EU’s Ashton meets with Egypt’s Political Leaders

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt-Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, began her three day trip in Egypt Tuesday, meeting with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood leaders.  Ashton will also hold meetings with key members of Egypt’s interim government, including President Adly Mansour and Defense Minister General Abdell Fattah el-Sisi.

EU’s Ashton meets with Egyptian political leaders of the Brotherhood (photo courtesy of Ahram)

Ashton makes her trip against the backdrop of pro-Morsi Islamist movement that has resulted in hundreds of Brotherhood members being killed and leaders jailed on charges of inciting or taking part in violence.

“It is important to find ways to have the right kind of dialogue and that’s what we have been urging everyone.  My guess is that process will take a little time to do but it’s important for everybody to feel that they are able to participate in the process as well as ultimately in political life,” stated Ashton after meeting with General el-Sisi.

The three day visit to Cairo has been interpreted as a renewed attempt to reach an agreement between the transitional government and the Muslim Brotherhood, who have been butting heads since the overthrowing of President Morsi.

The Brotherhood, which has won every election since a popular revolt overthrew autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011, has amassed animosity from the military that has set out to eradicate them.  Meanwhile, the Brotherhood issued a statement on Thursday denouncing the military, comparing it to Adolf Hitler.

Amr Darrag, a senior member of the Brotherhood, said on Wednesday topics discussed with Ashton included the political deadlock in Egypt, but insisted that Egyptians must resolve these issues on their own, without foreign aid.

“We didn’t represent our personal opinions but expressed to Ashton the views of the people.  The Egyptian people continue to take to the streets with specific demands and in opposition to the current policies.  Our role is to convey their voices,” stated Darrag.

Ashton responded saying “In terms of inclusiveness, it means trying to involve everyone, that also means reaching out to each other.  We don’t insist on anything, this is your country.”

Throughout every meeting, Ashton repeatedly urged Egypt to enact an inclusive democratic process that will engage all factions, while voicing concern over the use of violence against Morsi supporters and a deepening polarization since his ousting.

In a later statement, Darrag said that discussions centered on regional issues and the demands to return ousted President Morsi back to power by the anti-coup alliance were not discussed.  Morsi has been in military custody in an unknown location since being deposed by the military on July 3.

For more information, please see the following:

Ahram-EU’s Ashton meets with Egypt political forces-October 3, 2013

Daily News-Ashton meets with broad spectrum of political players-October 3, 2013

Reuters-EU’s Ashton says crucial for all to join Egyptian political process-October 3, 2013

Aljazeera-EU envoy meets Brotherhood leaders in Egypt-October 2, 2013

 

Pussy Riot Member’s Protest “Suspended”, Pending Fulfillment of Prison Authorities’ Promises

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – In the light of health concerns, jailed Pussy Riot member, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has begun eating again. Absent concessions, she claims the hunger strike will start again following her medical treatment.

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, was convicted on “hooliganism” charges, and currently has less than six months left on her two-year sentence. (Photo courtesy of Deutsche Welle)

In Russia, convicted criminals fear the Mordovia prison camps, which are described as “grim, decaying and intimidating.”

In 2012, punk rock musician and member of Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was convicted of “hooliganism” for performing a “punk prayer” critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was, at the time, Prime Minister.

On 23 September 2013, with about six months left on her two-year sentence, Tolokonnikova began a hunger strike. She claimed the prison conditions were intolerable in Mordovia, and demanded relocation.

Tolokonnikova sent a letter to the news site, Lenta, explaining her unsanitary “slave labor” conditions. Regardless of illness or injury, women must work up to 17 hours each day. Failure to complete their duties results in beatings or worse.

She has demanded an investigation into rights violations in her penal colony, removal of “psychological pressure” on inmates in the colony who talked about penitentiary conditions to inspectors, and her transfer to another penitentiary.

The deputy on 1 October 2013, Russian Parliamentary Deputy Ilya Ponomarev met with Tolokonnikova. According to Ponomarev, doctors feared for Tolokonnikova’s life. She had a “very visible” rash on her skin that. Without food, doctors could not treat her without antibiotics.

“She was very bad,” Ponomarev said. “They were saying that unrecoverable damage was approaching, and I think they were right.”

In any event, Tolokonnikova claims that her protest will continue if the prison camp’s conditions do not improve. “I am not ending my hunger strike, I am suspending it temporarily because my physical condition is now very bad and there are the beginnings of health complications.”

While prison authorities denied Tolokonnikova’s allegations about the camp and accused her of lying, local authorities continued their investigation into her claims.

However, former Mordovia prisoner, Svetlana Bakhmina said that she can corroborate Tolokonnikova’s allegations.

“It’s like torture,” she said. “The system between the administration and the convicts is not just based on subordination, but humiliation, fear, intimidation and physical force.”

When authorities refused to let Bakhmina call her children, she also went on a hunger strike. She said the hard part was not the hunger, it was the psychological pressure from prison authorities.

Earlier this year, Maria Alyokhina, another convicted member of Pussy Riot, went on a hunger strike to protest conditions in another prison camp. Tolokonnikova is waiting to see if she can win similar concessions as Alyokhina.

For further information, please see:

CNN International – Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Jailed Pussy Riot Member, Halts Hunger Strike – October 3, 2013

RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty – Pussy Riot Member May Resume Hunger Strike – October 3, 2013

Rolling Stone – Pussy Riot Member Was Approaching ‘Unrecoverable Damage’ – October 3, 2013

Deutsche Welle – Pussy Riot Member Ends Hunger Strike against Russian Prison Conditions – October 1, 2013

Impunity Watch – Conviction Upheld for 2 Pussy Riot Members, 1 Released – October 12, 2012

Government Shutdown Places 70% of Intelligence Community on Unpaid Leave

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – Following the government shutdown that began Tuesday the federal government has been forced to furlough 70% of its intelligence staff.  In a meeting with the Senate Judiciary Committee, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned that the shutdown “seriously damages” the intelligence community’s ability to protect the US.

Clapper cautioned that sending intelligence staff home without pay devastated morale and created a “dreamland” for foreign intelligence services. (Photo courtesy of BBC News)

Clapper testified to the Judiciary Committee that, following clear legal guideline, the intelligence community was forced to place 70% of its civilian staff, including operations and support personnel, on unpaid leave.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Clapper said, adding “I think this, on top of sequestration, seriously damages our ability to protect the security and safety of this nation and its citizens.”

The more pressing concern, Clapper said, is the “dreamland for foreign intelligence services” that is created by placing intelligence staff on unpaid leave.  Clapper worried that foreign intelligence services will be able to recruit the valuable Ph.D.s, computer scientists and mathematicians employed by the US intelligence community.

The Judiciary Committee guidelines call for agencies to furlough employees unless they are “necessary to protect against imminent threat to life or property.”  In the intelligence business, where imminent threats often crop up quickly, Clapper expressed concern that which personnel were necessary to prevent imminent loss of life and property would change on a daily basis.

“We will have to shuffle people in and out depending on what we believe the concern of the day is,” Clapper said.

The counterterrorism staff has remained on duty; however, intelligence officials are worried about the shutdown’s effect on staff morale.  Clapper assured that he would keep enough staff to guard against potential threats, but warned that he might have to call more employees back to work if the shutdown continues.

“Each day that goes by, the jeopardy increases,” he said.

The number of employees that work at the various intelligence agencies is classified.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – US spy chief: Shutdown ‘damaging’ – 2 October 2013

Washington Times – Shutdown furloughs 70 percent of U.S. intelligence workers– 2 October 2013

Al Jazeera – 70% of intelligence staff out in government shutdown – 2 October 2013

Reuters – Intelligence chiefs deem shutdown ‘insidious’ danger to U.S. – 2 October 2013

Fox News – Clapper says shutdown damaging US spies’ ability to guard against threats – 2 October 2013

UN Security Council Urges Syrian Government to Relax Aid Restrictions

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a presidential statement that urges President Bashar al-Asssad’s Syrian government to allow for easier flow of humanitarian aid. The statement calls for all parties to the conflict to take fighting pauses so that humanitarian convoys can pass through necessary routes.

This girl is forced to sleep in ancient ruins as a result of the lack of humanitarian aid. (Photo Courtesy of AP)

The presidential statement is legally binding, but a step below a resolution. The statement marks the second time in just a matter of weeks that the Security Council has come to an agreement in regards to Syrian conflict. The unified action follows the passage of a resolution last week to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons, the first significant legal action by the council in two-and-a-half years since the conflict began.

Presently, only twelve humanitarian groups are approved by the Syrian government and they struggle the meet the demands of millions of internally displaced Syrians. The groups have been subject to long delays due to fighting and dozens of government checkpoints that inspect humanitarian deliveries.

The statement urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s authorities to “take immediate steps to facilitate the expansion of humanitarian relief operations, and lift bureaucratic impediments and other obstacles”.

This includes “promptly facilitating safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need, through the most effective ways, including across conflict lines and, where appropriate, across borders from neighboring countries”.

U.N. aid chief Valerie Amos stated that upwards of two million people could benefit if the statements recommendations were completely implemented.

“Our task now is to turn these strong words into meaningful action for the children, women and men who continue to be the victims of the brutality and violence,” she told reporters.

The presidential statement was drafted and submitted by Austria and Luxembourg, it was in response to a “wish list” that Amos sent to the council a month ago. Cross border deliveries from Lebanon have already picked up but it is unlikely that the statement it will make a huge difference immediately.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – UN urges immediate aid access to Syria – 28 September 2013

BBC – UN Security Council urges humanitarian access to Syria – 28 September 2013

Huffington Post – Syria Aid Access Desperately Needed, UN Security Council Says –  27 September 2013

Reuters – U.N. Security Council urges easier access for Syria aid – 26 September 2013

Bosnia to Amend Constitution to Allow Minorities to Run For Office; Clears Path to EU

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium – Seven Bosnian leaders agreed to end their country’s constitutional ban on minorities running for elected office on Tuesday, which has effectively cleared the country’s last major obstacle to applying to join the European Union.

Enlargement Commissioner Fuele speaks at a conference last year. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

The leaders, all from Bosnia’s main political parties, met in Brussels on Tuesday and agreed of “the necessity to implement the judgment urgently by providing every Bosnia-Herzegovina citizen with the right to stand for election to…Presidency and House of Peoples,” the leaders stated in a joint statement issued on Tuesday.

In 2009, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against discrimination against minority groups such as Roma and Jewish people. Bosnia, accordingly, has been blocked from applying to the join the EU due to this former constitutional provision. This has led to an impasse in accession discussions.

The talks occurred in part because EU officials had begun issuing warnings of a cut off in potentially hundreds of millions of euros in funding from the Union that has traditionally been used on reforms and development of local infrastructure.

As Bosnia’s economy is still recovering from the 1992 to 1995 war, EU accession accession and reforms have been essential for the country to attract foreign investors to the Bosnian economy. As far as Bosnia’s former Yugoslav neighbors, Montenegro has also begun accession talks, Croatia joined the EU this past July, and Serbia is to begin discussions in January.

The ethnicity of Bosnian citizens has been a hot-button issue in the country since the mid-90’s war that killed an estimated over-100,000 people and divided the country into two autonomous regions which are linked by a weak central government. This Brussels agreement has come just as Bosnia is launching its first census as an independent state, which has partially revived ethnic rifts.

Stefan Fuele, EU enlargement chief, stated he hoped the agreement would make it possible for the European Commission to issue a positive annual report on October 16 on Bosnia’s progress towards meeting EU standards on human rights and democracy.

Fuele stated he hoped the report would “open the way for a credible application of Bosnia-Herzegovina to become a member of the European Union”.

The Bosnian leaders’ joint statement did not go into specific detail on just how or when the proposed constitutional alterations would be made. The leaders promised to work out details of the agreement before resuming talks in Brussels on October 10.

For more information, please see:

EU Observer – Bosnia to Remove Barrier for EU Membership – 2 October 2013

European Union Examiner – Bosnian Deal Clears Obstacle to EU Application – 1 October 2013

Irish Independent – Bosnia Clears Final Hurdle on Road to EU Membership – 1 October 2013

Reuters – Bosnian Deal Clears Obstacle to EU Application – 1 October 2013