by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

MADRID, Spain–

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Madrid last Saturday to denounce violence and discrimination against women. The rally, organized by feminist groups, had members of all major political parties, and over 380 regional and 70 state-run feminist organizations in attendance, and had over 21,000 activists in total taking part. The protestors wore purple and black and lay in the streets to commemorate thousands of women abused or murdered by intimate partners and in hate crimes in what they described as “sexist terrorism.”

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Activists were primarily concerned with expanding coverage under current domestic violence laws, and receiving more public funding to protect women from abusive partners. They held banners that read, “Stop machista violence!” and chanted, “We aren’t all here, the dead are missing!” Currently, Spain has an emergency hotline available to women that does not show up on their telephone bills, in addition to free legal assistance and accommodations for abused women. Spain is seen as a pioneer in combatting violence against women through progressive legislation and the availability of social programs.

Many of the activists in attendance were survivors of domestic violence themselves. “I think it’s important that people like me demonstrate today, because I’m an example of a woman who’s been able to get out of domestic violence,” Olga Aranza stated. “And that means that all abused women can also get out violence and that they deserve a better life. You really can get out,” she added. Another woman, Angela Gonzales, had a daughter that was murdered by her former husband in 2003.

Most of the men involved with the march felt personally connected with the issue at hand as well. According to attendee Miguel Navarro, “it’s essential that we men also take part in this demonstration so that we send a clear message to women, telling them they are not alone in this struggle.” Likewise, Nacho Molina stated, “in Spain, there is still a need to educate men so that they put an end to machismo (exceedingly masculine violence).”

For more information, please see—

BBC– Violence against women: Madrid stages big protest march— 07 November 2015

Euro Weekly– “Sexist Terrorism” turns Madrid streets Purple— 08 November 2015

RT– Stop ‘machista’ violence: Tens of thousands incl Podemos, FEMEN protest domestic violence in Madrid— 08 November 2015

SBS– ‘Sexist terrorism’: Thousands in Spain march against domestic violence— 08 November 2015

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BERLIN, Germany–

After weeks of debates within the government regarding the recent “overwhelming” influx of refugees, Germany is preparing to expedite the process of deporting asylum seekers. On Thursday, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that an agreement had been reached between the coalition government, allowing for three to five reception centers that would either accept or deport refugee applicants. For weeks, the opposition government has requested the majority party to reduce the number of refugees allowed in Germany, citing struggling local authorities.

The leader of the opposition party, Horst Seehofer of the Christian Social Union, called the agreement “very very good,” and said his relationship with Merkel had been “cemented again.” However, he did not revoke his threat to file a legal complaint against the government over its expansive refugee policy. Other members of the opposition parties have criticized the agreement, stating that the number of refugees entering the country far exceeds the resources available.

Robert Habeck, a critic of the agreement and a member of the Green Party commented, “people are waiting for half a year before their asylum applications can even be submitted. It is a complete mystery as to how the federal government can conclude the process within a few weeks in the special reception centers.”

Other critics within Merkel’s coalition government believe the agreement curtails the rights of refugees, and questioned the legality of detaining asylum seekers and refugees for an indefinite period of time. Initially, Merkel requested that “transit zones” be set up across the country, where new refugees would be detained before their status was determined. The Social Democratic Party, who claimed these zones would be akin to “internment camps”, rejected this.

Up to 10,000 refugees have entered Germany daily since January, totaling around 758,000 migrants. The influx has shown no signs of stopping, with the 800,000 refugee limit set by the German government likely to be exceeded sometime in the near future.

For more information, please see—

Chicago Tribune– Merkel ally says government will survive refugee turmoil— 04 November 2015

Al-Jazeera– Germany to expedite deportations of refugees— 06 November 2015

Irish Times– Germany agrees compromise on refugees after ‘intense’ talks— 06 November 2015

Wall Street Journal– Germany Steps Back Hours after Tighter Asylum Rules Are Unveiled— 06 November 2015

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

PARIS, France–

The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has sparked outrage in Russia after this week’s publication, which depicted images about the Russian plane crash in the Sinai desert. One image shows debris and body parts raining down on a member of ISIS, while the other shows a skull with a pair of sunglasses with the crashed plane in the background. A spokesman for the Kremlin commented that the cartoons were unacceptable, and that the message it sent had nothing to do with freedom of press or self-expression. The Kremlin, however, does not plan on filing a formal complaint against Charlie Hebdo.

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The Russian plane involved in the crash was headed for St. Petersburg shortly after leaving Egypt. All 224 people on board were killed as the plane crashed into the Sinai Peninsula. Most of those on board were Russian citizens.   Although the cause of the crash has not been determined, international authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a bomb. An Islamic State leader affiliated with the Sinai Province faction claimed responsibility for the crash.

The magazine’s editor in chief, Gerard Biard, criticized the Russian government for “using Charlie Hebdo to create a controversy where none exists, which is the usual manipulation you get from totalitarian regimes… This magazine is supposed to be irreverent, and we respect the values of democracy and freedom of expression, which the Russian powers that be … do not.” He further commented that it was absurd to use the tone of the cartoons as a point of contention, as their entire publication is based on satire and the freedom of expression. Biard also mentioned that the Russian government was using this incident as a means to distract from real issues that the government was avoiding.

The French foreign ministry remarked that French publications are “free to express their opinions,” and that they would not be getting involved. The Kremlin has asked the French government to apologize for Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons on the matter.

For more information, please see—

BBC– Russia hits out at Charlie Hebdo over crash cartoon— 06 November 2015

Huffington Post– Charlie Hebdo Angers Russians With Cartoons Of Egypt Plane Crash— 06 November 2015

New York Post– Charlie Hebdo cartoon of downed jetliner infuriates Russia— 06 November 2015

The Guardian– Russia condemns Charlie Hebdo for Sinai plane crash cartoons— 07 November 2015

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

PARIS, France–

Tuesday, applications opened for reparations to be paid by the French government for their involvement with deporting over 70,000 Jews during the Second World War. In December 2014, a deal between France and the United States was negotiated to make over $60 million available for survivors and their families. The deal was finalized and signed by the two governments on November 2nd, and is open internationally. Survivors could receive over $100,000 individually, while spouses and children of deceased survivors could receive tens of thousands of dollars. The amount to be paid to the estates of deceased survivors will depend on how long they lived after 1948, when France began paying reparations to its own citizens.

France’s ambassador in charge of Holocaust issues, Patrizianna Sparacino-Thiellay, noted after the signing on Monday that the negotiation was “a further contribution to recognizing France’s commitment to facing up to its historic responsibilities. The reparation programs set up immediately after the war, and those introduced in the past fifteen years, are the tangible symbol of the official acknowledgment in 1995 of France’s ‘imprescriptible debt’ towards the victims of the Holocaust.”

The reparations fund comes after the state of Maryland barred SCNF, a French railway company, from competing for state funded contracts. It was discovered during the subsequent legal battle that the SCNF was paid per head it transported to the Nazi concentration camps on its railway lines during World War II. Between 1942 and 1944, over 76,000 Jews were transported on the SCNF railway lines to the death camps. Only around 3,000 survived.

SCNF has maintained that they were a “cog in the Nazi extermination machine” and were under the control of Vichy France at the time the deportations occurred. The company has also stated that the government of France should be in charge of compensation, as they were just following orders. However, they are in the process of donating $4 million in the U.S., Israel, and France towards memorials and museums, highlighting the atrocities of the Holocaust.

Although the fund is being distributed through the U.S. government, any survivor or a survivor’s estate that was transported to a concentration camp on the French railways is eligible, regardless of nationality. The three-page application requires information regarding whether their loved one survived the war, and if known, the date, the convoy and the place of departure. Although the exact number of applicants is unknown, it is assumed that there are around 250 survivors still alive today. In addition to the $60 million, the French government has paid over $6 billion in reparations to its own citizens thus far.

For more information, please see—

The Telegraph– France to pay $60m over Nazi rail deportations— 5 December 2014

CNN– France agrees to pay $60 million to those deported during Holocaust— 8 December 2014

Breitbart– French Assembly Votes to Give Holocaust Survivors Reparations— 25 June 2015

CBS– ​French to pay $60M in reparations to Holocaust survivors in U.S. and beyond— 3 November 2015

Washington Post– Holocaust survivors deported from France can now apply for reparations— 3 November 2015

by Shelby Vcelka

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium–

European leaders have met in Brussels to try to agree on a plan to deal with the large numbers of refugees making their way through impoverished Eastern European countries. The plan that was outlined before the conference began propositioned that Balkan and other Eastern European countries should stop allowing asylum seekers to cross the borders into neighboring countries without acquiring some kind of agreement on a quota system. It also included measures to send approximately 400 border guards to Western Balkans nations, and more maritime support off the coast of Greece within the next week. The European Union would also be tasked with speeding up repatriations of Afghans, Iraqis and others affected by war if their asylum claims were rejected.

The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, put the plan together and designed it to stem the flow of refugees through the Balkan and Central European “safe zone” towards Austria and Germany. The borders put up by Eastern European countries, Juncker reasoned, had already compromised the Schengen visa-free zone, and this plan would help stop the rising tensions between neighboring countries in an already unstable region. “If we do not deliver some immediate and concrete actions on the ground in the next few days and weeks I believe the EU and Europe as a whole will start falling apart,” he said.

As the cold weather approaches, both the EU member nations and international aid organizations are increasingly concerned about how the already overwhelmed countries will provide aid.   Medecins Sans Frontiers warned of coming frostbite and announced an critical need for food, warm shelters, and shower facilities at major transportation locations. Additionally, the UN has drawn up plans to distribute thousands of winter and raincoats, tarps, and socks to migrants in south Eastern Europe. Already, the temperatures have dropped to below freezing levels at night. The movement of refugees is not expected to slow once the cold weather arrives.   “Every day counts. Otherwise we will soon see families in cold rivers in the Balkans perish miserably,” Juncker said in an interview.

The summit was a move by Juncker and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to raise pressure on the European states to coordinate on the migrant crisis and stop fighting between them. The hope was to help manage migration flow in a humane way.

For more information, please see—

Reuters– EU’s Juncker summons leaders over Balkan refugee crisis— 21 October 2015

BBC– Migrant crisis: Emergency talks on Balkans under way— 25 October 2015

The Guardian– European leaders discuss refugee crisis at tense Brussels summit— 25 October 2015

The Telegraph– Refugees will freeze to death, warn EU head— 25 October 2015

U.S. News & World Report– EU leaders exchange barbs at migrant summit as refugees march by the thousands across Europe— 25 October 2015