New IHRDC Testimony: A Child Unprotected and the Life of a Lesbian in Iran

Testimony of Mina Dehghani Sarkazi: A Child Unprotected

The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)—a human rights treaty that requires that states act in the best interests of the child and safeguard the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.

In many jurisdictions, including that of the IRI, properly implementing the CRC would require significant revision of child custody and guardianship laws, as well as laws protecting against abuse and exploitation. Article 19 of the CRC provides that the state should protect children against abuse and mistreatment—however according to evidence collected by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center the IRI judiciary and legal framework often falls short in this regard.  In this short video testimony, Mina Dehghani Sarkazi—a survivor of child abuse who fled Iran last year—explains how Iranian courts offered her no legal recourse when she was abused by her father.  She also describes the challenges of her new life as a refugee in Turkey.

Watch the video here: http://www.iranhrdc.org/english/publications/witness-testimony/1000000243-testimony-of-mina-dehghani-sarkazi-a-child-unprotected.html#.URL_Cx0zOGM

Testimony of Maryam Ahmadi: The Life of a Lesbian in Iran

“In Iran we don’t have homosexuals like in your countries. We don’t have that in our country…I don’t know who has told you that we have it.”

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – September 24, 2007, Columbia University, USA

Despite the claims of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the contrary, individuals with homosexual sexual orientation do live in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI).

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center has interviewed many members of Iran’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community about the government’s violation of their basic human rights and the discrimination they face in society.  The video clip below is part of a long audio interview with Maryam Ahmadi, an Iranian lesbian who was lashed and imprisoned for nine months on account of her sexual orientation.  In this clip she talks about her court case and her life in Iran—including the abuse she was subjected to by her family, who disapproved of her lifestyle.  Maryam also describes her eventual escape to Turkey, where she is currently living in difficult conditions while her application for asylum with the UNHCR—the United Nations Refugee Agency—is pending.

Watch the video here: http://www.iranhrdc.org/english/publications/witness-testimony/1000000241-witness-testimony-of-maryam-ahmadi.html#.URPxzKN5mSM

 

For further information please contact:
Gissou Nia
Executive Director
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
Email: gnia@iranhrdc.org
Phone: +1 203 654 9342

You Can Have Free Speech in Kuwait, Just Don’t Offend the Emir

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait– Kuwait considers itself to be in the forefront of providing human rights and freedom of speech in the Middle East. Nevertheless, if one happens to say something that would “offend the emir,” then one has committed a violation that could potentially result in a five year prison sentence.

Former member of parliament, Khaled al-Tahus was one of a many individuals and ex-legislators who have recently been convicted for “offending the emir.” (Photo Courtesy of Arabian Business)

This past week, at least four individuals, three of which were former members of parliament, were convicted in court for “offending the emir,” Shaikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. The three former parliament members were Islamists Falah al-Sawwagh and Bader al-Dahum and populist Khaled al-Tahus. Each got received a three year prison sentence with their conviction.

The fourth individual to be convicted for “offending the emir” was a youth activist named Mohammad Eid al-Ajmi. Ajmi received the maximum five year sentence for a statement he made on the popular social networking site Twitter.

The three former parliament members were all arrested in October at a protest in opposition of the emir. The protest was in reaction to alterations the emir made in the voting system just six weeks prior to the election.

In Kuwait’s constitution, it is declared that the emir is “immune and inviolable,” hence it is illegal to criticize him. Kuwait’s government has stated on multiple occasions that it is all for free speech, however, it must act against such improper statements about the emir.

Since October, twenty five people have been charged with offending the emir. Of the twenty five, six so far have had to face jail terms.

Numerous groups including the U.S. government, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and domestic groups like the Kuwait Society for Human Rights have criticized the recent behavior of Kuwait’s government with respect to free speech and freedom of association.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland stated that, “we. . .oppose laws that curb the peaceful exercise of free expression.”

Amnesty International highlighted Kuwait’s increase on restrictions and pleaded that the country protect users of social media.

Nadim Houry, the deputy director of the Middle East region for Human Rights Watch went as far as to say that, “sending politicians to prison for criticizing the ruler is at odds with official claims that Kuwait is a beacon of freedom in the Gulf.”

Mohammad al-Humaidi, the director of the Kuwait Society for Human Rights called for, “the government to expand freedoms and adhere to the international (human rights) conventions it has signed.”

For further information, please see:

Gulf News – End Jail Terms Over Offences to Rule, Human Rights Watch Says – 8 February 2013

Human Rights Watch – Kuwait: Quash Convictions for ‘Offending Emir’ – 7 February 2013

Arabian Business- Kuwait Jails Former MPs for Criticising Emir – 6 February 2013

Radical Islam – Kuwaiti Youth Gets Five Years for Insulting Emir – 5 February 2013

NHRC Investigates Teacher’s Alleged Torture of His Son

By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa 

ABUJA, Nigeria – Yesterday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) began investigating a man who allegedly tortured his son.

Established in 1995, the National Human Rights Commission was established to serve as an extra-judicial mechanism for protecting human rights and raising awareness on human rights issues such as child abuse in Nigeria. (Photo courtesy of the National Human Rights Commission)

NHRC Executive Secretary Bem Angwe released a statement condemning the act as “inhuman, barbaric and wicked.”

A month ago, Mr. Christopher Ogbeun, a principal of a local government secondary school in Kogi state, found his son destroying a letter of approval from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) which authorized his school to be a center for regional examinations. Infuriated by what his son had done, he took an electric iron and burnt his 10-year old boy, Stephen.

Meanwhile, the police received a call from other family members asking for help to stop Mr. Ogbeun. When the police arrived at Mr. Ogbeun’s residence, they caught him tying his son’s hands. “If not for the intervention of the Special Ambush Squad, he would have killed the son,” said Mohammed Musa Katsina, the State Commissioner of Police.

During an interview with a local newspaper, Mr. Ogbeun explained, “when I asked him to tell me the truth, he refused, then I used the iron on him. He made me threaten him with the iron which I pressed on him.”

Stephen suffered several high-degree burns and remained in critical condition for weeks.

Since the incident, Mr. Ogbeun has been charged with unlawful detention and attempted murder under Section 325 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C. Vol.2, Laws of Lagos State 2003.

According to Angwe, the NHRC has taken a serious interest in the case hoping to put an end to such acts which he described as “unacceptable in the 21st Century Nigeria.” “The action of the perpetrators of all forms of violence contradicts Section 34 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 which prohibits torture, inhuman and degrading treatment,” said Angwe.

He also told the press that the NHRC is about to hold a stakeholders’ meeting that will look into other issues of domestic violence. Stakeholders in this meeting shall include community leaders, civil society organisations, the academia and faith based organisations, who will collaborate with the NHRC in resolving cases similar to Stephen’s.

In 2003, Nigeria passed the Child Rights Law in compliance with the United Nations Universal Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, which over 178 countries including Nigeria ratified. The Child Rights Law criminalizes any form of assault and abuse on children. However, although it was passed at the federal level, the law has not been effective in several states in the country. To this date, only 16 out of Nigeria’s 36 states have implemented the law.

 

For further information, please see:

Vanguard – NHRC probes teacher’s torturing of his 10-year-old son – 7 February 2013

All Africa – Nigeria: Stop Crimes Against Children – 29 January 2013

Leadership – Stop Crimes Against Children – 29 January 2013

Nigerian Tribune – Principal inflicts injury on son over WAEC approval letter – 22 January 2013

 

English Hospital Exhibits Horrific Health Care

By Alexandra Sandacz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, United Kingdom – On Wednesday, a report, which examined conditions at Stafford Hospital in Staffordshire over a 50-month period between 2005 and 2009, exposed horrific inhumane treatment of patients. The subpar care led to hundreds of unnecessary deaths.

English hospital is under fire for their inhumane treatment of patients. (Photo Courtesy of The Independent)

The report cited various examples of the specific conditions. Some patients were left unbathed and lying in their own urine and excrement. Other patients drank water from vases because of thirst. Overworked staff members denied patients their medication, pain relief, and food. Furthermore, many patients died from contracting infections, and patients were sent home to die after a misdiagnosis of disease.

Approximately between 400 and 1,200 more deaths occurred than expected between 2005 and 2008.

Robert Francis, the government appointed lawyer, stated, “This is the story of the appalling and unnecessary suffering of hundreds of people. They were failed by a system which ignored the warning signs and put corporate interests and cost control ahead of patients and their safety.”

He continued, “There was a lack of care, compassion, humanity and leadership. The most basic standards of care were not observed, and fundamental rights to dignity were not respected.”

One widow stepped forward because she believed it was the medical and care management’s faults that led to her husband’s death. She stated, “Whether it’s a hospital or factory, if you have bad management the people below them are not going to care.”

After the Prime Minister questioned why no one was fired after the original release of the Hospital’s indignity, the General Medical Council (GMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) began to take action against the personnel.

At least four doctors and 10 nurses face public professional misconduct hearings over their constant failure to provide adequate health care.

For example, Bonka Kostova, a healthcare assistant at Stafford Hospital, faces charges because she allegedly forced a patient into his wheelchair when he stood up, pushed him into a bathroom and dragged him out. When other nurses intervened, she began to scream, “I hate you” and “You are no longer a human being but an animal.”

Katherine Murphy, the chief executive of the Patients Association, said the report was a “watershed moment” for health service. She states, “It is clear from the report that there is a lot of blame to go around for what happened in Stafford. Unfortunately too many people have escaped genuine accountability.”

For further information, please see:

The Independent – Stafford Hospital Carer Accused of Dragging 73-Year-Old by Collar – 8 February 2013

Mirror – ‘Heartless Bunglers Allow My Husband to Die Alone’: Widow Blasts Crisis Hospital for Appalling Mistakes – 7 February 2013

BBC – Stafford Hospital: Hiding Mistakes ‘Should Be Criminal Offense’ – 6 February 2013

The New York Times – English Hospital Report Cites ‘Appalling’ Suffering – 6 February 2013

Nine Women Administering Polio Vaccines Shot Dead in Nigeria

By Hannah Stewart
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KANO, Nigeria — At least nine women who were inoculating children against polio have been shot dead in northern Nigeria by gunmen suspected of belonging to the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram.  The attacks took place in Kano, the largest city in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north, where families typically feel more comfortable allowing women inside their homes.

Nigerian women wait for their children to be immunized against polio in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria. (Lost Angeles Times via Deji Yake / European Pressphoto Agency)


On Friday morning gunmen arrived by three-wheel taxis and opened fire in the Hotoro Hayi neighborhood, killing at least eight female vaccinators.  Four more people were killed in a second attack in the Unguwa Uku neighborhood.

The final death toll remains unclear; however, a Kano police spokesman, Musa Magaji Majia, said the attacks killed nine women who were administering oral drops to children as part of a polio vaccine drive.

Unfortunately, this is not the first strike against polio vaccinators in Kano.  For example, in October police reported that two officers who were involved in guarding an immunization drive were shot and killed.

While officers said there were no immediate suspects for the shootings, witnesses said the Islamist militant group Boko Haram was responsible.  Boko Haram, whose Hausa name is often translated into “Western education is sacrilege/forbidden,” has been behind a series of violent attacks across northern Nigeria.  Boko Haram continues to fight the country’s weak central government as the death toll climbs.

The sect has been blamed for the deaths of some 1,400 people in central and northern Nigeria since 2010.  This includes an attack in Kano in January 2012 that killed at least 185.

The attack on vaccinators highlights the religious tensions surrounding the inoculation of children in one of three nations where polio still remains endemic.  Last year, Nigeria registered 121 new polio infections, more than half of all cases reported around the world, according to data from the World Health Organization.  The other two countries are Pakistan and Afghanistan, where there were 58 polio cases in Pakistan and 37 in Afghanistan in 2012.

Moreover, in the past month, polio workers have also been targeted and killed in Pakistan, where the Taliban have threatened anti-polio efforts.  The Taliban accused health workers of working as U.S. spies and alleging that the vaccine makes children sterile.  These rumors have only grown since it was revealed that a Pakistani doctor helped the CIA discover Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts by maintaining a pretexual polio vaccination program.

For more information, please see:

ABC – Gunmen Kill Nigeria Women Giving Polio Vaccine– 8 February 2013

BBC News – Nigeria Polio Vaccinators Shot Dead in Kano – 8 February 2013

Reuters – Gunmen Kill Nine Polio Health Workers in Nigeria – 8 February 2013

Washington Post – Suspected Islamic Extremists Kill at Least 9 Women Giving Polio Vaccines in Northern Nigeria – 8 February 2013