Iranian Nuclear Scientist Executed for Espionage

August 16, 2016

by Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian nuclear scientist was executed after being tried and convicted of espionage and treason. Iranian officials say the scientist gave “vital information” to the United States.

Amiri Returned to Iran in 2010 (Photo Courtesy of CNN)

Iranian nuclear scientist, Shahram Amiri, was executed after being in custody for six years by Iranian officials. Iranian judiciary officials stated that Amiri was hung after he gave state secrets away to the United States. Deputy Chief Justice of Iran, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, said Amiri provided top secret information to the “number one sworn enemy, America.” Amiri’s execution came years after his conviction as it was being reviewed by the highest court in Iran. The court stated they reviewed the case with “extreme care.”

In 2009, Amiri vanished while on a religious pilgrimage to Saudia Arabia. A year later, Amiri turned up in the United States. Iranian officials accused the United States of abducting Amiri while the United States claimed Amiri had defected to undermine Iran’s nuclear program. Amiri, while in the United States, claimed he was kidnapped by the Central Intelligence Agency and later sought asylum at the Pakistani Embassy where he asked to be brought home.

Initially when Amiri returned, he was given a hero’s welcome which was extensively covered in the Iranian media. Amiri claimed he faced “psychological warfare” while in the United States. United States officials state he gave up information voluntarily. Shortly after his return, he was arrested by Iranian officials accused of espionage and treason. There were reports that, while in custody, Amiri was subjected to torture.

Amiri’s mother has stated that her son was unfairly tried and was innocent. Amiri’s mother along with watch groups question the closed-door trial of Amiri. Amiri’s mother claims that he was not given proper representation and was never allowed to talk with his lawyer. Iranian judicary officials have provided no comments concerning the way the trial was handled.

For more information, please see:

BBC — Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri executed for treason — 7 August 2016

CNN — Iran: Nuclear scientist executed for spying for ‘Great Satan’ U.S. — 8 August 2016

Guardian — Iran executes nuclear scientist who returned to country from US — 7 August 2016

Reuters — Executed Iranian nuclear scientist unfairly tried, said he was innocent: mother — 9 August 2016

Washington Post — Iran says it executed a nuclear scientist for spying — 7 August 2016

Women Raped in Camp in South Sudan While U.N. Peacekeepers Allegedly Standby

August 12, 2016

By Samantha Netzband

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

JUBA, South Sudan –Dozens of women have been sexually assaulted by government soldiers at a United Nations camp in South Sudan. The camp has over 30,000 displaced persons. Those attacked were Nuer women who had sought shelter from the continued fighting in South Sudan. Many have been injured and two women have died from their injuries.

Young girls at the UN Camp in Juba, South Sudan. (Photo Courtesy of the New York Times)

It is reported that many United Nations Peacekeepers witnessed the attacks and did nothing to stop them. Both the South Sudanese government and the United Nations did not deny the assaults that happened; and, Chantal Persaud, a spokesman for the United Nations in South Sudan, said there was at least one incident where United Nations Peacekeepers stood by and watched. South Sudanese soldiers were allowing the women to leave the camp to gather food and perform other tasks and then attacking the women when they returned to the camp. The rapes included gang rapes of underage women of more than 10 men each. The assaults may also be racially motivated many of the soldiers who are assaulting the Neur women are members of the Dinka ethnic group which is diametrically opposed of the Neur group.

The United Nations has now made a statement saying that if the United Nations Peacekeepers stood by and watched as the women were assaulted there will be severe consequences. United Nations Peacekeepers are deployed to protect civilians and are even allowed to use lethal force if necessary. The United Nations has increase security in the camp in order to prevent further attacks from happening.

For more information, please see:

All Africa – South Sudan: Report: Soldiers Raped Women Outside UN Camp – 28 July 2016

Breitbart – South Sudan: Soldiers Rape UN Camp Girls by the Dozen While Peacekeepers Watch – 27 July 2016

New Europe – Dozens Raped near UN Camp in South Sudan – 28 July 2016

New York Times – Dozens of women have reportedly been assaulted and raped at U.N. camp in South Sudan – 28 July 2016

Syria Justice and Accountability Centre: The SJAC Weekly Update

August 10, 2016

Rebels driving food trucks from Idlib into eastern Aleppo after breaking the siege on August 6
Photo Credit: Khaled Salameh

Rebels’ Gains are the UN’s Losses in Aleppo

“Leave or starve” is how the Syrian opposition described Russia’s proposal to create humanitarian corridors in Aleppo to allow civilians to flee ahead of increased airstrikes. By the end of July, Assad government forces, with support from Russia, successfully surrounded rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo, besieging about 300,000 residents. The United Nations (UN) estimated that food and medical supplies in these areas would only last between one to three weeks with dire humanitarian consequences. The ultimatum — to either remain and endure air bombardments and starvation or escape to the western side of the province under government control — amounted to forced displacement which is prohibited under international humanitarian law. Before the corridors could take effect, however, a coalition of rebels including Ahrar al-Sham, Jeysh al-Fateh, and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) broke the siege, bringing in trucks of food supplies. Despite the relief that these food trucks brought to civilians in the area, it is difficult to overlook the fact that the so-called liberators have been accused of committing numerous human rights violations in the past. The symbolism of aid reaching besieged areas through these fighters instead of the UN has negatively impacted the UN’s image among Syrians and could jeopardize the peace process.

Before the siege ended, the Russian and Syrian governments issued a statement to the UN, announcing the establishment of four humanitarian corridors, three for civilians and one for armed rebel fighters. Despite the Syrian government’s guarantees of safety, Aleppo residents dubbed them “death corridors” because they feared the government would target anyone who tried to utilize the corridors through airstrikes or arrests. The Syrian opposition even compared Syria’s strategy to Grozny, where Russia dropped leaflets to inform Chechen civilians of humanitarian corridors, briefly allowing people to flee, only to then bombard and flatten the city.

The Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) is a Syrian-led and multilaterally supported nonprofit that envisions a Syria where people live in a state defined by justice, respect for human rights, and rule of law. SJAC collects, analyzes, and preserves human rights law violations by all parties in the conflict — creating a central repository to strengthen accountability and support transitional justice and peace-building efforts. SJAC also conducts research to better understand Syrian opinions and perspectives, provides expertise and resources, conducts awareness-raising activities, and contributes to the development of locally appropriate transitional justice and accountability mechanisms. Contact us at info@syriaaccountability.org.

Black Lives Matter Protests Across Britain

August 8, 2016

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

LONDON, England — As part of an emerging Black Lives Matter movement in Britain, black rights activists staged several protests across the country on Friday in efforts to demonstrate their opposition to racial injustices. Black Lives Matter U.K. called for a “nationwide shutdown” to protest these injustices, which include police brutality, racial disparities in arrests, treatment of immigrants who are being held in detention, and a reported increase in hate crimes since the Brexit announcement on June 23, 2016. Activists also brought attention to deaths that occur during stop-and-searches in Britain.

Onlookers congratulated protestors in Nottingham who lied across on the tram tracks (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

One of the demonstrations took place at Heathrow Airport, where Black Lives Matter campaigners blocked one of the major roads leading in to the airport. Activists at the Heathrow demonstration unrolled a giant banner reading “This is a crisis” and laid down across an access road leading in to the airport. Traffic was blocked for several hours, and the police arrested 10 people in connection with this particular demonstration.

Other cities were affected by these protests as well. Activists in Birmingham linked themselves together to block roads leading to Birmingham airport, and activists in Nottingham laid down across train tracks so as to halt the tram network. In Altab Ali Park, approximately 300 protestors gathered to support unbiased treatment for people of color. Police were present at the park, which was named after Bangladeshi man who died in 1978 as a result of a racially-motivated killing.

London-based Black Lives Matter Activist Adam Elliot-Cooper explained that the reasoning behind staging one of these demonstrations at Heathrow was appropriate because many people are being killed at the borders of Britain, or alternatively are being sent back to “certain death” in their countries of origin. Black Lives Matter protest organizer Joshua Virasami called for “black people all over the world to come together” to achieve justice in Britain and across the world. Cara Thompson, organizer of the Nottingham protest, brought attention to the global presence of this issue, telling reporters that they “need people to listen…to what is happening to black people – not just in the USA.”

The protests were purposely staged to take place on the fifth anniversary of the death of Mark Duggan, a 29-year old black man shot and killed by police in London.

For more information, please see:

BBC — Black Lives Matter Movement ‘Needed in UK — 5 August 2016

CNN — Black Lives Matter UK Blocks London’s Heathrow Airport — 5 August 2016

NY Times — Black Lives Matter Activists Stage Protests Across Britain — 5 August 2016

USA Today — Black Lives Matter Protestors Block Airport Road in U.K. — 5 August 2016

IS Leader in Sinai Killed by Egyptian Airstrike

August 8, 2016

by Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt — Egyptian military announced that airstrikes had killed a top Islamic State (IS) leader in the Sinai peninsula. Abu Duaa al-Ansari, was the head of the Ansar Bait al-Maqdis movement that operated out of the volatile region.

Egyptian Army Picture Showing IS Targets in Sinai (Photo Courtesy of Haaretz)

The Egyptian military launched a strike against the IS affiliate following “accurate intelligence” that the head of Ansar Bait al-Maqdis was near the town of Al-Arish. The Egyptian air force then struck just south of al-Arish and killed 45 ISIS operatives along with Ansari. Egyptian military officials stated that numerous arms and ammunition were also destroyed in the strike. The IS group in the region provided no confirmation of the death of Ansari.

Egypt has been persistently fighting IS in the region following numerous attacks on its personnel. This attack comes after a promise to hunt down IS operatives following attacks that killed Egyptian security officers. The campaign is party of a larger struggle for the Egyptian government to restore stability to the volatile country.

Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, which translates to “Champions of the Holy House,” began operating after the ouster of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The group has led attacks against Egyptian security officials and Egyptian infrastructure, including a gas pipeline between Egypt and Jordan. There attacks became deadlier after the ouster of the Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. In 2014, the group pledged allegiance to IS and have since been referred to as Wilayat Sinai or Sinai Province. The IS affiliate receive support from the local tribes in Sinai that have felt neglected by past Egyptian governments.

Sinai Province previously claimed responsibility for the crash of Russian Metrojet Flight 9268. In October 2015, Sinai Province claimed to plant a bomb on the plane which blew up in flight killing 224 passengers. The terrorist attack came after Russia began a bombing campaign in Syria against rebel groups, including IS, in supporter of the Syrian regime.

For more information, please see:

CNN — ISIS leader killed in Sinai, Egypt says — 5 August 2016

Fox News — Leader of ISIS in Egypt’s Sinai killed by air force, sources confirm — 4 August 2016

Haaretz — ISIS Leader in Sinai Killed in Airstrikes, Egyptian Military Says — 4 August 2016

Huffington Post — Egypt Claims To Have Killed The Leader Of ISIS’ Sinai Affiliate — 4 August 2016