Seven Killed by U.S. Drone Strike in Pakistan

By Kevin M. Mathewson

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia          

NORTH WAZIRISTAN, Pakistan – Two missiles, from suspected US drones, have killed seven people in a village in the North Waziristan tribal area, close to the Afghan border on Friday. The troubled border region is known as a stronghold of Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants.

“The U.S. drone fired two missiles targeting a militant compound and killing at least seven militants.” a senior local security official said.

The drone attack came just days after Nawaz Sharif took over as Pakistan’s prime minister for an unprecedented third term and asked the United States to end its drone attacks against militants.

“We respect the sovereignty of others and they should also respect our sovereignty and independence. This campaign should come to an end.” Sharif stated in regards to the U.S. campaign.

Last month President Obama announced stricter targeting rules for the drone campaign against militant suspects.

It is unclear who the target of the attack was, though several militant groups have camps in the area. Pakistan Taliban, whose deputy leader Waliur Rehman was killed in a drone strike on May 29, is said to be stationed there. Rehman was the number two in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) faction and had a $5 million U.S. government bounty on his head.

On Thursday the families of Pakistani victims of U.S. drone strikes wrote to Sharif urging him to stop the U.S. campaign, even by shooting the U.S. drone’s down if necessary.

Drone attacks are incredibly controversial in Pakistan, where parts of the government and military have been accused of ignoring or even condoning some of the strikes. It has been claimed that between 2004 and 2013, U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan have killed up to 3,460 people.

It has been estimated by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, that of those 3,460 deaths, 890 of them were civilians with a vast majority of strikes being carried out under the Obama administration.

In May, President Obama said the drone strikes were part of a legitimate campaign against terrorism, calling them “legal” and “just.” However, on May 9th the high court in the northwestern city of Peshawar declared the U.S. drone strikes targeting suspected militants a “war crime.”

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Pakistan drone strike kills seven in North Waziristan – 8 June 2013

4 News – Pakistan summons US diplomat over drone strike – 8 June 2013

The Daily Star – US drone strike kills 7 in Pakistan – 8 June 2013

The Voice of Russia – Pakistan protests to US over drone strikes that kill nine – 8 June 2013

Reuters – Pakistan summons envoy after U.S. drone strike kills nine – 8 June 2013

Edward Snowden to Remain in Hong Kong

By Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON D.C., United States – Former CIA employee Edward Snowden exploded into news headlines Sunday after the Guardian revealed him to be the party responsible for declassifying the NSA program code-named PRISM.  Snowden, who more recently worked as a contractor for the NSA, revealed that the NSA obtained phone meta data from Verizon customers and has “direct access” to the server contents of service providers like Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Facebook.

Snowden, 29, worked as a contractor for the NSA for three months before leaking classified materials. (Photo Courtesy of the South China Morning Post and EPA)

Snowden worked at Booz Allen Hamilton where he contracted with the NSA as a system administrator. After three months, Snowden left his position, and, on May 20, traveled to Hong Kong to seek asylum.  It was there that, on June 6, Snowden contacted the Washington Post and the UK-based Guardian to provide details about PRISM as well as general information about US espionage operations.

Since releasing the classified materials, Snowden has remained in Hong Kong to give interviews to a select group of media outlets.  Fox News reported that Snowden chose to travel to Hong Kong because of its “strong tradition of free speech.”  While Hong Kong does have an extradition treaty with the US, it makes exceptions for political asylum seekers.

If Snowden is returned the US, however, he may not face the long prison sentence one might expect.  According to a Reuters article, only nine people have been tried for crimes similar to those of which Snowden is accused (six of which were prosecuted under the Obama administration).  Of the six who have been sentenced, the maximum jail sentence was approximately two years, with two receiving no jail sentences at all. The remaining three still have legal action pending.

In an interview given Wednesday to The South China Morning Post (“SCMP”), Snowden said he would not flee Hong Kong, opting instead to leave his fate to the semi-autonomous city’s justice system.  Snowden went on to state that he believed the NSA to be responsible for 61,000 hacking operations worldwide, including many in China and Hong Kong.

Snowden went on to explain that by using “network backbones – [which are] like huge internet routers,” the NSA was able to access communications between hundreds of thousands of computers without having to hack them individually.  According to the SCMP, Snowden said, “‘Last week the American government happily operated in the shadows with no respect for the consent of the governed, but no longer.'”

Since Snowden leaked classified NSA materials, members of Congress have been split into two camps: those angry at Snowden for leaking information, and those angry at the Obama administration for allowing the NSA to conduct such a sweeping surveillance program.

 

For further information, please see:

ABC News – Edward Snowden Claims NSA Documents Show U.S. Hacks China: Report – 12 June 2013

CBS News – Edward Snowden: “I am not here to hide” – 12 June 2013

Fox News – I’m ‘not a traitor,’ NSA leaker Edward Snowden tells Hong Kong newspaper – 12 June 2013

South China Morning Post – Edward Snowden: US government has been hacking Hong Kong and China for years – 12 June 2013

The Washington Post – Here’s everything we know about PRISM to date – 12 June 2013

Reuters – If past is indicator, ex-NSA contractor may escape long jail term – 10 June 2013

The Guardian – Edward Snowden’s explosive NSA leaks have US in damage control mode – 10 June 2013

Kuwaiti Twitter user convicted to eleven years for criticizing emir

by Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait-Twitter is a social media network which has become popular in recent years for allowing people to post what they think online.  However, the ability to voice one’s opinion via the internet is not always met without repercussions.

Kuwaiti court convicts Twitters users for criticisms against the emir, Sheikh Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah (Photo courtesy of Aljazeera)

Huda al-Ajmi, a 37-year-old Kuwaiti teacher, was sentenced to eleven years in jail after posting on twitter comments that were reasoned to be insulting to the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah.

Along with insulting Sheikh Sabah, Huda al-Ajmi was convicted of inciting the overthrow of the regime and misuses of her mobile phone.  She was sentenced to two consecutive five year terms for insulting the emir and one year for insulting an unspecified religious group.

Despite the rarity for woman to serve jail time for political crimes, several Kuwaiti courts have sentenced two female activists to shorter periods in jail for their criticism of the emir.  However, the implementation of the terms was suspended.

Sheikh Sabah, who is “immune and inviolable” under Kuwait’s constitution, has received criticisms from others as well.  Mussallam al-Barrak, a prominent opposition figure, was convicted in April of “undermining” the emir.  He was arrested for remarks he made regarding the emir’s “autocratic” rule.  In May, an appeals court overturned his five-year sentence.

Although Kuwait has not yet experienced the same degree of pro-democracy as has been seen in other Arab states, tensions have been escalating between the ruling Sabah family and the members of parliament.

Kuwait, which allows more freedom of speech than most other Gulf Arab states, has tightened control over its citizens’ use of social media.  Convictions of several other Twitter uses over the past few months have caused anger and protests between police and activists.

U.S. based Human Rights Watch issued a statement in February saying that at least twenty five people have been charged with offending Sheikh Sabah by Kuwaiti prosecutors since October.  Of those twenty five people, at least six were sentenced to time in jail.

Being allies with Kuwait, the United States has considerable interest in these matters.  Due to the rising tension, the United States has urged Kuwait to consider its actions and respect their peoples’ right to freedom of expression.

Huda al-Ajmi’s has become the first woman convicted for criticizing Kuwait’s ruler, and her sentence is the longest sentence of jail time for political crimes issued in Kuwait.  She has yet to be taken into custody and will have the opportunity to appeal the Kuwaiti court’s decision.

For further information, please see: 

Aljazeera – Kuwait to jail woman for tweets against emir – 10 June 2013

BBC – Kuwaiti woman jailed for ‘insulting’ emir tweets – 10 June 2013

Gulf News – Woman gets 11 years in jail for insulting Kuwait emir – 10 June 2013

Reuters – Kuwaiti court gives woman 11 years in jail for insulting emir – 10 June 2013

 

SNHR: The Targeting of Mosques by the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

Introduction:

For decades, the Totalitarian Dictatorial Syrian regime prevented public gatherings and peaceful sit-ins, and tortured and arrested anyone who did or tried to participate in such acts.

When the Syrian Revolution began under the context of the Arab Spring, mosques were the only place available for demonstrations. Most of the demonstrations launched from mosques with participants from other sects and religions because they were the gathering points.

In this regard, Syrian government’s Armed Forces deliberately targeted to shatter the prestigious emotion that the Syrian People have for these mosques, so it shelled, destroyed, vandalized, and stormed mosques in unprecedented and barbaric ways. This is unprecedented, even when considering the days of French colonialism, in which the French government recognized the sanctity of the mosques and didn’t pursue anyone who entered a mosque.

SNHR already prepared a report on the percentage of destruction in Syria, in which more than 3 million buildings were affected, and more than 700,000 buildings were totally destroyed including houses, schools, mosques, and hospitals.

SNHR also conducted a report on destroyed or damaged schools, a report about destroyed or damaged churches, and a detailed report over hospitals. In this context, we reviewed in a survey conducted in all of the Syrian provinces regarding damaged and destroyed mosques. This survey took a while to compile, because of the high number of destroyed mosques.
 

First : Mosques Targeted by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

SNHR documented at least 1,451 mosques. At least 348 were completely destroyed due to shelling by Scud missiles, surface to surface missiles, TNT, artillery, and other weapons.

Targeted mosques were systematic and widespread in all Syrian governorates, in very large numbers where the ratio was distributed as follows:

Damascus countryside topped the statistic with almost 400 mosques, then Idlib, Daraa, Homs, and Aleppo:

Damascus countryside: 387
Idlib: 308
Daraa: 237
Homs: 217
Aleppo: 158
Homs: 135
Damascus: 92
Dier Alzoor: 67
Lattakia: 37
Raqqa: 25
Qunaitra: 5
Mosques in Hasaka, Tartous, and Swidaa were not targeted.

SNHR shot videos and photos of most of the destroyed mosques with their names and locations, and can provide them in any form asked for.

SNHR also documented in addition to destroyed mosques the murder of at least 48 orators and Imams of mosques in different Syrian Governorates by the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces from shelling and raiding, and some in ethnical cleansing operations (Baniyas massacre and Jdidt Alfadl massacre) 6 field executions, 1 slaughtered with knives, and 2 who were arrested and cruelly tortured to death.    
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBQUxKdDVKZFBHZU0/edit

Syrian Opposition converted many mosques into shelters because of the destruction of hundreds of thousands of homes, that were shelled by the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces.

About 100 mosques were converted into field hospitals to aide the injured.
  
Few mosques were converted into schools and educational places.

Appendix and attachments:
Examples for damaged and destroyed mosques in various different governorates

–          Damascus countryside: Arbin, 8/12/2012, Syrian Government’s Armed Forces shelled mosques in Arbin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO8wLeA6WYs

–          Damascus: Alqadam, 27/7/2012, the effects of destruction on Hasan Albasri mosque caused by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Damascus Countryside: Daria, 9/12/2012, the effects of destruction on the oldest mosque in the city by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces 

–          Damascus Countryside: Harasta, 14/11/2012, the effects of destruction on Sheikh Mosa mosque after it was shelled by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Damascus: Hajar Alaswad, 19/7/2012, the effects of destruction on Imam Nawawi mosque after being shelled by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces  

–          Damascus Countryside: Doma, 29/7/2012,  shelled Albaghdadi Alsharqi mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PELjQRWh3pg

–          Damascus Countryside: Doma, 1/1/2013, the effects of destruction on Taha mosque after being shelled by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces   

–          Damascus Countryside: Doma, 2/11/2012, the effects of destruction on the big mosque by MIG

–          Damascus Countryside: Mdira, 16/12/2012, the effects of destruction on the town mosque in which a rocket launcher was used by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

————————————–

–          Idlib: Binch, 13/2/2013, the effects of destruction on the town mosque for the second time by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

the first time

–          Idlib: Maarat Alnoaman, 24/10/2012, huge destruction in Bilal mosque cause shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Idlib: Maarshmarin, 12/10/2012, effects of destruction on a mosque from shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Idlib: Binch, 14/12/2012, Bilal mosque shelled by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Idlib: Taftanaz, 5/8/2012, effects of destruction on the town mosques from shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

 
 
–          Idlib: Maarat Alnoman, 20/11/2012, destroyed minaret of Thei Alnorin mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Idlib: Maarat Alnoman, 3/11/2012, effects of destruction of the Big mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

————————————–

Lattakia:

–          Lattkia countryside: 31/7/2012, effects of destruction on mosques by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Lattkia: Marwniate,24/9/2012, effects of destruction of the Khaled mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

————————————–

Homs:

–          Homs Talebesa – Awion Husain, 30/1/2013, shelled Alwahid mosque by Artillery by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Homs, Buwaydah Al Sharqiyah
3/1/2013, shelling the village mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

effects of destruction

–          Homs –  Alkhaldiah, 28/11/2012, shelling Iman mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Homs – Sultaneah, 23/9/2012, shelling the town mosque with artillery by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–         Homs – Alhwla, 10/9/2013, effects of destruction on the Taldao Archeological Mosque from shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Homs – Alhwla, 10/9/2013, effects of destruction on Shuhadaa mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

eyewitnesses on the shelling incident

–          Homs – Aldaba, 16/7/2012, effects of destruction on town mosque for the second time by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Homs – Alhwla, 26/12/2012, effects of destruction on the town mosque from shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces centered near Hamiri checkpoint 
 

–          Homs – Alrastan, 21/9/2012, effects of destructions on Hidayah mosque from shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Homs – Old City, 9/12/2012, destroyed mosque from shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Homs – 27/7/2012, targeting Khaled Bin Alwalid Archeologicalmosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces shelling

————————————–
 
Daraa:

–          Daraa – Yadowda, 12/1/2013, shelled Yadowda village mosques by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces


–          Daraa – Noaemeah, 3/9/2013, shelled Abo Bakr Alsdik mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces


 
–          Daraa – Safirah, 9/2/2013, shelled Ahl Badr mosque’s minaret by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Daraa – Shiekh Miskin, 10/11/2012, shelled Ali Bn Abi Taleb mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

 
————————————–

Dier Alzoor:

–          Dier Alzoor – Miadine, 15/10/2012, effects of destructions on the main mosque in the town from shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Dier Alzoor – Albokamal, 8/9/2012,  effects of destruction of the big mosque in the city of shelling by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Dier Alzoor – Alaardi, 2/11/2012, effects of destruction of the Bilal mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

————————————–
 
Hama:
–          Hama – Kafar Nabodah, 13/2/2013, effects of shelling on the town mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Hama – Kafar Nabodah, 28/1/2013, shelling on city mosques by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Hama – Karnaz, 1/2/2013, shelled big mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Hama – Kafar Zita, 22/1/2013, shelled mosque in the town by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

————————————–

Aleppo:
–          Aleppo – Tarek Albab, 14/9/2012, the effect of destruction caused by the shelling of Alaqsa martyrs mosque

–          Aleppo – Andan, 25/9/2012, the effect of destruction caused by the shelling of the big mosque by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces

–          Almahmandar ( Alkadi ) mosque, 26/8/2012

–          Ismailiah Archeological mosque, 25/9/2012

–          Othmaniah Archeological mosque, 21/9/2012

–          Omayyad mosque

–          Mosque in Alsalhine neighborhood, 22/8/2012

–          Alkhair Archeological mosque, 12/11/2012

–          Mosque in Jainagh area, 1/7/2012

–          Almshatiah, 13/12/2012

–          Fatima Alzahraa Mosque, 20/8/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA9DZo2sUW0 –

–          Albotool  Mosque, 20/8/2012

–          Alrashid Mosque, 5/9/2012

 
 
 
 
Targeting Mosques by Armed Rebels
Some armed factions supporting the opposition targeted at least 4 minarets of mosques, and justified their action by claiming that Syrian Government’s Armed Forces had placed snipers in these minarets and targeted civilians. For example, a sniper who killed more than 27 civilians from the neighborhood was killed in an explosion in the Abo Bakr Mosque minaret in Daraa, which was located on a high hill overlooking the entire city.

Al Nusra troops stormed Hosseiniyeh, which belongs to a Shiite sect and is considered to be an enemy target. Most of them support Alassad’s regime. This incident occured in Jisr Ash-Shughur area.

 

Recommendations

Human Rights Council:

1-       Consider the sanctity of mosques affected by the attacks that occurred in Syria as a violation of basic human rights;

2-       Denounce violations committed against houses of worship and mosques by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces, and document those attacks;

3-       Pressure the Syrian Government’s Armed Troops and formally request it to stop its violations on mosques;

4-       Persuade allies and supporters of the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces (who supply weapons and gear) to take clear positions against those violations and apply diplomatic and political pressure in an effort to stop and end these violations.
 
Arab League:

1-        Denounce violations against houses of worship and mosques, and document those attacks;

2-       Pressure regionally and internationally to make effective decisions in this regard;

3-       Pressure the Syrian regime to stop those violations that affect Muslims all around the world;

4-       Demand the states that can pressure the Al-Assad regime to stop its deliberate and widespread violations against mosques.
 
Security Council:

1-    Denounce violations against houses of worship and mosques, and criminalize those attacks;

2-    Issue a binding decision against the Syrian regime to stop all violations, specifically against all houses of worship and mosques;

3-      Warn the Syrian government of the consequences for such violations against social peace and its leadership for sectarian and religious wars, and hold it fully responsible for their actions;

4-    Demand the protection of mosques and other archeological places, and warn of their endangerment.