The Day the Press Stood Still

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

CONAKRY, Guinea ­– This Tuesday, 5 media outlets in Guinea joined together to create a media blackout day in remembrance and in protest to the death of fellow journalist, El Hadj Mohamed Diallo. The black-out was intended to draw attention to the dangerous climate that Guinea journalists work in on a daily basis. At this point it is not clear if Diallo was targeted for being a journalist or just caught in the cross fire during a politically motivated uprising in the nation’s capital.

Media Outlets Closed during Black-Out for Slain Journalist (Image Courtesy Yahoo News)

Before his death, Diallo was covering the opposition party’s vice president, Mamadou Bah Oury’s attempt to enter his office after he had been removed from that office by supporters of Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) earlier that day. The opposition party and their ex-vice president are blaming each other for the violence that broke out during the walk in.

The risk involved with being a journalist in Guinea cannot be chalked up to mere government oppression. In fact the government is currently investigating the death of Diallo. However, it is not unusual for journalists to be targeted by different segments of the Guinea public. There are wide reports of journalists being beaten by police officers and media outlets and radio stations being told to not run stories.

One notable instance of journalist oppression happened during the 2014 Ebola crisis. One journalist and two media workers lost their lives while trying to cover the crisis in Guinea. This media team lost their lives not to the disease they were covering but for covering the story. The three went missing and were later found murdered in a septic tank. It is in this environment that Guinea journalist are risking their lives.

In response to the murder of Diallo the authorities in Guinea have arrested 17 opposition party members. Why these 17 members were arrested and what they are being charged with is unclear at this time.

Diallo worked for Guinee7 news and wrote for the weekly L’independent. He is survived by his wife and younger daughter.

The Guardian ­– Guinea’s media holds ‘press-free day’ over shooting of journalist in clashes –9 Feb 2016

AfricaNews — Guinea: 17 arrested over journalist’s death – 12 Feb. 2016

Bloomberg Business — Guinea Reporter Killed During Clash Between Opposition Party – 9 Feb 2016

All Africa — Guinea: Media Blackout in Memory of Slain Journalist — 9 Feb. 2016

Pentagon Releases Photos Of Alleged Detainee Abuse In Iraq, Afghanistan

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Oceania

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America — Last Friday, the Pentagon released nearly 200 photographs related to its investigation of alleged abuse of detainees held by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the military is continuing to block the disclosure of about 1,800 other photos from the same criminal investigations, saying that their release would endanger American service members serving abroad.

Two Photos Detailing Some of the Alleged Abuses at the Hands of U.S. Service-members. (Photo Courtesy of NY Times)

Taken more than a decade ago during the Bush administration, the photographs consist largely of close-up views of scrapes and bruises on detainees’ bodies.

The photos released Friday show close ups of arms, legs, feet, backs and heads, many with visible injuries and rulers or coins held up next to them for comparison. A few photos where faces would be visible have the faces blacked; furthermore, a few full-body photos show detainees kneeling or with their hands behind their backs.

The photographs were tied to U.S. military investigations that looked into reports of alleged abuse. Of the 56 allegations tied to the photographs, subsequent investigations substantiated the claims in 14 of the cases, which resulted in disciplinary action against 65 service-members, the Defense Department said in a prepared statement.

In 2003, the ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the entire cache of photos. The organization sued in 2004 after the gruesome photos of Abu Ghraib prison leaked to the media. In 2009, the Obama administration promised to release the photos, but Congress passed a law that allowed them to remain classified if the Defense secretary certified their release would jeopardize national security.

The American Civil Liberties Union hailed the release of the photos, but said the decision to hold back the remaining 1,800 images could mislead the public about the true scope of what happened.

“The disclosure of these photos is long overdue, but the photos released today are almost certainly the most innocuous of the 2,000 that were being withheld,” ACLU said in a statement released Friday. “From the nearly 6,000 reports, investigations, emails, and other documents the government has been forced to release to us in the course of this litigation, we have found more than 100 documents that either reference photos related to cases of abuse or actually contain photos that were redacted before they got to us.”

In one example, identified as an U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (‘CID’) case from 2004, black and white photographs depict a detainee holding a pen to his shin just under an area that appears slightly discolored. CID concluded there was not enough evidence to determine whether the detainee, whose name was redacted, had been abused by U.S. or coalition forces.

Investigators did, however, determine the detainee was likely abused by Iraqi Civil Defense troops.

For more information, please see:

AllGov – Pentagon Blocks Release of 1,800 Detainee Abuse Photos, Lets Out 198 – 6 February 2016

IB Times – Pentagon Releases Nearly 200 Photos Showing Detainee Abuse In Iraq, Afghanistan – 6 February 2016

Military.com – Pentagon Releases Photos of Alleged Prison Abuses in Iraq, Afghanistan – 6 February 2016

CNN – Pentagon releases 198 photos of detainees – 5 February 2016

NY Times – Pentagon Releases Small Portion of Photos From Detainee Abuse Cases – 5 February 2016

The Hill – Pentagon releases 198 photos of alleged detainee abuse – 5 February 2016

The Intercept – PENTAGON RELEASES PHOTOS OF DETAINEE ABUSE IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN – 5 February 2016

Haitian President Steps Down Leaving Chaos, No Successor

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, North America and Oceania

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haitian President Michel Martelly has stepped down from office, leaving the island nation with no immediate successor after elections marred by allegations of fraud were postponed twice. Martelly, who leaves the post after five years in office, delivered a farewell address to Haiti’s National Assembly on Sunday.

Former Haitian President Michel Martelly Departs the Parliament Building Sunday. (Photo Courtesy of CNN)

No successor has been chosen as of yet as opposition supporters challenge a deal to select an interim leader.

In a nearly 20-minute speech addressing the joint session of Parliament, Mr. Martelly said his biggest regret was that the presidential election had been postponed. Addressing the Haitian people, he stated he worked as hard as he could to improve the country.

In his address, Mr. Martelly was quoted as saying: “Haiti is recovering; yes, Haiti is standing. I was faced with all the challenges; facing the impossible, facing the most utter despair. … I can say today that I am ready to answer before the tribunal of history.”

Mr. Martelly departed at the end of his five-year term, thanks to a last-minute agreement that laid out steps to implement a provisional government to take his place. Although the agreement left major doubts about who will govern the nation in the months to come, those with direct knowledge of the situation hailed it as an important move toward at least momentarily resolving a political impasse that had put hundreds of protesters on the streets.

Under the agreement reached this weekend, the Prime Minister will stay in power until an interim president is chosen by both chambers of Parliament. Once the interim president is in place, a consensus Prime Minister will be chosen.

Haiti’s latest political crisis has resulted from a presidential election held in October with 54 candidates which critics have said was riddled with fraud. For example, political officials were able to vote multiple times, and the president’s handpicked successor came in first despite being a virtual unknown, leaving the 52 candidates who did not make the runoff vote to question the results.

Mr. Martelly insisted that there had been no fraud and that the runoff should take place, urging voters to choose his candidate, Jovenel Moïse, a banana exporter. However, a former government official who officially came in second, Jude Célestin, refused to participate in the runoff until a new electoral council was chosen and a thorough review of the first round was conducted.

Unfortunately, an hour after Mr. Martelly’s speech and departure from the parliament, violent street protests erupted.

Haiti last created a transitional government in 2004. That interim administration, which lasted for two years, took power in the chaotic days after President Jean Bertrand-Aristide was ousted by a rebellion and a U.N. peacekeeping force came to stabilize the country.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Haiti president steps down without successor in place – 8 February 2016

Latin Post – Haiti President Departs; Chaos Ensues – 8 February 2016

ABC News – Haiti’s President Departs to Make Way for Interim Government – 7 February 2016

CNN – Haiti’s President steps down, leaving no successor – 7 February 2016

Miami Herald – Haitian President Michel Martelly bids farewell – 7 February 2016

NY Times – Michel Martelly, Haiti’s President, Departs Without a Successor – 7 February 2016

Reuters (Video) – Haiti’s president leaves office without a successor – 7 February 2016

Syria Deeply Weekly Update: Aleppo Onslaught Leaves Syrians Stranded on the Border

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you valuable news and analysis.

Aleppo Onslaught Leaves Syrians Stranded on the Border

The Russian-supported onslaught on the city of Aleppo and surrounding countryside has forced more than 50,000 people to flee their homes and head north to the Turkish border. But as the border remains closed and the weather gets colder, Syria’s displaced are stranded.

The Consequences of Russian Free Reign in Syria

Russian president Vladimir Putin has duped the west, writes Fredric Hof, using a military solution to fix the only aspect of the Syrian crisis he deems worth solving: the preservation of Bashar al-Assad’s rule in at least part of the country. But Russian free reign in Syria has global consequences.

The Staggering Price of Syria’s Reconstruction

Five years of war in Syria have left large swathes of the country in ruin. And with the peace process on the brink of collapse, an end to the war is nowhere in sight. But with a reconstruction bill that is likely to run well over $100 billion, planning for Syria’s eventual rebuilding must start now.

More Recent Stories to Look Out for at Syria Deeply

• International Intervention Is Prolonging Syrian War

• Government Push in North Forces 50,000 to Borders

• My Life Outside Syria: Diary Entry 57

Find our new reporting and analysis every weekday at www.syriadeeply.org.

You can reach our team with any comments or suggestions at info@newsdeeply.org.

Police Clash With Protesters During New Year Celebration in Hong Kong

By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 

Police clashed with protesters in the Mong Kok district in Hong Kong on February 9 during a celebration of the Lunar New Year. The confrontation occurred after police attempted to shut down unlicensed food vendors serving traditional New Year delicacies.

People had gathered in Mong Kok, a shopping and residential district, to celebrate the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Police came in to remove the unlicensed vendors, who have generally been left alone by authorities in years past.

Around 100 protesters threw glass bottles, bricks, and other objects at the police as the confrontation intensified. They also set fires in the streets. Police used batons and pepper spray to break up the crowds of protesters. They then fired two warning shots, an act which is very rare in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong police department later issued a statement saying that protesters had ignored police warnings to disperse from the streets and had begun to shove officers.

Police clash with protesters in Mong Kok on February 9. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

As many as 90 police officers were injured during the clash, although reported numbers vary. Four journalists also sustained injuries. 54 people were arrested for charges of assaulting police and resisting arrest, among other crimes.

Hong Kong’s government has condemned the protest. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying has stated that police are under strict rules regarding the use of force and that they had taken the necessary precautions during the Mong Kok protest. Mr. Leung has also stated that those arrested during the protest will be prosecuted.

Hong Kong Police Commissioner Lo Wai-Chung told the news media that authorities were considering charging the protesters with “taking part in a riot”. The charge was last used in 1967 against those participating in riots supporting China’s Cultural Revolution.

The Mong Kok protest is the most violent protest to occur in Hong Kong since 2014. It is also only one of several protests that has occurred in Hong Kong in recent years. The protests have occurred as Hong Kong citizens grow increasingly concerned about China’s assertions of control over their city and civil liberties.

The protests have contributed to the development of a “localist” movement, which calls for Hong Kong’s total independence from China. Participants of the localist movement protest acts that they view as encroaching on Hong Kong’s culture.

 

For more information, please see:

The Hong Kong Standard – Mong Kok Clashes Mar Start to New Year – 10 February 2016

CNN – Hong Kong Police Fire Warning Shots During Mong Kok Fishball ‘Riot’ – 9 February 2016

Time – Hong Kong Sees Violent Start to Chinese New Year as Protesters Clash With Police – 9 February 2016

The New York Times – Protesters and Police Clash at Lunar New Year Festivities in Hong Kong – 8 February 2016