Three Women Caned in Malaysia for Adultery

Three Women Caned in Malaysia for Adultery

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KUARA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Bernama, a national Malaysian news agency, recently reported upon the first ever time the country executed a caning as punishment under Islamic law.  Although the practice of caning has been performed since the 19th century, during the British colonial period in MalaysiaThree moderate women were caned under Islamic law for adultery.  The women were caned following a decision rendered in December, heard within a religious court of Malaysia.  Sharia requires that Muslim women be caned with a stick called a rotan by a female guard, and the women must be fully clothed.

The Malaysian government took about a week to actually report the occurrence of the caning, which raised much concern in NGOs, the international community, and numerous human rights organizations.  An official from Amnesty International equated caning with torture.

Malaysia’s minister of domestic affairs, Hishamuddin tun Hussein, expressed no repentance for the caning in a subsequent statement.  Hussein justified the purpose and policy of the caning, claiming that this incident would serve as a warning to ‘sinful’ Muslims.  He also said that, although, the caning did not excessively injure the women, it serves as a means of touching and cleaning their conscience.  Hussein’s words suggest a willingness to continue enforcing Sharia in such a manner.

The enforcement of Sharia law may also have another significant impact upon the ethnic minority of the Malaysian state.  Malaysia is considered a secular state with its own set of domestic laws which exist independently of Sharia.  The religious laws make admissible archaic policies that have not been enforced in many years, including the ban on Muslims consuming alcohol.

Although Sharia, which controls family affairs and many other cultural aspects, applies only to the Muslim community of Malaysia, the enforcement of religious law could have the effect of discriminating against Muslim women.  Other discriminatory implications, such as the adverse effects upon Malaysia’s ethnic minorities, perpetuated by the enforcement of Sharia have provoked statements from sister nations and various human rights organizations.  The Malaysian government has not yet addressed the myriad rights concerns which could be violated by the strict enforcement of Sharia to the Muslim majority.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Malaysia canes women for adultery – 18 February 2010

The Christian Science Monitor – Malaysia begins caning women for adultery – 18 February 2010

CNN – 3 women caned in Malaysia for adultery – 17 February 2010

Work on Argentine Mine Halted After Police Violence

By Sovereign Hager

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Photo courtesy of patagoniavolunteer.org
Photo courtesy of patagoniavolunteer.org

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina-More than sixty people were injured on Monday of this week when Argentine police moved excavating equipment through a  crowd of protestors and into an open pit mine in Catamarca. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, including women and children.  Fifty people were arrested. A judge has now ordered that work on the mine stop until calm is restored to the area.

The protesters included activists from the Citizens Assembly of Andalgalá, who have been protesting the Canadian owned gold mine for two months. Members of the Citizens Assembly claim that one of them members has been missing since yesterday, after being the target of death threats and police harassment just before the protests.

The protesters argue that the “open pit” mining project, which will include gold and copper will cause pollution. Anti-mining protesters in Argentina have managed to block numerous mining developments by lobbying local government to prohibit mining in certain protected areas. Mining is Argentina’s largest industry.

Concerns about Argentine police’s treatment of the public have been raised due to the lack of reform since the dictatorship period. Over 9,000 officers in the current Argentine police force were working during the dictatorship, with over 3,000 in clandestine detention centers. Rights groups argue that nothing has been done to ensure that the police forces undergo the same democratic transition that the rest of Argentina has.

For more information, please see:

Rueters-Argentine Judge Halts Yamana Mine Works Due to Unrest-18 February 2010

Free Speech Radio-Police Fire on Anti-Mining Protestors in Argentina-16 February 2010

NACLA-Argentina:Impunity is Not Just a Memory-15 February 2010

Eight U.S. Missionaries Released From Haitian Jail

By Stephen Kopko

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A Haitian judge released eight of the ten American missionaries being held on charges of child kidnapping from jail today.  They have been held for the last three weeks on the charges.  The eight were released on bail and did not have to place bond.  They were allowed to leave on their own word.  Also, the judge ruled that they were free to leave the country.  The other two missionaries, Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter were not released.  The judge kept the two for further questioning.

The missionaries were accused of child kidnapping on January 29, 2010 when they tried to take Haitian children devastated by the earthquake across the border into the Dominican Republic.  However, they did not have proper identification needed in order to take the children.  Many of the missionaries believed that the children were orphans.  Later, it was discovered that some of the children were not orphans but had parents.  In the hope of providing better care for the children, many of the parents voluntarily gave their children to the missionaries.

The Haitian government thanked the U.S. for not interfering in the investigation.  At the beginning of the investigation, the Haitian government promised to respect the rights of the missionaries and to conduct a thorough investigation.  Haiti’s Secretary for Penal Affairs stated “I commend the U.S. government for not interfering with the ongoing judicial proceedings in Haiti about the Americans.”

Silsby and Coulter were not released by the Haitian judge.  He wanted to question them about their trip to Haiti in December 2009. Silsby is considered the leader of the missionary group who claimed that they were helping the children of Haiti after the earthquake.

The missionaries were also apologetic about their relationship with Jorge Puello, a man wanted by the United States Marshall Service and Interpol.  Puello is accused of child trafficking of young women into prostitution in El Salvador.  He is also wanted in Vermont for smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S.  Puello provided food and medical assistance to the missionaries.  He also acted as their legal advisor and spokesperson for a period of time after the missionaries were arrested.

For more information, please see:

CNN – 8 Americans Detained in Haiti Freed on Bail, 2 Others Remain – 17 February 2010

MSNBC – Haiti Frees Eight of the 10 Detained Americans – 17 February 2010

Reuters – Haitian Judge Frees Eight Americans, Holds Two – 17 February 2010

Human Rights Watch Responds to Sri Lankan General’s Arrest

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Human rights groups have expressed significant concern about the recent arrest of General Sarath Fonseka.  The General was apprehended earlier this week by the government military forces of Sri Lanka.

The General was once heralded as a hero of the Sri Lankan military for his prowess during battles with the Tamil Tigers liberation group.  The General was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s victory over the Tamil Tigers, ending a civil war which lasted over twenty-five years.  Despite the General’s achievements for the army, he was allegedly dragged out of his campaign offices by the Sri Lankan government.

The General has been charged with numerous human rights violations, but vehemently denies all charges.  Allegations include fault for the over 7,000 civilian casualties who fell victim to the civil war and underhanded tactics during the war.  Human rights violations charges against the Sri Lankan government also include the mistreatment of members of the Tamil ethnic minority during and after the civil war.  The Sri Lankan government was lambasted by the international community for the sub-human conditions and lack of essential resources in its refugee camps to house internally displaced persons.

General Sarath Fonseka was also charged with cooperating with anti-government organizations.  The current President of Sri Lanka, who recently fell out with General Sarath Fonseka over the post-war elections in Colombo, arrested the General as part of a program aimed at capturing everyone he considers a threat to national security.

General Fonseka’s capture has given many opposition leaders a reason for concern.  They fear that the government will execute an extra-judicial killing in secret while they have General Fonseka captive.  An Asian human rights group has made a claim that the government of Sri Lanka has denied General Fonseka the right of due process.  Because of the military procedure being afforded the General, as opposed to hearings in civilian court, the group seems to suggest there is an element of unfairness against the General.

The General’s capture has also incited rioting in Sri Lankan streets.  The government has yet to release a statement concerning the General’s fate.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Fonseka Challenges S. Lanka Outcome – 16 February 2010

AsiaNews – Colombo under tight control, waiting for General Fonseka’s trial – 12 February 2010

BBC News – Sri Lanka Supreme Court hears Fonseka arrest challenge – 12 February 2010

EU Extends Sanctions on Zimbabwe

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Journal, Africa Desk

BRUSSELS, Belgium-Today the European Union decided to extend its sanctions on Zimbabwe for another year.  After deciding not enough progress has been made in implementing the country’s power-sharing agreement, 27 nations voted in favor of extending the sanctions that were imposed on Zimbabwe in September 2008. A statement by the EU published in the bloc’s official journal read, “In view of the situation in Zimbabwe, in particular the lack of progress in the implementation of the Clobal Political Agreement signed in September 2008, the restrictive measures… should be extended for a further period of 12 months.”

President Robert Mugabe and his rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai formed a “unity” government just about one year ago. The aim of this “unity” government was to end political unrest targeting a majority of supporters who backed Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (“MDC”).

Zimbabwe’s relationship with the European Union has been strained for the last ten years as a result of a string of elections that were marred by violence and widespread allegations of human rights abuses by Mugabe’s government. Since then, his government has been closely watched by the EU. Some of what the sanctions include is travel bans and assets freezes for many affiliated and part of Mugabe’s government. 

Many of the problems that have arisen within the “unity” government stem from Mugabe’s view of MDC members as just a Western puppet, lacking any objective or substantive perspective on development in Zimbabwe.

For more information please see:


AFP – EU Renews Sanctions On Zimbabwe for Another Year – 16 February 2010

BBC – EU Renews Sanctions On Zimbabwe – 16 February 2010

Telegraph – EU Renews Zimbabwe Sanctions – 16 February 2010