Opposition Demonstration in Beirut Ends in Violence

Opposition Demonstration in Beirut Ends in Violence

BEIRUT, Lebanon – Several Shi’a demonstrators were killed when the demonstrators and the Lebanese military clashed on January 27.  The demonstrators were protesting against power shortages in mainly Shi’a neighborhoods in Beirut.  The protestors, mostly Shi’a and supporters of Hezbollah and Amal opposition groups, claim that Shi’a neighborhoods were unfairly targeted in the government’s power rationing.  Violence began when the military intervened as protestors attempted to block a road.  According to a security official, shots were fired by the protestors and the military fired warning shots to disperse the demonstrators.

During this confrontation, Ali Hassan Hamza, an active member of Amal, was killed.  Violence escalated following Hamza’s death as angry opposition supporters took to the streets.  Demonstrators set fire to tires and obstructed streets.  Clashes between the military and the protestors resulted in at least six additional deaths and dozens of injuries.  The rioting led the military to declare Beirut’s first curfew in more than a decade.

The ruling coalition accused the opposition and Syria of manipulating the current economic and social crises to achieve their own political objectives.  Amal officials say that they were not involved in the protests and Hamza was not a party to the demonstration.  Also, Amal has acted to contained the situation by telling their supporters to stop rioting.  Nabih Berri, the leader of Amal and the Parliament Speaker, urged the demonstrators to go home and allow the military to restore order to the city.  Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil added, “The situation must be contained. We appeal to all the people who are on the streets to go home and leave the matter into the hands of the security forces in order to restore calm to the region.”

The military announced that they plan to investigate Hamza’s death.  While Hamza was shot in the back, the source of the shots remains unclear.

For more information, please see:
AFP – At Least Seven Killed in Beirut Riots – 27 January 2008

Al Bawaba – At Least Four Dead in Lebanon Riots – 27 January 2008

Al Jazeera – Protests in Lebanon End in Deaths – 27 January 2008

Associated Press – Protests in Lebanon Leave 7 Dead – 27 January 2008

BCC – Seven Killed in Beirut Violence – 27 January 2008

Fox News – Shiite Opposition Riots Block Major Roads in Lebanon, 3 Killed – 27 January 2008

Reuters – Eight Shot Dead in Beirut Protests – 27 January 2008

Washington Post – Eight Shot Dead in Beirut Opposition Protests – 27 January 2008

BRIEF: Abuses of Children in Kenya on the Rise

NAIROBI, Kenya –  According to a press release issued by UNICEF yesterday, Kenya has seen a rise in child rapes since last month’s disputed presidential election sparked violence and forced thousands into makeshift camps.  UNICEF spokeswoman Veronique Taveau told reports that overcrowding and lack of security at the camps are making women and children vulnerable to opportunistic sexual assaults.  Girls and women in the camp “trade sex for biscuits, protection, transportation, or are raped while trying to get to a latrine during the night.”

The Gender Violence Recovery Center in Mombasa has seen a doubling of sexual violence cases since last month’s elections, especially gang rapes of young girls and boys.  As a result of these attacks, there is a very high risk of HIV/AIDS spreading as many of the victims don’t report the attacks and are therefore not getting treatment within the recommended 72 hours to prevent infection.   

UNICEF has dispatched more than $1.2 million in emergency supplies and has had teams on the ground since the violence began.  However, more funds are needed to protect children from violence and abuse and to help who have already been affected. 

800 people have died and a quarter of a million have been forced to flee their homes following the 27 December election which sparked violent clashes between supporters of President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Sex attacks on the rise in Kenya: UNICEF – 26 January 2008

AP – UNICEF: Kenya Child Rapes on Rise – 26 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Kenya: UNICEF Warns of Abuses Against Children – 25 January 2008

VOA News – UNICEF Reports Sexual Violence Increasing in Kenya – 25 January 2008

Cause of Iranian Student Death Questionable

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – A “sudden death” of a Kurdish law student while in custody in northwestern Iran has raised suspicion among his family and human rights activists regarding the truth of the official report. Officials told the student’s family that he had committed suicide while in prison and died of “suffocation.”

Intelligence Ministry agents arrested Ebrahim Lotfollahi, a political activist in the student movement of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, in front of Payame Nur University in Sanandaj on January 6. He had just finished taking an exam when the officials took him away without charge. Two days after the arrest, Lotfollahi was reportely in good condition when his family visited him, and he remained optimistic that he would be released soon. But on January 15, his parents were told that he was dead. Moreover, when family members went to the city cemetery, they were informed that the 27-year-old had already been buried and that they were not allowed to see his body. A few days after, the officials covered the grave with concrete.

Rights activists say that this case is similar to that of another recent death case which occurred in the town of Hamedan in October. In that case, a 27-year-old female physician Zahra Bani Yaghoub and her boyfriend were arrested for having an “illegal relationship.” Relationships between men and women who are not married are against the law in Iran. On the following day, officials told her family that she had committed suicide in her cell.

Following the two alleged prison suicides, Middle East deputy director at Human Rights Watch said “The sudden death in detention of two apparently healthy young people is extremely alarming. The government only heightens our concern by quickly dismissing them as suicides.” Consequently, Lotfollahi’s family wants the body exhumed for examination by doctors, including one chosen by the family. Bani Yaghub’s family has also called for an autopsy in her case.

United Nations Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions provide that families of the deceased and their legal representatives have the right to exhume body for an autopsy in all cases suspected of unlawful killing, including where the cause suggests unnatural death.

For more information, please see:

Workers’ Liberty – Iranian regime murders student activist – 25 January 2008

Reuters – Family wants Iran student who died in jail exhumed – 20 January 2008

Human Rights Watch – Investigate Detention Deaths – 18 January 2008

AKI – Death of Kurdish student was “suicide” says official – 18 January 2008

RadioFreeEurope – Detained student dies under ‘suspicious’ circumstances – 18 January 2008

Bahrain investigates alleged torture of activists

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

Some activists were arrested following protests on December 17.  The activists gathered to remember protesters that were abused by the police abuses in the early 1990’s. These protests escalated after an activist was killed, which led to rioting and the arson of a police vehicle.   The police arrested some rioters to retain the peace.  The detainees were arrested for illegal possession of weapons and theft stemming from the riots.

Those detainees that were arrested in mid-December have complained that they were tortured and even sexually assaulted by their police interrogators.  For example, Maytham Badr al-Shaykh complained to his family on January 16, 2008 that he was sexually assaulted by interrogators.  Maytham told his father, “On New Year’s evening, they ‘celebrated’ with me. They stripped me and gave me shocks and stuck something wooden up inside me,” Al-Shaykh’s father said. “He whispered it to me when the guards allowed me to embrace him.”  Maytham told his brother that “they violated my manhood” by beating him while he was suspended by his hands. (Human Rights Watch)

However, an official from Bahrain has denied the allegations and assured reporters that the allegations have been investigated and that the activists have been examined by a forensic physician and that the physician dismissed found no signs of torture.

Bahrain must protect its citizens and ensure that the imprisoned they are being treated humanely.  “‘Bahrain’s response to allegations of torture against dissidents will show whether it really respects basic human rights,’ said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. ‘Bahrain should launch an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into allegations of grave abuses in detention centers.’” (Human Rights Watch)

For more information, please see:

PR-Inside (AP)- Rights watchdog calls Bahrain to look into detainee torture, sexual assault reports- 22 January 2008

Human Rights Watch- Bahrain: Investigate Alleged Torture of Activists- 21 January 2008

Update on the Charles Taylor Trial

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor finished its third week with continued testimony from Father Chema, a Senior Researcher for Human Rights Watch, and a linkage witness.   

Father Chema continued his testimony regarding his work with child soldiers in Sierra Leone.  He detailed the rehabilitation programs and the progress the social workers have been able to make with the children.  While approximately 95 percent of the children have been rehabilitated, some were unable to overcome their addiction to drugs or would run away to rejoin their commanders.  Many of the girls had problems as well and would turn to prostitution. 

On a brief cross-examination, Defense Counsel Andrew Cayley worked to establish that child soldiers are used throughout many countries and that it is not a strictly African or Sierra Leonean or RUF practice. 

The next witness for the prosecution was Corrine Dufka, a Senior Researcher for the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch specializing in West Africa.  After the defense counsel strongly objected to the qualification of Ms. Dufka as an expert witness, and the Court ruled that any decision regarding her qualifications were premature, the prosecution began their examination.   

Ms. Dufka presented a report she prepared for the trial, which covers the period of 1998 to 2003/2004 and consists of first-hand victim and witness accounts.    The various documents and studies cited in her report cover the history of the conflict, abuses during armed conflict, war crimes by the Liberian government, and evidence of atrocities in Sierra Leone.   The Prosecution continued the direct examination with questions regarding sexual violence in Sierra Leone and Liberia. 

On cross-examination, Defense Counsel attempted to discredit Ms. Dufka as an expert witness and vigorously questioned her impartiality.   Following her testimony, the Prosecution asked the court to introduce her report into evidence, to which the Defense again objected.  The Court granted the Defense’s request for written submissions regarding her expert status, and the issue will be decided next week.

The Prosecution next called linkage witness Abu Keita.  Keita joined the AFL (Armed Forces of Liberia) in 1990.  When the Sierra Leonean army disarmed the AFL, Keita joined the LUDF (Liberia United Defense Force) in Sierra Leone.  The LUDF was founded to fight the RUF and received weapons from the Sierra Leonean government.   When the LUDF split Keita was a General with one of the branches until it was disarmed in 1996.  Keita testified as to Taylor’s involvement in RUF abuses.   He detailed the RUF activities outside of Sierra Leone, abuses against the peacekeeping forces, the use of diamond mines and child soldiers, the practice of performing amputations, and combatant deaths.

The defense counsel cross-examined Keita, attacking inconsistencies in his statements and his credibility. 
The Prosecution then called witness TF1-371, a protected witness who will give testimony in a closed session.

Yesterday Vamba Sherif, whose brother testified last week, told BBC that his family had received repeated death threats. 

For more information, please see:

Trial of Charles Taylor blog

BBC – ‘Death threats’ over Taylor trial – 25 January 2008