information on ISIS detention conditions and procedures. Although the bases for ISIS detentions appear not to be uniform, ISIS detention practices seem to have developed into standardized procedures. SJAC has summarized and analyzed several of the trends that can be gathered from the interviewees’ experiences and their descriptions of what other detainees endured or reported.

Method of Detention

According to interviewees,  ISIS generally detains prisoners collectively. Up to 50 ISIS fighters at a time gather the detainees in large numbers with their eyes blindfolded and their arms tied behind their backs. The interviewees said they were picked up by ISIS fighters in an entourage of 11 to 15 pickup trucks bearing the ISIS logo. Among the former detainees that SJAC interviewed, three identified their arrestors as familiar men from their hometown, some of whom were as close as next door neighbors. After the mass arrests, the ISIS fighters take the detainees to local schools that ISIS has converted into temporary detention centers. Once all the arrest squads gather the detainees in the school, they then move the detainees to isolated locations, such as farmhouses in rural areas, a process which can take several days. If the chosen locations are inhabited, ISIS men forcibly remove the residents to clear the buildings for their detainees. During this time, the detainees receive no communication of the reasons for their arrest.

Upon Arrival to the Detention Centers

The converted farmhouses serve as the interrogation sites. Upon arrival, the detainees are greeted as a group by two men, a Syrian and an Iraqi. The Syrian collects the inmates’ belongings and confiscates any weapons. The Iraqi is responsible for initial interrogations, which are conducted while the detainees are still in a group, to determine the charges and respective fate of each detainee. One interviewee recounted a power struggle in which the Syrian attempted to interrogate the detainees but the Iraqi pushed back against his overreach of authority.

Following the interrogation, the guards separate the detainees into two smaller groups. The first group consists of detainees accused of minor crimes, such as working for non-governmental relief organizations, smoking, and, in some cases, no charge whatsoever. These detainees remain in Syria and are usually set to be released within a short period of time. The second group of detainees are those accused of major crimes, such as membership in the Free Syrian Army (FSA) or relationship with non-ISIS media groups. Those accused of major crimes are transported with caution (to avoid detection and coalition airstrikes) to Iraq for longer-term detention.

Detention Conditions

For each detainee accused of a minor crime, ISIS creates a file with the detainee’s name, surname, occupation, birthdate, and personal photo to keep a record in case the detainee is arrested again in the future. Meanwhile, ISIS guards move the detainees accused of major crimes in a fleet of cars to Iraq, changing drivers periodically along the way. At the end of the journey, the detainees are placed in prisons in the ISIS-controlled town of Al-Qa’im where ISIS maintains numerous hideout facilities to avoid coalition airstrikes. One interviewee described the Iraqi prisons as “caravans” which are regularly moved to avoid discovery. The caravan consists of about three cells eight square meters in size with between 10 to 20 prisoners in each cell. During airstrikes, the detainees are moved to other facilities that have not yet been discovered by the coalition where more prisoners are confined to each cell.

The former detainees accused of minor crimes told SJAC that they had been served two meals a day. Water, however, was scarce and no showers were allowed. ISIS even restricted ablution for prayers to only twice a day. Prisoners accused of major crimes had more limited access to food and water, with only one serving of food a day. One interviewee accused of a major crime informed SJAC that ISIS guards had refused him water when it was time to break the day’s fast during Ramadan even as the guards drank water in front of him. The interviewees also said that in some instances, the shortage of potable water was used as a mechanism for torture.

Torture and Punishment

Following initial group interrogation, detainees are subjected to individual interrogations, which often include torture. Every interviewee mentioned the name Abu Anas, an important ISIS figure who visits prisoners prior to their release. Abu Anas is an Iraqi citizen and the prince of the Khair state which lies between Deir Azzour in Syria and parts of Iraq. According to the interviewees, Abu Anas has a large build, stern posture, and harsh attitude. He asks the detainees about their alleged crimes and supervises their torture, sometimes personally beating any detainee accused of committing a crime he “does not like.” He inflicts the worst punishments on journalists and members of the FSA or Al Nusra Front. Interviewees reported hearing Abu Anas order his men to kill or detain any FSA member they came across, and in the detention centers, sick or wounded FSA members are not allowed treatment until Abu Anas has left the facility.

Torture under ISIS takes many forms. ISIS’s primary torture tactic, according to the interviewees, is the “Akrab Knot” where both arms are twisted until they are dislocated at the shoulder, allowing the guards to tie both arms together in the back by a metal chain. The Akrab Knot is almost always used in conjunction with an additional tactic. Most commonly, after the prisoner’s arms are tied, the guards hang him so that his toes barely touch the ground. The guard then begins beating the detainee until he starts to confess to his alleged crimes. Once the detainee’s confession matches ISIS’s accusations, the prisoner is untied and lowered back to the ground and the ISIS guard continues with the interrogation. The interviewees lose all feeling in their arms even after they are released due to the excruciating pain of torture.

Prisoners accused of minor crimes, like smoking, are rarely tortured but could be exposed to verbal abuse.

The Process for Release

The SJAC interviewees did not recount a standardized release procedure. Most of the interviewees attested that prior to releasing prisoners, an approval from the ISIS Emir in charge of that region has to be received. One interviewee accused of a major crime reported that he had been dropped off on the side of the road in Iraq with no money and had to figure out a way to get home to Syria on his own. One former detainee said he was thrown out of the pickup truck while tied and blindfolded and had to wait until someone came along to untie him.

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Amidst chaos, ISIS appears to be conducting efficient arrest and detention operations. Detentions are arbitrary in terms of substance because detainees can be detained without reason and are guilty by accusation. However, interviewee descriptions of detention experiences indicate that ISIS has developed systematic procedures that have relatively standardized the detention process itself. Interviewees uniformly reported collective arrest by a large ISIS entourage. Additionally, descriptions of the interrogation process, detention facility locations, and division of roles among ISIS members indicate uniform planning and organization. Even though ISIS is under attack from multiple fronts, its high adaptability is borne out by detention procedures that are responsive to changing battlefield conditions while remaining internally consistent.

For more information and to provide feedback please email SJAC at info@syriaaccountability.org .

 

Colombia and FARC Agree to De-escalate

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia has agreed to de-escalate attacks against FARC rebels, so long as FARC maintains their unilateral ceasefire. FARC representatives announced on July 8th that they would initiate a ceasefire starting July 20th. The Colombian government agreed to de-escalate actions against FARC. Representatives of the two parties announced the agreement in a joint press release from the ongoing peace conference, held in Havana, Cuba.

Colombian lead negotiator Humberto de la Calle and FARC lead negotiator Ivan Marquez at Havana peace talks. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

Talks have been ongoing for about two and a half years, but have recently suffered set-backs caused by a significant escalation of violence between the parties in recent months. The most recent ceasefire (called for by FARC in December 2014) ended after 11 Colombian soldiers were killed in April. FARC officially ended the ceasefire on May 22, and relations between the parties (and the quality of the peace talks) have deteriorated since.

Following the initial April incident, Colombia resumed bombing campaigns against FARC-held positions. FARC responded by targeting Colombian oil pipelines. June was the most violent month in the Colombian/FARC conflict since 2012, with the Conflict Analysis Resource Center (in Bogota) logging 83 armed attacks during the month.

Although FARC has called for bilateral ceasefires in the past, the Colombian government has rejected the notion each time. The lead negotiator for the Colombian government, Humberto de la Calle, has emphasized that this agreement does not constitute a bilateral cease fire.

Speaking following the announcement of the agreement, de la Calle said, “We are not going to just paralyze government forces for a simple illusion that will later prove frustrating.” He specified that Colombian forces will continue to respond to any instances of violence coming from FARC rebels.

Talks have been ongoing between Colombia and FARC in Havana since November 2012. Cuba and Norway are both acting as guarantors to the peace process, and have each called for a truce. Pope Francis has also offered Vatican assistance in the peace process.

Colombian President Santos has pledged that the government and FARC will work together towards a final peace agreement “without delay.” He also announced that he will make a decision in four months on whether to continue the process, or not.

220,000 people have died in the 50 year conflict between the government and the rebels, and millions of civilians have been displaced.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Colombia agrees to reduce attacks against the Farc – 12 July 2015

International Business Times – Colombia and FARC Agree on De-Escalation Plan, Removing Roadblock to Historic Peace Deal – 12 July 2015

REUTERS – Colombia says to de-escalate war if rebels uphold ceasefire – 12 July 2015

TeleSur – FARC and Colombian Government Agree to Ease Hostilities – 12 July 2015

ABC News – Pope Offers Vatican Assistance to Colombia Peace Process – 13 July 2015

 

Russia Blocks UN Security Council Resolution Recognizing Srebrenica Massacre as “Genocide”

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

UNITED NATIONS–

UN Security Council held a session last Wednesday on a resolution that would have condemned the Srebrenica massacre of 1995 as a “crime of genocide.” The text of the resolution stated that the “acceptance of the tragic events at Srebrenica as genocide is a prerequisite for reconciliation.” Of the fifteen members of the Security Council, four members abstained from the vote, while ten voted in favor. Only Russia voted against the resolution. The resolution’s failure to pass marks a new low in international politics and relations among the Western powers.

In 1995, 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica. Approximately 7,000 bodies have been recovered since the incident; about 1,000 victims are still missing. (Photo courtesy of dw.com)

This week marks the 20th anniversary of the killing of 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb troops in the worst massacre since the Second Word War. The victims were shot and buried in a mass grave after Serbian forces overran a safe zone watched by Dutch United Nations peacekeepers during the final months of the Bosnian War.

The Russian ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, described the resolution as “counter productive, confrontational and politically motivated.” He claimed that the resolution blamed the Bosnian Serbs for atrocities that were committed by all parties involved in the conflict. The resolution would further “doom the region to tension,” Mr. Churkin claimed, as Serbia was opposed to the motion. Russia and Serbia have close political ties.

Prior to the vote, the United States, Russia, and Britain attempted to come to a compromise on the language of the text. The American ambassador, Samantha Power, stated that the writers of the draft attempted to tackle many of Russia’s concerns, but Russia spurned the definition of genocide offered by the resolution. The vote had been pushed back a day to address other issues Russia had, but to no avail.

Serbia, who does not have a seat on the Security Council, has denied the allegations that the massacre was a “genocide,” and asked ally Russia to block the resolution. The denial is in spite of a UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague and other international courts recognizing the event as a genocide. Serbia admits that a “grave crime” was committed as it created closer ties with the West, but refuses to call acknowledge the legal definition of genocide.

For more information, please see–

BBC– Russia vetoes UN move to call Srebrenica ‘genocide’— 08 July 2015

Business Insider–Russia blocks U.N. condemnation of Srebrenica as a genocide— 08 July 2015

DW.com– Russia blocks UN resolution condemning Srebrenica ‘genocide’— 08 July 2015

New York Times– Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution Calling Srebrenica Massacre ‘Crime of Genocide’— 08 July 2015

The Telegraph– Russia blocks UN resolution condemning Srebrenica massacre as genocide— 08 July 2015