Victory for Journalist Rights in Egypt

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

CAIRO, Egypt – Today Egyptian President, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi officially pardoned two of the three Al Jazeeran journalists who were jailed earlier this year, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. These three journalists were jailed on charges of airing false news against the state. They were heavily, and possibly illegitimately prosecuted, because of their alleged connection to the Muslim Brotherhood, an outlawed political group in Egypt. If the third journalist, Peter Greste, was pardoned is unclear at this time.

Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy (Photo courtesy Belfast Telegraph)

This whole situation started two years ago when the trio was sentenced to three years in jail for aiding a terrorist organization, the Muslim Brotherhood. This sentence was later overturned and a new sentence was handed down by Egypt’s high court. These sentences were met with loud international outcry from governments and human rights groups. Egypt, which had committed itself to democracy and free speech, seemed to be going back on its promise.

 

This criticism did seem to have had some impact on president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s decision. The decision to pardon these two journalists along with a 100 other prisoners coming days before a U.N. General Assembly meeting is likely more than a coincidence.

 

Most of these prisoners were arrested because they violated a questionable Egyptian law that had outlawed unsanctioned demonstrations. This type of law is a serious check on any real claim to free speech Egypt could make. The consequence of this law and its strict enforcement had all but ended demonstrations in Cairo against new government leadership.

 

It was a day of joy for the two men but not all is forgiven against Egypt. Greste, the unpardoned journalist living in Australia called it “absolutely extraordinary news,” but called for the undoing of injustice done to him and other prisoners by Egypt.

 

Al Jazeere, the employer of the two journalists, also had some pointed words about the occasion. Mostefa Souag, the network’s general director said, “It is hard to celebrate though, as this whole episode should not have happened in the first place. They’ve lost nearly two years of their lives when they were guilty of nothing except journalism.”

 

Such criticism is fair, especially if you believe that the move by president Sisi was motivated by politics and not by intent to change Egypt’s political climate. This action so close to a U.N. General Assembly meeting could simply be a political bargaining chip. It could also signal some real change finally coming from Egyptian leadership.

 

The release of these 100 prisoners should be seen as a step in the right direction. However, much still remains to be done. There are still many more who have been jailed for voicing criticism or backing the wrong political party. The 2013 law that outlawed unsanctioned demonstrations is also still in play. If Egypt really wanted to shows its commitment to change, releasing more political prisoners and repealing this law would be a smart place to start.

 

For more information, please see:

 

Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera journalists freed from Egypt prison – 23 September 2015

U.S. News – Egypt’s president pardons 2 Al-Jazeera journalists ahead of visit to United Nations – 23 September 2015

ABC News – Al Jazeera retrial: Egypt pardons journalists Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed – 23 September 2015

The Guardian – Egypt pardons and releases jailed Al-Jazeera journalists – 23 September 2015

Los Angeles Declares State of Emergency to Deal With Homeless Crisis

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Oceania

LOS ANGELES, United States of America — The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday declared a State of Emergency on homelessness, calling for $100 million to help address the growing crisis. The West Coast city is the first in the country to declare a State of Emergency over the growing number of street dwellers.

A Homeless Man Sits on the Lawn of City Hall as the Mayor Speaks in the Background. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News)

According to an LA Times report, the number of homeless people living on the city’s streets has grown by 12 percent since 2013.

City Council President Herb Wesson, along with members of the council’s Homelessness and Poverty Committee, and Mayor Eric Garcetti, announced the plan during a news conference outside City Hall, as homeless people dozed nearby on a lawn.

“This city has pushed this problem from neighborhood to neighborhood for too long, from bureaucracy to bureaucracy,” Mayor Garcetti said. “Every single day we come to work, we see folks lying on this grass, a symbol of our city’s intense crisis.”

Los Angeles has one of the largest unsheltered populations in the country, and more than an estimated 25,000 homeless residents. Some of those men and women live on the city’s infamous Skid Row, a makeshift camp on public sidewalks that stretches for blocks.

Gary Blasi, a Professor Emeritus at the UCLA School of Law, said the promise to fund new housing and services for the homeless people in L.A. was a positive step for a city government that has recently been preoccupied with empowering police to crack down on encampments.

“If it is purely symbolic, that will be bad,” Professor Blasi said. “But at least people are engaging in a conversation about how to solve the problem, instead of just moving it around the city.”

In addition to the one-time $100 million funding proposed by the council, Mayor Garcetti is calling for an annual $100 million to fund permanent housing for the homeless and to set up a foundation dedicated to the issue.

In the short term, Mayor Garcetti wants $13 million in emergency funding to grow homeless services and housing, most of which would be allocated in the form of subsidies. “If we can lift up those in need, and pick up those left behind, then we can live up to the best of our ideals,” Garcetti said.

Tuesday’s announcement by Mayor Garcetti was also marked by evidence of the confused tactics critics say have hindered an effective city response to a growing challenge.

Council members haven’t identified the sources for all of the money or how it would be used. Meanwhile, the mayor has yet to release a sweeping plan, now weeks overdue, he says he is crafting to end homelessness. Late in July, Garcetti said in a speech that his office was preparing a three-part “battle plan” for what he dubbed a “war on homelessness here in Los Angeles.”

 

For more information, please see:

BBC News — Los Angeles: $100m plan to tackle homeless ’emergency’ – 23 September 2105

CNN — Los Angeles declares ‘state of emergency’ on homelessness – 23 September 2015

International Business Times — Los Angeles Mayor Announces State Of Emergency To Tackle Homeless Crisis, City Council Pledges $100M – 23 September 2015

Al-Jazeera America — Los Angeles declares homelessness state of emergency – 22 September 2015

LA Times — L.A. to declare ‘state of emergency’ on homelessness, commit $100 million – 22 September 2015

Rights Groups Urge for Saudi Arabia to Cancel Death Penalty for Young Man

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – France and experts from the United Nations, join rights groups in urging that Saudi Arabia cancel the execution of a young man because he was a minor when he was arrested. Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr was sentenced to death in May for taking part in a protest three years ago.

Photo of Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Namir. (Photo Courtesty of The Huffington Post UK)

Al-Nimr could be executed, by beheading, and then crucified at any time. Crucifixion is a public display of the body after the execution to warn others not to commit the same crime. The execution is likely to happen at any times, as al-Nimr’s final appeal was rejected last week. His family does not even know when the execution is to occur because Saudi Arabia does not give the families notice.

When he was only 17 years old, al-Nimr was arrested for protesting in the Arab Spring protests in 2012. The protestors demanded equal rights and democracy for the province of Qatif. Al-Nimr was convicted for various charges including, attacking police with Molotov cocktails, being a member of a terrorist cell, incitement, encouraging sectarianism, breaking allegiance with the king, robbing a pharmacy, and rioting.

A source who is close to the al-Nimr family, spoke to CNN and stated that Ali was innocent of the charges. The source told CNN, “Ali’s young. He just went (to the demonstrations) with people from his school and chanted with the guys and took pictures.” The source claimed that al-Nimr’s sentence was only used as a means to seek “revenge against his uncle.” Ali al-Nimr’s uncle, a Shi’a cleric,  is also condemned to death for charges including, sedition, breaking allegiance with the ruler, and encouraging sectarianism.

The final appeal was heard in court without al-Nimr or his lawyer being present. Sadeeq al-Jabran, al-Nimr’s lawyer, tweeted on Tuesday, “We as a defense team have not been able to visit Ali al-Nimr at the detention center to prepare his defense.” Many rights groups allege that al-Nimr had not received a fair trial and may have been forced to sign a confession to the charges. It is also alleged that al-Nimr may have been tortured.

France, who rarely comments on Saudi Arabia’s death penalties because of the shear frequency, is “opposed to the death penalty in all cases and circumstances, we call for the execution to be called off,” stated the Foreign ministry spokesman, Romain Nadal.

Saudi Arabia is a signatory on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits capital punishments for individuals who commit crimes under the age of 18. Donald Campbell, spokesperson for the international human rights charity Reprieve, stated, “The international community – particularly Saudi Arabia’s closest allies, the UK and the U.S. – must stand with the French government and U.N. experts against this outrage, and call on Saudi authorities to halt this unjustified killing.”

A Saudi Ambassador, Faisal Trad, has recently been appointed to a consultative group for the U.N.’s Human Rights Council. A spokesperson for the Human Rights Council, told CNN, “Members of the Consultative Group are appointed by their regional groups” not the U.N. body and “these members serve in their personal capacity, not their national capacity.”

In August, a report published by Amnesty International alleged that 102 people had been executed in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2015.

For more information, please see:

BBC – The young Saudi who Could be Executed at any Time – 23 September 2015

CNN – U.N., Rights Groups Call on Saudi Arabia to Spare Man From Beheading, Crucifixion – 23 September 2015

Reuters – France Urges Saudi Arabia to Cancel Death Penalty for Young Shi’ite – 23 September 2015

The New York Times – France Urges Saudi Arabia to Cancel Death Penalty for Young Shi’ite – 23 September 2015

The Huffington Post UK – Ali Mohammed al-Nimr Sentenced to Crucifixion in Saudi Arabia for Attending Pro-Democracy Protest– 22 September 2015

Venezuela & Colombia Reconcile, Work Towards Reopening Border

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

QUITO, Ecuador — After a month of tension, Venezuela and Colombia have reestablished diplomatic ties and have begun working towards reopening border crossings.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos engaged in five hours of discussion hosted by President Rafael Correra of Ecuador at the Presidential Palace in Quito. Correra along with President Tabare Vazquez of Uruguay mediated the meeting. Regional organizations UNASUR and CELAC also participated in the discussions.

From left to right: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correra, and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos following peace talks in Quito. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

Following the talks, Correra read a joint statement issued by Santos and Maduro, which detailed a seven point statement of peace agreements, which included the reinstatement of their ambassadors, strengthening bilateral dialogue, an investigation of the border situation and to find a solution to the problems plaguing the border.

A follow-up meeting will be held on September 23rd.

The Venezuelan/Colombian border has been in a state of crisis since President Maduro implemented a state of emergency and closed border crossings in several regions about a month ago. Maduro blames smugglers operating across the border for an increase in crime and the worsening economy in Venezuela.

Tensions spiked last week when the Colombian government accused a Venezuelan fighter jet of flying into its airspace.

Problems regarding the border have existed for years, dating back to a series of diplomatic spats between the late Venezuelan socialist leader Hugo Chavez and former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The area, which is sparsely populated, is a hotbed of activity for smugglers and paramilitary groups.

As many as 20,000 Colombians living in Venezuela have been displaced as a result of what the United Nations calls a “critical humanitarian situation.”

 

For more information, please see:

Colombia Reports – Colombia and Venezuela restore diplomatic ties, but border remains closed – 21 September 2015

Reuters – Venezuela and Colombia agree to restore ambassadors after spat – 21 September 2015

TeleSur – Venezuela, Colombia Agree to Address Border Closure Dispute – 21 September 2015

BBC – Venezuela and Colombia to normalise ties after border row – 22 September 2015

Financial Times – Colombia and Venezuela ease tensions – 22 September 2015

Fox News Latino – After month-long border dispute, Colombia and Venezuela agree to redeploy ambassadors – 22 September 2015

Times – Colombia and Venezuela Agree to Normalize Relations After Border Dispute – 22 September 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pakistani Court Postpones Execution of Paraplegic Inmate

By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan –

Pakistan’s Lahore High Court postponed the execution of paraplegic inmate Abdul Basit on Tuesday, about an hour before his hanging was scheduled to occur. The postponement came just a day after Pakistan’s Supreme Court rejected a plea to grant Mr. Basit an execution stay order. It is unclear how long the postponement will last.

Mr. Basit has been on death row since he was convicted of murder in 2009 and has maintained his innocence throughout his time in prison. Mr. Basit became paralyzed after he contracted tubercular meningitis in prison, according to Sara Belal, an attorney at legal aid group Justice Project Pakistan.

Mr. Basit’s paraplegic condition makes it impossible for him to stand. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

According to the postponement order, Mr. Basit cannot be hanged in compliance with Pakistani prison guidelines, which state that the prisoner must stand on the gallows. In order to follow prison guidelines, the rope used as a noose must be a length proportional to the height of the prisoner in order to ensure that the prisoner has an instant, more humane death. Because Mr. Basit is in a wheelchair, figuring out the proper length of the rope is difficult.

There is concern among human rights groups that the hanging could go badly—if the rope is not the correct length, there is a risk that Mr. Basit will be either decapitated or subjected to prolonged strangulation. Both decapitation and prolonged strangulation would breach Mr. Basit’s dignity. Because the breach of a prisoner’s dignity is protected by Pakistan’s constitution, a botched hanging would violate Mr. Basit’s fundamental rights.

Before the postponement, Amnesty International issued a statement on Monday calling for Pakistan to cancel the execution and to impose a moratorium on all other executions. In the statement, Sultana Noon, Amnesty’s Pakistan Researcher, stated that Pakistani authorities should grant reprieve to Mr. Basit instead of deliberating on the logistics of hanging a man in a wheelchair.

Both the Pakistani Supreme Court and Lahore High Court previously authorized Mr. Basit’s execution. Mr. Basit’s hanging was initially scheduled for last month, but was postponed. The hanging was then re-authorized despite the fact that Mr. Basit filed a mercy petition with the courts, which is still pending.

After imposing a seven yearlong moratorium on all executions, Pakistan reintroduced the death penalty in December 2014. According to the Pakistani government, it reintroduced the death penalty measure to combat terrorism after a Taliban attack on a Peshawar school in which 150 people, mostly children, were killed. However, most of the prisoners that have been executed since the moratorium ended did not have terrorism-related convictions.

There have been 239 hangings in 2015 since Pakistan lifted the moratorium on executions. Additionally, Pakistan has the largest number of death row prisoners worldwide, with more than 8,000 prisoners awaiting execution.

 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Abdul Basit: Pakistan Delays Hanging of Paraplegic Man – 22 September 2015

CNN – Pakistan Court Delays Paraplegic’s execution – 22 September 2015

Amnesty International – Pakistan: Halt Execution of Paralysed Man Due to Take Place Tomorrow – 21 September 2015

New York Times – Pakistan: Supreme Court Declines to Block Execution of Paraplegic Inmate – 21 September 2015