No Convictions in Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines

No Convictions in Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines

By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Asia

MANILA, Philippines – The European Commission has acknowledged that the number of extrajudicial killings have decreased and more cases are prosecuted, but at the same time, there have been no convictions. Human Rights Watch [HRW] asks that the United Nations should review the Philippine’s government’s failure to hold responsible parties accountable.

The European Union and the Philippine government have pledged to create the EU Justice Assistance Mission [EUJAM], which will help strengthen the country’s criminal justice system. The 18-month program will help build ties between the criminal justice institutions, civil society, and independent agencies like the Commission on Human Rights and the Office of Ombudsman.

The European Commission head of delegation, Alistair MacDonald, said, “We will provide the Philippine government technical assistance in conducting investigation, forensics, training for the judiciary, the Commission on Human Rights and we will even coordinate with members of the civil society.”

For the last 7 years, nearly a thousand members of the left-wing political parties, activists, journalists, and clergy have gone missing or been killed. The UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, Philippine human rights groups, and HRW all have strong evidence of military involvement in the disappearances and murders.

The Philippine government has said that it is a priority to address the extrajudicial killings and disappearances by bringing the perpetrators to justice and prevent future killings. The government also reported that the number of killings had dropped significantly in 2007.

Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at HRW, pointed out that the drop in killings is only one improvement. She said, “A pause in political killings will mean little in the long run unless those responsible are prosecuted. Of the hundreds of political killings since 2001, not a single military official has been convicted.”

For more information, please see:

HRW – Philippines: Justice Absent in Killings and ‘Disappearances’ – 27 March 2008

The Inquirer – ‘More Prosecutions but No Convictions on Extrajudicial Slays’ – 4 April 2008

The Manila Times – EU, Philippines to Work on Extrajudicial Killings – 5 April 2008

Rights Groups Condemn Saudi Fatwa

By Ben Turner
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East Desk

RIYDAH, Saudia Arabia – A group of over 100 Arab rights groups and intellectuals condemned a Saudi religious edict calling for the death of two newspaper columnists, saying the fatwa was the result of “clerics of darkness” performing intellectual terrorism.

“All we can see in this fatwa is intellectual terrorism which sees ‘Islam’ as its exclusive monopoly and only sees in the ‘other’ blood which can be shed freely,” said the statement sent out by the rights groups.  The statement also said that religious scholars who branded other Muslims as infidels were “clerics of darkness, fooled through their arrogance and inflated by their status into thinking that they speak in the name of God.”

Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak, one of Saudi Arabia’s most revered clerics, said in a rare religious ruling in March that two newspaper columnists should be put to death unless they renounced their “heretical articles” in public.

“Anyone who claims this has refuted Islam and should be tried so that he can take it back. If not, he should be killed as an apostate from the religion of Islam,” Barrak said. “It is disgraceful that articles [of] this kind of apostasy should be published in … the land of [Mecca and Medina].”

Writing in al-Riyadh newspaper, Yousef Aba Al-Khail and Abdullah bin Bejad questioned the Sunni Muslim view in Saudi Arabia that Christians and Jews should be considered unbelievers.  Barrak, who was backed by a group of 20 Saudi clerics, said their statement implied that Muslims were free to follow other religions. None of the clerics speak for the Saudi government, which is represented by the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Aziz Al al-Sheikh.

Barrak is seen as one of Saudi Arabia’s leading religious authorities and his fatwa, or religious ruling, was praised by clerics who asked God to support him in the face of liberals with “polluted beliefs.”  Fatwas by radical Muslim clerics led to the assassination in 1992 of the Egyptian writer Farag Foda and to an attempt in 1994 in Cairo to murder the Egyptian Nobel prize-winner Naguib Mahfouz.

“We are extremely worried about the safety of our colleagues and ask the Saudi government to ensure their safety,” Committee to Protect Journalists Executive Director Joel Simon said. “It is ironic that writers advocating tolerance and reform are subject to incitement and death threats.”

For more information, please see:
Washington Post – A Hint of Tolerance – 4 April 2008

Guardian – Intellectuals Condemn Fatwa Against Writers – 3 April 2008

New York Times – Saudi Ruling Assailed – 2 April 2008

Reuters – Arab Rights Groups, Figures Slam Saudi Death Fatwa – 1 April 2008

Arab News – Of Fatwas and Infidels – 27 March 2008

CPJ – Saudi Cleric Issues Fatwa Against Two Journalists – 20 March 2008

UPDATE: Hu Jia, Chinese Dissident, Sentenced to 3.5 Years for Subversion

BEIJING, China – A Chinese court has sentenced Hu Jia, Chinese dissident and activist, to jail for 3.5 years for “inciting subversion of state power.” The official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, reported that Hu Jia made a confession, which lead to the court to give a relatively light sentence.

Hu Jia is a prominent human rights activist and dissident that has openly criticized the Chinese government. Recently he wrote: “Is China improving its human rights record? When you come to the Olympic Games in Beijing, you will see skyscrapers, spacious streets, modern stadiums and enthusiastic people. Please be aware that the Olympic Games will be held in a country where there are no elections, no freedom of religion, no independent courts, no independent trade unions; where demonstrations and strikes are prohibited.”

Dozens of supporters stood outside the courthouse when the sentence was announced. Li Hai, a supporter, commented, “Hu Jia is a hero to us because he stood up to speak out, so we should also speak out.”

For more information, please see:

Impunity Watch – Chinese Dissidents Detained and to Stand Trial for Criticisms– 10 March 2008

Impunity Watch – UPDATE: Human Rights Watch Calls Hu Jia’s Trial a “Sham” –18 March 2008

International Herald Tribune – Chinese Civil Rights Activist, Hu Jia, Sentenced to Prison – 3 April 2008

BRIEF: Pakistan’s New Government to Reform Laws in Tribal Areas

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – New Pakistani Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, and his government announced on April 1st that they are developing a plan to replace the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) along the border with Afghanistan.  The current FCR has been in place since 1901, and has long been criticized for violating human rights and keeping the FATA from developing.

The FCR is a colonial-era legal regime the British used to attempt to control strong Pashtun opposition in the area.  It keeps residents of the area from participating in politics and instead grants authority to a local administrator called a Political Agent.  Further, the FCR establishes a collective responsibility system, meaning that an entire community is held responsible for the actions of one person.

Many people living in the FATA want the FCR abolished, but they have concerns over what will replace it.  Some would prefer Islamic laws while others want the area absorbed into Pakistan’s national legal structure.  Either way, implementation of the new laws once enacted will be difficult; Taleban and Al Qaeda efforts in the area have eroded any current governing structures and the groups will likely continue to fight maintain control.  Insecurity and war ravage the area.

Gillani announced that his goal is to bring “economic, social, and political reforms” to the tribal areas to prevent the further spread of terrorism.  His new government has formed a four-person parliamentary committee that will be determine how to replace the FCR.

For more information, please see:

Radio Free Europe – Pakistan: New Government Announces Major Reforms in Tribal Areas – 3 April 2008

International Human Rights Organization Criticizing IOC’s Non-political Role in China

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – The International Olympic Committee [IOC] is under fire for refusing to publicly articulate concerns about the human rights situation in China before the Beijing Games.  Amnesty International, the London-based human rights watchdog said, “The Olympics have so far failed to catalyze reform in China and pledges to improve human rights before the Games look disingenuous after a string of violations in Beijing and a crackdown in Tibet.”

Human Rights Watch is also accusing the IOC of operating in a moral void, undermining human rights in China and flouting the spirit and letter of the Olympic Charter.  The letter issued by Human Right Watch  earlier in the week urgedthe Ethics Commission to articulate standards compatible with the respect of human rights to guide the Olympic movement. Human Rights Watch is also urging the IOC to publicly assess the extent to which current human rights violations are linked to the preparation of the Games.

Australian IOC member Kevan Gosper fired back, saying the committee was not an activist group or a government.  Chairman of the IOC’s inspection commission for the Beijing Games, Hein Verbruggen called the suggestion by Amensty International that awarding the Games to Beijing had worsened human rights in China “blatantly untrue.”  He also said at a news conference at the end of the final IOC inspection, “We are not a political organization, so in spite of all the criticism we get, I am not afraid to tell you that we should not speak out on political issues.”  Verbruggen said it would be unfair to link Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics to issues such as “Guantanamo or Iraq,” and unjust to tie Madrid’s bid for 2016 to problems with Basque separatists.

However, Asia advocacy director of Human Rights Watch, Sophie Richardson said, “The question is not whether the IOC is a human rights organization.  It’s whether the Olympic movement respects human rights. If it does, remaining silent as China’s crackdown intensifies isn’t acceptable.”

IOC officials have made their final inspection ahead of this year’s games in Beijing and “satisfied with renewed assurances” over a number of concerns, includes making sure foreign news websites are unblocked and live television pictures are beamed around the world without any delay.

For more information, please see:

ABC – IOC pleased with China censorship pledges – 3 April 2008

AP – IOC: We’re can’t interfere in politics – 3 April 2008

Reuters – Amnesty lays into China on rights before Olympics – 2 April 2008

Reuters – IOC vigorously defends non-political role in China – 3 April 2008

Human Rights Watch – China: Letter to Ethics Commission of International Olympic Committee – 31 March 2008

Human Rights Watch – China: International Olympic Committee Operating in Moral Void – 1 April 2008