Ex-Judge Accused of Bribery Commits Suicide

November 30, 2009

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – An ex-judge, Wu Xiaoqing, who had been charged with taking bribes from gangsters, was arrested and committed suicide in his cell in central China.

Wu was found dead by his cellmates who alerted guards that he appeared dead. Officials said the former judge left a suicide note, but neither the detention house nor the police would disclose the contents of the letter. Wu, age 57, hung himself using the drawstring from his underwear five months following his arrest for corruption.

Wu, who was the ex-director of the enforcement bureau of the local municipal court, was arrested in June on suspicion of taking in more than half a million dollars in bribes from 1998 to 2008, according to a spokesman surnamed Li. Li, speaking for the Chongqing city government office, would give only his surname.

Wu’s arrest was part of a continuing crackdown on anti-corruption in sprawling Chongqing. The initiative has nabbed approximately 1,500 suspects — gangsters, prominent businessmen and 14 high-ranking government and police officials, according to China Daily newspaper. The ex-director of the enforcement bureau of the municipal higher people’s court and president of a local court college was seized in June as part of an anti-corruption initiative.

China in recent years has adopted a dual approach that combined both prevention and punishment to address the country’s wide spread corruption. As part of the anti-corruption initiative, officials from the National People’s Congress have called for tougher penalties for officials with big assets from unidentified sources. Officials who cannot give the source of their assets could be jailed for up to 10 years, instead of the current five years. According to Li Shishi, director of the NPC Standing Committee’s Legal Affairs Commission “We consider it necessary to impose severe punishment on officials abusing their power for personal gains.” However, the range of punishment for charges of corruption or bribery are not uniformly applied. A typical penalty range that is often referred to notes that the sentence for accepting bribes for amounts between 5,000 and 50,000 yuan is often one to 10 years in prison, five years to life for 50,000 to 100,000 yuan, and for bribes of more than 100,000 yuan the penalty can be 10 years in jail to the death sentence.

Six gang members in the city have been sentenced to death for crimes including murder and blackmail. China has a mixed record of cracking down on corruption, but when the country does, the punishment is often severe. For instance, two years ago, the director of China’s food and drug agency was executed for approving deadly fake medicine in exchange for cash.

The most senior official to be subjected to China’s harsh bribery punishment for his recent corruption charges was Shanghai’s former Communist Party chief, Chen Liangy. Chen was sentenced last year to 18 years in prison for his role in a pension fund scandal. In addition to investigations of other public officials, Hu Yanyu, a partner at Zhibo Law Firm from 2001 to 2008 and Wu’s alleged mistress, are also being investigated along with at least 10 other lawyers, said Zhou Litai, a Chongqing-based lawyer.

For more information, please see:

CBS World News – Ex-judge Facing Corruption Charges Commits Suicide In Central China – November 30, 2009

China Daily – Accused ex-judge found hanged in cell – November 30, 2009

China Service News – Senior judge handed over to judicial organs over bribery allegations – November 30, 2009

Yahoo! World News – Ex-judge facing China bribery charges kills self – November 30, 2009

Persecution of Kurds in Syria a Widespread Problem

November 30, 2009

By Brandon Kaufman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria– According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), Kurds, who make up approximately ten percent of the Syrian population and who live primarily in the country’s northern and eastern regions, have been the subject of unlawful and unjustified discrimination in recent years.

In their report, HRW said that Syrian security forces have steadfastly attempted to ban and disperse gatherings calling for Kurdish minority rights or celebrating Kurdish culture., Additionally, the report details the detention of leading Kurdish political activists and their ill treatment while in custody. The report documents that the repression of Kurds in Syria has grown exponentially following large scale Kurdish demonstrations throughout 2004. The published material is based on interviews with over thirty Kurdish activists who have been recently released from prison. In response to requests for interviews, members of the Syrian government turned down requests for information or meetings.

The report asserts that Syrian authorities have repressed over a dozen Kurdish political and cultural gatherings since 2005, all being conducted in a peaceful manner. In addition to the repression of political meetings, security forces are said to have ended celebrations for the Kurdish New Year.

Sarah Lee Whitson, HRW Director for the Middle East and North Africa said that “aAt a time when other countries in the region, from Iraq to Turkey, are improving the treatment of their Kurdish minority, Syria remains resistant to change. In fact, Syria has been especially hostile to any Kurdish political or cultural expression.” She further went on to say that “the Syrian government sees threats everywhere, even in village new year celebrations. If the government wants better relations with its Kurdish minority, it should address their legitimate grievances instead of trying to silence them.”

Under international law, Syria is obligated to uphold freedom of expression and association, as well as the right to freedom of assembly. In addition, under international law, Syria is required to protect minorities and guarantee them the right to participate actively in public and cultural life.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch- Group Denial: Repression of Kurdish Political and Cultural Rights in Syria– 26 November 2009

Human Rights Watch- Syria: End Persecution of Kurds– 26 November 2009

Asia Times- U.S. Designs on Syria’s Kurds– 9 April 2005

Brown Discusses the Possibility of Harare’s Readmission

November 29, 2009

By Jennifer M. Haralambides

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Gordon Brown said that significant reforms are still needed by the national unity government in Harare before they can be readmitted to the Commonwealth.

In 2003, President Robert Mugabe resigned Zimbabwe’s membership in the Commonwealth of Nations in protest of their continued suspension over human rights issues.

Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister, has raised the possibility of readmitting Harare while he was on his way to the summit of Commonwealth nations in Trinidad and Tobago that opened on Friday. This would be the first time in years the Commonwealth leaders were scheduled to debate whether they should allow Zimbabwe back into the fifty three member club.

Brown said that although they are aware of the progress made by the unity government, Britain remains concerned about the rate at which the reform is taking place. In an article for the Zimbabwe Independent Newspaper, Brown was quoted saying that the power-sharing government had made some recognized achievements such as raising the living standards of local residents, and taming of hyper-inflation.

The next step should be for the Commonwealth to make an offer of readmission that is conditional on the Zimbabwean government’s fulfillment of the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA) on power-sharing. The agreement was intended to lead to a new constitution by August 2010 and free elections.

“I sincerely hope that by the time of our next meeting in 2011, Zimbabwe will have made enough progress for us to welcome them back into the Commonwealth,” said Brown.

Brown wants to see progress on reforms in security, justice, and the economy. He would also like to see Zimbabwe embrace a “vibrant free press.” Moreover, the most important implementation Brown is hoping for is a genuinely free and fair election.

News reports quoted Didymus Mutasa, the Zimbabwe’s Minister of State, saying that Zimbabwe did not want want to rejoin the commonwealth. Also, some skeptics say that Mr. Mugabe is using the illusion of a power-sharing relationship with Mr. Tsvangirai as a way of re-establishing himself in the international community as statesman.

For more information, please see:

The Sydney Morning Herald – Mugabe’s Fate – 29 November 2009

Telegraph.co.uk – Robert Mugabe: Will Zimbabwe be Let Back Into Commonwealth? – 28 November 2009

Reuters – Brown Hopes Zimbabwe Can Rejoin Commonwealth – 27 November 2009

VOA – Britain’s Gordon Brown Moots Readmission of Zimbabwe to Commonwealth – 27 November 2009

Saudi’s Clear Mountain Area of Rebel Forces

November 29, 2009

By Ahmad Shihadah

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SA’NA, Yemen – Saudi Arabia says it has captured a strategic mountain area near its border with Yemen from Yemeni Shi’ite rebels. Saudi forces have been carrying out air and artillery strikes on Yemen for several weeks, after rebels killed a border guard in a raid. “The armed forces completely control al-Dood mountain, one of the most strategic regions,” deputy defense minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan was quoted as saying as he inspected troops just within Saudi territory. He also said Saudi forces had “cleaned up every inch of Saudi territory,” adding that “ant person who infiltrates or sniping will end up surrendering or dead.”

Yemeni officials said they had also engaged in heavy clashes with the Houthi rebels on the outskirts of the northern city of Sa’da. A military official told Reuters that Yemeni officials had prevented a rebel attempt to enter the city on Saturday.

The Houthi rebels denied that the area had been taken and said that Saudi Arabia had carried out further attacks – but they said there had been no clashes on the ground, and that Saudi troops were not in control of the area.

The Houthis have been battling the Yemeni government of Ali Abdullah Saleh since 2004, “citing political, economic and religious marginalization,” reports Al-Jazeera. The Houthis also accuse Saudi Arabia of allowing the Yemeni military to launch strikes against the rebels from within its territory, a claim denied by both nations, according to BBC. The Yemeni government launched a new offensive against the rebels in August 2009, the BBC says, leading to a wave of intense fighting. Reuters reports the Yemeni military tried to rout Houthi rebels near Sa’da, Yemen, leading up to the weekend.

For more information please see:

Al-Jazeera – Saudi ‘Seizes Key Rebel Area’ – 29 November 2009

BBC – Saudi Arabia ‘Clears’ Key Area of Yemen – 29 November 2009

The Christian Science Monitor – Saudi Arabia Steps Up Fight Against Yemen Rebels – November 29 2009

Philippines Election Violence Suspect Surrenders

November 29, 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

AMPATUAN, Philippines– A lead suspect, Andal Ampatuan Jr., accused of a massacre, which killed at least 57 people in the Philippines, has been turned over to the authorities by his family on Thursday.

Ampatuan Jr.’s family is a powerful pro-government clan allied with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Since the massacre, there has been mounting pressure from the public to crack down on lawless acts and warlords.

According to Asia Foundation, more than 80% of families in Maguindanao province, the scene of Monday’s massacre, have been made homeless due to clan violence.

About 250 prominent political families exist in the Philippines with family members who hold positions in various levels of the government. The Ampatuan clan has been ruling the Philippines’ Maguindanao province for years.

Victims at the massacre site. Courtesy of Reuters.

Andal Ampatuan Sr. is the provincial governor of the Maguindanao province and has been grooming his son, Andal Ampatuan Jr., to succeed him in next year’s upcoming elections.

However, Ampatuan Jr. is accused of allegedly stopping a convoy with more than 100 armed police and militiamen, and killing journalists, family and supporters of the Ampatuan clan’s rival gubernatorial candidate, Esmael Mangudadatu.

The Mangudadatu clan was ambushed as they were traveling to go file the election papers nominating Mangudadatu as the candidate for next year’s provincial governor.

A witness to the massacre said the victims were taken to a remote mountainous area. The witness said, “Datu Andal himself said…anyone from the Mangudadatu clan – women or children – should be killed.”

Investigators unearthing more bodies at the massacre site. Courtesy of Reuters.

The witness added that Ampatuan Jr. also ordered the gunmen to make sure that no evidence of the killings was left behind and that all of the women were raped before they were killed.

Authorities have found bodies of the victims in a mass grave at the massacre site. Bodies were found in large pits buried with vehicles.

Investigators have said that it appears that the victims were shot at a close range before being dumped in shallow graves. Some victims also had their hands tied behind their backs.

To prevent retaliatory violence from the victims’ clan, the government has declared a state of emergency throughout the Maguindanao province and has deployed tanks and troops.

Human Rights Watch has expressed concern that the Ampatuan clan’s family connections with President Arroyo and the administration would hinder an impartial investigation.
For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Philippines’ key suspect surrenders – 27 November 2009

AP – Prime suspect in Philippine massacre surrenders – 26 November 2009

NYT – Suspect in Philippine Election Killings Surrenders – 25 November 2009