By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BAKU, Azerbaijan – Two student activists were arrested and beaten in Azerbaijan after they posted a video critical of the nation’s government.

Authorities arrested Adnan Hajizada, a University of Richmond graduate and fellow activist Emin Milli, in the capital city of Baku last week. A friend of the pair said government officials questioned them while they were out at dinner and struck Milli without warning, and then attacked Hajizada. The two were then arrested and accused of attacking the officials.

Hajizada and Milli are now awaiting trial, where they could be punished with up to five years in prison. They are being held in pretrial detention for the time being, reported The New York Times. Mehriban Efendiyeva, friend of the pair, as well as an activist, said “We note with great regret that in some parts of the world today, severe injustices against the driving force for the progress – the socially active youth – take places in the most brutal manner.”

U.S. Embassy and German officials have voiced concern about the detention and the arrests, which have prompted the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry and Prosecutor General’s office to respond by saying the two countries were “meddling in its affairs.” There are reports circulating that Milli and Hajizada were beaten, and are currently being denied access to lawyers or medical treatment.

A statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan read, “We call on the Government of Azerbaijan to ensure that Mr. Milli and Mr. Hajizada are granted proper access to legal assistance and medical care. We ask that the Government of Azerbaijan exercise due process in this case and respect the rights of these individuals.”

The video posted by the two activists satirized the Azerbaijani government paying exorbitant prices to import donkeys. The video ended with the statement, roughly translated, “There will be someone to protect donkey civil rights, but who will protect human civil rights?”

For more information, please see:

AP – Azerbaijani Blogger Arrests Prompts Backlash – July 14, 2  009 

 

The Collegian – 05′ Richmond Graduate Arrested – July 14, 2009  

The New York Times – In Azerbaijan a Donkey Suit Provokes Arrests – July 14, 2009

 

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW YORK, United States– Burma’s UN Ambassador Than Swe announced during a Security Council session that his country is preparing to release some of the political prisoners so that they can participate in the 2010 general election.  This decision was made at the request of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during his last visit to Burma.

Swe said, “The Myanmar [Burmese] government is processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds…Myanmar [Burma] today is steadfastly proceeding on its chosen path to democracy.”

UN Secretary General Ban visit Burma (Source: AFP)

Ban told reporters after the Security Council meeting that he conveyed the international community’s expectation to the Burmese government in the clearest terms possible. He also added that “the world is now watching closely whether they [Burma’s junta leaders] will choose to act in the best interest of their country” since the Burmese people will bear the cost of any lack of cooperation by their government with the international community.

Other UN members, including the U.S., United Kingdom and France, together called for stronger action by the Security Council against Burma, especially with matters related to Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who is currently on trial for violating her house rest.  Ban’s request to see Suu Kyi was denied during his visit, and Suu Kyi is not likely to be among the prisoners to be freed in time for the 2010 election.

The new constitution, which 92% of voters approved in last year’s referendum and will be voting for in the 2010 election, bars Suu Kyi from holding a political office.  Thus, some claim that the election is to further strengthen the powers of the junta generals.  In response, Swe remarked that “undue pressure from the outside would not be conducive to Myanmar’s [Burma’s] home-grown political process.”

Nevertheless, U.S. envoy Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council members that there could be “no free and fair election while key leaders of Burma’s Democratic opposition, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi…languish in Burma’s prison.” 

There was no official word on how many of the estimated 2,100 political prisoners will be release in time for the 2010 general election.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Burma junta ‘to free dissidents’ – 13 July 2009

Bloomberg – Myanmar to Free Political Prisoners, Envoy Tells UN – 13 July 2009

Mizzima – Burma preparing to free political prisoners – 14 July 2009

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Kashmiris all over the world observed Kashmir Martyr Day on Monday to pay homage to the Kashmiri martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination.

In occupied Kashmir, the present authorities have imposed curfews in places such as Srinagar and have barricaded all roads leading to Lal Chowk; home to the Lal Chowk March. The Chairman of the All Parties Huriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, despite being kept under house arrest by the India, urged all people to massively partake in the Lal Chowk March to remember Kashmir’s martyrs. Indian police have arrested scores of people in occupied Kashmir, and raided the homes of several APHC leaders.

Different functions are being held in other parts of Kashmir that include speakers who have been paying tribute to those who lost their lives on June 13, 1931 when the Dogra troops shot dead 22 protesting Kashmiris in front of Srinagar Central Jail.

In Islamabad a rally was held where participants presented a memorandum at the UN office in which they asked the UN Secretary General to put an end to human rights violations and restrictions on movement and press. They further urged the Secretary General to play an active role in the Security Council to bring about a final resolution on the Kashmir dispute issue.

Here in the US, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, executive director of the Kashmiri American Council, spoke to representatives of Amnesty International and urged them to put an end to the atrocious violations being committed in Kashmir. In particular, Dr. Fai spoke about the recent abduction, rape, and murder of two young girls in Shopian by the military. Kashmiri territory has been in dispute ever since the Partition between India and Pakistan in 1947. Since then, there has been civil and international unrest surrounding the issue. Kashmir has been home to human rights violations, and breeding ground for acts of violence.

Dr. Fai ended her speech by quoting President Obama from his L’Aquila, Italy speech saying, “We don’t want stronger nations bullying weaker nations. On the other hand, where you have nations that are oppressing their people, isn’t there an international responsibility to intervene?”

 For more information, please see:

South Asian News Agency – Kashmir’s Martyr Day Observed World Over – July 13, 2009

Kashmir Watch – The Kashmir Tragedy: Kashmir Martyrs’ Day –  July 13, 2009

Greater Kashmir – Martys’ Day Observed in Pakistan – July 13, 2009  

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan – A new version of Afghan marriage law no longer requires a wife to submit to sex with her husband, only that she perform certain housework.  The original law required the wife to submit to the husband’s sexual advances every four days.  This sex clause was met with international condemnation for appearing to legalize marital rape.

This marriage law applies only to the minority Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan, and the 10% Shiite minority is allowed to settle family affairs under their own jurisprudence under the Afghan Constitution.  Nevertheless, the critics considered the law as a return to the old Taliban-era rules when the Afghan government is supposed to be promoting democracy and human rights.

The United Nations released a statement saying, “The United Nations has had concerns about parts of the law that do not conform with international law, particularly in regard[s] to the rights of women.”

Afghan Shiite women protesting the original marriage law (Source: AP)

The revised law now says the wife need only do housework that the couple agreed at the time of their marriage, and the clause requiring the women to obtain her husband’s permission to leave the house and the sex clause have been deleted.

The new draft appears to give women more freedom, stating that a woman is the “owner of her property and can use her property without the permission of her husband.”  However, although the new draft may be seen as a move towards better protection of women’s rights, many activists argue that the government has not done enough to make a significant change in the women’s daily lives. 

Women’s advocate Shukria Barakzai said, “We need a change in customs, and this is just on paper.  What is being practiced every day, in Kabul even, is worse than the laws.”  She remained skeptical as to how much change the new law will bring to the women’s lives, adding, “Still there are forced marriages and child marriages…and the lack of access to divorce.”

Although the revised law is likely to be approved, it is unclear how long it will take the parliament to take up the draft since the legislature is in recess for the next two weeks.

For more information, please see:

The Huffington Post – Afghan Marriage Law No Longer Legalizes Rape – 9 July 2009

MSNBC – Afghanistan revises contentious marriage law – 9 July 2009

Telegraph – Afghanistan revises marriage law but women still required to submit to sexual intercourse – 9 July 2009

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 

 

North Korea – After weeks of no news, the sister of one of the American journalists imprisoned in North Korea finally received word. Lisa Ling, a CNN contributor, said, “It was only the first time I had heard her voice in weeks… I was so relieved but I feel so helpless…It’s just difficult to know I cannot do anything to bring her home.”

Lisa Ling’s sister, Laura Ling, and Euna Lee, both journalists, were sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of illegally entering the country to conduct a smear campaign. “I know that our government has been working behind the scenes very hard trying to bring the girls back home… but our countries don’t talk, and perhaps this could be a reason,” said Lisa Ling, hoping the recent arrest will encourage dialogue between the US and North Korea.

Ling said that without being able to look at her sister, it was difficult to discern her state. She said her sister was “very specific about the message that she was communicating, and she said, ‘Look, we violated North Korean law and we need our government to help us. We are sorry about everything that has happened, but we need diplomacy.’”

Both, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, former reporters for California-based Current TV, were arrested while reporting on the border between North Korea and China. North Korea’s state media released a report last month explaining how the two American journalists had illegally entered the country to record material for a “smear campaign” against the North Korean government. Ever since, the US has intervened trying to secure the release of the two journalists on humanitarian grounds.

A former North Korean prisoner, Kang Chol-Hwan, is also speaking out about the condition of North Korea’s “concentration camps.” Chol-Hwan has painted a bleak picture of chaos and violence in the camps and is hoping the American journalists obtain a speedy release. Chol-Hwan was sent to the camp because North Korea’s former leader, Kim Il Sung, thought Chol-Hwan’s grandfather was a traitor.

Chol-Hwan, now a journalist, is speaking out in part to expedite Laura Ling and Euna Lee’s freedom. Although he did add that he is convinced that the North Korea’s communist regime is treating both women well.

 

 

CBS – Lisa Ling Pushes for Sister’s Release – July 8, 2009

CNN – Sister Hears from Journalist Trapped in N. Korea – July 8, 2009

VOA News – Former North Korean Prisoner Speaks Out – July 8, 2009