By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – The Australian government will increase the capacity of a Christmas Island detention facility as a result of the increase in the number of individuals seeking asylum.

As a result of the government’s plans, the detention center, which will cost approximately $40 million, will be able to hold more than 2000 individuals.

The government believes that it is necessary to increase the number of beds by approximately 50%.

It will continue to expand the center as space is needed and remains committed to a policy of mandatory detention for all unauthorized boat arrivals.  Read more...

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan -   As women lined up to cast their ballots at various national voting stations, the event was tarnished by fraud and corruption. One man cast 35 votes for female relatives. Others lugged in sacks full of voting cards they claimed had been collected from women voters. In a village of only 250 people, 200 women supposedly voted in three hours.

Unfortunately, these stories are not unfamiliar. In Afghanistan’s recent presidential election in August, one very sensitive area was that of fraud as women exercised their right to vote. The same speculation and concern remains present as the election on November 7 draws near for the runoff between President Hamid Karzai, and former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. Analysists are concerns as the stakes are so high.  Read more...

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

ADAMSTOWN, Pitcairn – The Governor of Pitcairn, George Ferguson, announced that the island is considering a new draft of the constitution because there is a need for human rights to be “spelled out.” The current constitution was enacted in 1970. Since then, there has been a need for a document to include provisions regarding human rights. The new constitution would replace the 1970 constitution.

In June 2009, Britain called for the democratic reform of Pitcairn. The reform of Pitcairn was to bring the island in accordance with European standards of governance and human rights.  Read more...

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

TOKYO, Japan –Japanese and international organizations sent a joint letter to Japan’s new justice and foreign ministers asking that the country’s new administration pressure Burma to end human rights abuses against minority groups.

The letter urged Japan to “urgently review its policies to protect the Rohingya both in Japan and Burma,” and to grant residential permits to Rohingyas in Japan.  In addition, Japanese government was asked to rescind their deportation order against Burmese asylum seekers.

The Rohingyas are one of the most persecuted minority groups in Burma, and the Burmese government refuses to grant Rohingyas legal status in Burma, which leaves this minority group stateless.  Read more...

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JIFTLIK, Israel/West Bank – Amnesty International released a report on October 27, alleging that Israel unreasonably restricts Palestinians’ access to water in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Under the Oslo Accords, Israel and the Palestinian Authority are supposed to maintain shared control over water resources.

   Read more...

By Jared Kleinman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NYALA, Sudan — Twenty six thousand troops have been deployed to Sudan in a bid to restore order to the crisis-ridden country and aid in the integration of African states through conflict-resolution.

This number is reported to be the largest single ever deployed by the United Nations. Chairman of the African Union and the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Mr. Jean Ping, said this Monday while addressing the press after the First Ordinary Sessions of the African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa. According to Ping, the decision to position the huge number of troops was informed by the desire to prevent the killings, and keep the peace objectives, which he said have almost been achieved.  Read more...

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health is expected to review Australia’s immigration policies amid increasing international scrutiny.

Anand Grover will inspect detention facilities in Villawood and Brisbane, but not those at Christmas Island, when he visits Australia next month and will report back to the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.

Grover’s visit does not necessarily signify the existence of “shocking human rights violations”, according to a representative of an Australian human rights group, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre.  Read more...

October 2009

29 October 2009

Iran Human Rights Documentation Center

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) seeks to establish a comprehensive and objective historical record of the human rights situation in Iran since the 1979 revolution, and on the basis of this record, establish responsibility for patterns of human rights abuses; make such record available in an archive that is accessible to the public for research and educational purposes; promote accountability, respect for human rights and the rule of law in Iran; and encourage an informed dialogue on the human rights situation in Iran among scholars and the general public in Iran and abroad.  Read more...

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa Desk

THE HAGUE, Netherlands-After a three week judicial break, Charles Taylor took to the stand again on October 26, 2009. On this day Charles Taylor found himself denying allegations that he ordered the execution of a key Sierra Leonean rebel commander, Sam Bockarie, during Sierra Leone’s civil war. In response to the allegations, Taylor said, “The last person on this planet that I wanted killed was Sam Bockarie. I did not order him, killed.”  Read more...