By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On August 26, Human Rights Watch called on the Lebanese government to address the high rate of unnatural deaths of migrant domestic workers.  Since January 2007, at least 95 migrant workers have died in Lebanon.

Of these 95 deaths, 40 are classified as suicide, while 24 others were caused by workers falling from high buildings, often while trying to escape their employers. By contrast, only 14 domestic workers died because of diseases or health issues.  Key factors pushing these women to kill themselves or risk their lives are forced confinement, excessive work demands, employer abuse, and financial pressures.  Read more...

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On August 26, Human Rights Watch called on the Lebanese government to address the high rate of unnatural deaths of migrant domestic workers.  Since January 2007, at least 95 migrant workers have died in Lebanon.

Of these 95 deaths, 40 are classified as suicide, while 24 others were caused by workers falling from high buildings, often while trying to escape their employers. By contrast, only 14 domestic workers died because of diseases or health issues.  Key factors pushing these women to kill themselves or risk their lives are forced confinement, excessive work demands, employer abuse, and financial pressures.  Read more...

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – The detained Myanmar opposition leader, Aung San Sun Kyi, missed a scheduled meeting with a United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.  Mr. Gambari, a UN representative on a five-day mission to push for reconciliation between opposition groups and the military, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962.  He met briefly Wednesday with top leaders from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, but his planned meeting with Aung San Sun Kyi did not take place.  Nyan Win, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy, said he did not know why Aung San Sun Kyi did not go, but added, the reason could be that Suu Kyi is not satisfied with the present condition during this visit of Mr. Gambari.  Nyan Win also expressed his concern about Aung San Sun Kyi’s health.  Read more...

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MORANG, Nepal – Sumitra Khawas was detained at Area Police Office (APO) of Belbari in the Morang district on September 9^th for allegedly murdering her husband. Sumitra disclosed to a Nepalese human rights organization, Advocacy Forum (AF), about her abuse in the hands of police officers.

Sumitra told AF lawyers and activists that she was forced to strip naked for prolonged periods of time.  Then, she was repeatedly beaten by punches, and threatened with poisonous lizards to be dropped in her clothes. She said the interrogation lasted about two hours while police tried to get Sumitra to sign a confession for her husband’s murder. Sumitra refused. She recalled three perpetrators, two men and one woman, who were police officers at APO.  Read more...

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – On October 14th, Khem Ngoun, a key Khmer Rouge official,  and four others were convicted of kidnapping and murdering Christopher Howes, a British mine clearing expert for Mines Advisory Group (MAG).

Christopher Howes worked in a mine-clearance operation near the town of Siem Reap, Cambodia, 12 years ago. Ngoun was largely regarded as being responsible for the kidnapping and execution of Howes. The Khmer Rouge ambushed Howes’ team, held 20 miners hostage, and demanded ransom money from Howes and his interpreter, Houn Hourth. Howes refused and was taken back to the main Khmer Rouge camp where Ngoun ordered his execution. The 20 miners were later released or escaped. Howes and Hourth were often seen as heroes, sacrificing their lives for their colleagues.  Read more...

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

MA’ALEH ADUMIM, West Bank – On August 21, state prosecutor’s office told the High Court that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have decided to “significantly” alter the course of the Separation Barrier.  The barrier will be moved closer to Ma’aleh Adumim, the largest Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  The shift will result in 4,000 dunams (400 hectares) remaining on the Palestinian side of the Separation Barrier.  Read more...

By:  Lindsey Brady
Impunity Watch, Managing Editor – News

Two elderly women, Ms. Wu (79 years old) and Ms. Wang (77 years old) were notified this past Monday that they had been sentenced to “re-education through labor” for a period of one year.  The two women had been seeking permits to hold demonstrations in one of China’s newly designated protest areas.  It was their fifth visit to the police when they were told they had been given the administrative punishment for their acts of “disturbing the public order.”  Read more...

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – On August 14, a female bomber detonated her explosives amongst a group of Shiite pilgrims in Iskandariyah, a former Sunni insurgent stronghold 30 miles south of Baghdad.  The explosion followed a government announcement describing new measures to protect worshippers.

There are conflicting reports on the number of casualties.  The U.S. military put the death toll at 17, including one policeman and 16 civilians. A senior provincial security officer said 26 people were killed and 75 wounded.  Read more...