News

Players Banned from Wearing “Political” Poppy on Jerseys

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

 

LONDON, England — The international governing body of soccer, FIFA, has rejected players’ requests to wear embroidered poppy flowers on their jerseys during a game between England and Scotland on November 11.  In the United Kingdom, November 11 is the day which memorializes those who have passed away in war.  Both England and Scotland have asked FIFA to allow them to wear the symbol out of respect for the Royal British Legion, which is a charity that sells poppy badges to raise funds for veterans.  British soccer teams traditionally honor a moment of silence and wear embroidered poppies on their jerseys on the weekend of November 11.

Embroidered poppy symbol on a soccer jersey honoring fallen veterans (Photo Courtesy of BBC)
Embroidered poppy symbol on a soccer jersey honoring fallen veterans (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

FIFA bans any political or religious messages on jerseys, and Scottish Football Association chief Stewart Regan supports FIFA’s position that the organization is “sticking to the letter of law.”  FIFA considers the poppy to be a political statement, and will not allow the symbol to be worn on international shirts unless special permission is given by the organization.

The ban has elicited public outrage from fans.  Falklands veteran Simon Weston supports the English Football Association’s position of risking an imposed fine, and allowing their players to wear the poppy on November 11 regardless of what FIFA decides.  Weston told reporters that both England and Scotland both “took part in both World Wars and should take the lead. They should pay any fine has to give them. This is not a political gesture.”

The Football Associations of England, Scotland, and Wales are set to meet with FIFA in the upcoming days to discuss whether players should be allowed to wear the poppies on their jerseys. These associations are curious to learn what punishments would be administered should they decide to ignore the ban and wear the poppies anyway, as there are rumors that one punishment could be point reduction.  The FAs ensure fans and players that they have “led remembrance discussions with FIFA to allow the England team to show its support for the poppy appeal during the World Cup qualifier with Scotland.”

In 2011, Scottish soccer players were allowed to wear armbands with an embroidered poppy on them after receiving special permission from FIFA.

 

For more information, please see:

BBC — FIFA ‘Rejects England & Scotland Request to Wear Poppies on Armbands’ — 1 November 2016

ESPN — FIFA Ban England and Scotland from Wearing Poppies in World Cup Qualifier — 1 November 2016

Independent — England vs. Scotland: Fifa Ban Poppy due to being a ‘Political Statement’ as FA make Contact to Find Solution — 1 November 2016

RT — FIFA Refuses to Allow British Teams Wear ‘Political’ Poppy on Shirts — 1 November 2016

Sky Sports — FA and FIFA Discuss Allowing Players to wear Poppies in England v Scotland Clash — 1 November 2016

Protests in Morocco After Fish Seller Crushed to Death in Morocco

By Samantha Netzband

Impunity Watch, Africa Desk Reporter

RABAT, Morocco– Protests have rocked Morocco after fish seller Mouhcine Fikri, 31, was crushed to death in a city garbage truck.  Fikri, dove into the truck after municipal workers confiscated his swordfish and threw it away.  It is illegal to catch and sell swordfish during the current season.  The fish that was confiscated is was estimated to be worth a large sum of money.

Protests take part in a rally called by the February 20 Movement in Rabat after a fishmonger in the northern town of Al Hoceima was crushed to death inside a rubbish truck as he tried to retrieve fish confiscated by police October 30, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer

Moroccans protest in Rabat. (Photo Courtesy of Thomson Reuters)

Protests are extremely rare in Morocco and this protest has paralleled the 2010 death of a fruit seller in  Tunisia.  The protest that followed the fruit seller’s death in Tunisia eventually lead to the Arab Spring in that country.  Many protesters that are taking to the street to protest the death of Fikri are shouting “hogra” which is a term for abuse and injustice.

The Moroccan royalty, which has managed to prevent any Arab Spring like protests from consuming the government, is growing irritated with the protests that are not ending.  Morocco is seen across the world as a progressive North African country and is welcoming the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November.  The “February 20 Movement” which started Arab Spring like protests in Morocco in 2011 is said to be taking advantage of the current protests to show the Moroccan people that the government still does not care for its people.  The King of Morocco has visited Fikri’s family in hopes of smoothing over the feeling of ill will in the country.

For more information, please see: 

Al Jazeera – Fishmonger’s Gruesome Death Sparks Protests in Morocco – 31 October 2016

BBC News – Morocco Protests: Death of Fish Seller Triggers Rare Demonstrations – 30 October 2016

Thomson Reuters – Morocco protesters take to streets again over Fishmonger’s death – 31 October 2016

Thomson Reuters – Protests at fishmonger’s death test Moroccan monarchy nerves – 3 November 2016

The Gambia Becomes the Third African Nation to Pull Out of the International Criminal Court

By Samantha Netzband 

Impunity Watch,  Africa Desk Reporter

BANJUL, The Gambia– The Gambia joined two other African nations this week when it promised to withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.  Both Burundi and South Africa have also decided to leave the International Criminal Court.  All three countries have withdrawn over concerns that the International Criminal Court has focused solely on African crimes while ignoring those committed by other nations around the world.

Current ICC prosecutor Bensouda is a former Gambian justice minister [Jerry Lampen/EPA]

Current ICC prosecutor Bensouda. (Photo Courtsey of Al Jazeera)

The International Criminal Court was created in 2002 by the Rome Statute.  Currently there have been ten full investigations, one involving the former state of Georgia (which was a part of the former USSR), and the other nine involving African states.  The three countries that are seeking to withdrawal all cite Africa’s focus as one of the reasons for their withdrawal.  However, critics are quick to point out that out of the nine investigations that have been done at the International Criminal Court involving African, six were self referred by states and two were referred by the Security Council.

Many worry that the withdrawal of a country like South Africa will cause the collapse of support for the International Criminal Court in Africa.  South Africa has been a major player in the development of the International Criminal Court, but is seeking withdrawal after a tiff involving Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.  Al-Bashir is wanted for war crimes and as a member of the International Criminal Court South Africa was required, when Al-Bashir entered into their jurisdiction, to detain him for prosecution for those war crimes.  South Africa argued that this would be getting involved in another nation’s conflicts and thus be a violation of state sovereignty.

Whether or not The Gambia, South Africa, and Burundi’s withdrawal will have a domino effect on other African countries remains to be seen.  Kenya and Namibia have threatened withdrawal, but have not actually taken any official action.  The issue of withdrawal from the International Criminal Court is set to be discusses with the members of the African Union in early 2017.

 There are withdrawal procedures for states that want to get out of the International Court that are found in article 127 of the Rome Statute.  As of now Burundi and The Gambia have not followed any of these specific procedures for withdrawal.   For now things will remain the same.  The International Criminal Court will continue its work.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Gambia Withdraws from the International Criminal Court – 26 October 2016

Fox News – International Court hit by Planned Exit of 3 African States – 30 October 2016

USA Today – Gambia Latest African Nation to Withdraw from the International Criminal Court – 26 October 2016

Ukrainian Politicians Declare Vast Wealth

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine — As part of an anti-corruption reform, thousands of senior Ukrainian political officials were required to declare expensive possessions and assets held in their own and their families’ names in a public online database, revealing much higher levels of wealth than expected.  The system for declaring these assets was developed based on the guidelines of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Yegor Sobolev, a lawmaker and head of the Ukrainian parliament's committee on fighting corruption, points to the e-declaration system on a computer screen (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)
Yegor Sobolev, a lawmaker and head of the Ukrainian parliament’s committee on fighting corruption, points to the e-declaration system on a computer screen (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

Officials claimed everything from Fabergé eggs, to a fleet of luxury cars, to a collection of expensive watches, to large pieces of land.  One official claimed to own his own personal church, and another claimed ownership over 1,780 bottles of wine.  The Ukrainian Prime Minister, Volodymyr Groysman, declared $1.2 million.  24 members of the Ukrainian cabinet have a combined $7 million in cash alone.  The average salary in Ukraine is just over $200 per month.

Current Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, is a billionaire himself however has promised to set forth a more transparent type of politics.  Poroshenko called the public declarations of wealth “a truly historic event of openness and transparency.” Anders Fogh Rasmussen, adviser to Poroshenko, believes that the declaration “is of paramount importance and all of Europe should take notice and applaud this important step.”  Kristina Berdynskyh, a journalist who specializes on corruption among the elite, said that it is amazing how much information has been released.

Critics of the declaration and Poroshenko’s goal say that the reform of the Ukrainian political system has stalled, and the government has made little effort to actually transform Ukrainian politics.  One Ukrainian reporter referred to the Ukrainian officials as “moral degenerates.”  Roman Donik, a volunteer soldier to the Ukrainian troops, expressed in a Facebook post that he “had no illusions about our political and official elite. But all the same, what’s come out is beyond the pale.”

Now that the declarations have been disclosed, the anti-corruption agency will begin to verify and investigate.  Many will look to see how the authorities will handle the results, however, as over 100,000 forms were submitted.  The Ukrainian UNDP director Janthomas Hiemstra assured that “[t]he international community, including the U.N., will be behind Ukraine in these next steps because the e-declaration is only the first step. What comes after is maybe even more difficult.”

 

For more information, please see:

The Guardian — Ukraine Stunned as Vast Cash Reserves of Public Elite are made Public — 31 October 2016

Reuters — Ukrainians Shocked as Politicians Declare Vast Wealth — 31 October 2016

RT — Politicians in Debt-Stricken Ukraine Reveal Lavish Fortunes, Spark Public Outcry — 31 October 2016

The Washington Post — Ukrainian Officials Disclose their Wealth in e-Declarations — 31 October 2016

Gay Pardon ‘Turing Bill’ Filibustered in Parliament

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

 

LONDON, England — A bill put forth in Parliament which would have currently and posthumously excused gay men convicted of same-sex offenses when homosexuality was illegal in the United Kingdom was prevented from progressing to a vote after a member filibustered the proposed bill.  The bill, named the ‘Turing Bill’ after Alan Turing, was proposed by John Nicolson MP.  The Turing Bill would have granted a blanket pardon for approximately 65,000 men – 15,000 of which are alive today.

 

Conservative Sam Gyimah MP filibusters the Turing Bill in Parliament (Photo Courtesy of Surrey Mirror)
Conservative Sam Gyimah MP filibusters the Turing Bill in Parliament (Photo Courtesy of Surrey Mirror)

 

Sam Gyimah, Justice Undersecretary of the Conservative party in the UK, spoke for 25 minutes, which took up the allotted time allowed for voting on the bill.  Gyimah argued that the bill did not protect against men who engaged in sexual relations with a minor, or those who engaged in non-consensual sex.

The government countered Nicolson’s bill by proposing an amendment to the Policing and Crimes Bill, which would posthumously pardon those men who were wrongfully convicted, and allow those who are still alive go through a “disregard process” in order to clear their names.  The government stated that it does not support the Turing Bill because they believe it might lead to people being cleared of offenses that are still considered crimes.

LGBTQ-rights organization Stonewall UK voiced their disappointment in the filibuster, however vowed to work with the government and Nicolson to build on the government’s proposed bill and “reach the best possible outcome for those wrongly accused and convicted men.” Iain Stewart, a conservative MP, stated that while he would support the government’s amendment, he believed it would not do enough for those affected.

One of the signatories to the bill was Turing’s great niece, Rachel Barnes.  Barnes told reporters that her family has “always considered that it is totally unjust that only Alan was given a pardon.  There were 50,000 other homosexuals who were convicted and not given a pardon. We would really like this to be put right now.”

Debate on the Turing Bill will start again in December, however many are skeptical as to how far the bill can progress without support from the government.

 

For more information, please see:

NBC — Comprehensive Gay Pardon Law Filibustered in UK — 22 October 2016

BBC — ‘Turing Bill’ for Gay Pardons Fails in Parliament — 21 October 2016

The Guardian — Conservative Minister Obstructs Progression of Gay Pardon Law — 21 October 2016

Newsy — Filibuster Kills the UK’s Gay Pardon Bill — 21 October 2016