News

Belarusian Journalist Murdered in Car Bombing

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine —  Prominent Belarusian journalist Pavel Sheremet was killed this past week after an explosive device placed on his car detonated in Kiev, Ukraine.  Sheremet worked for the news reporting website Ukrainska Pravda, and was traveling to host a morning radio show at the radio station Radio Vesti when the explosive was detonated.   Ukrainska Pravda is a respected site known for its tendency to cover media topics relating to corruption.

The car Sheremet was driving exploded on a main road in Kiev, Ukraine (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

Investigators suspect a homemade explosion device attached to the bottom of the car with 400-600 grams of a substance similar to TNT was detonated via remote control.  The explosion itself occurred about a half mile away from a popular protest site in Ukraine.  At the time of the explosion, Sheremet was driving his partner Olena Pritula’s car.  Pritula is the owner of Ukrainska Pravda, leaving police to wonder whether Sheremet was actually the target of the explosion.

Many speculate that Sheremet was targeted because of his line of work.  Sheremet was one of several well-known journalists who moved from Russia to Ukraine, where restrictions on the media are known to be looser than they are in Russia.  Sheremet was previously jailed for his critical reports regarding political oppression against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and was known to be an advocate for independent media in Ukraine.  As an expert in political corruption, Sheremet was widely known for his criticism of the Kremlin and mistakes made by Ukraine in its 2014 revolution and ensuing separation from Russia.

Police are investigating the possibility that the attack was an attempt by Russia to destabilize Ukraine, however the Russian Foreign Ministry denounced this notion.  The Ministry labeled Sheremet as a “known and respected journalist in Russia and a top professional.”  Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Vladimir Putin, stated that the Kremlin was “seriously disturbed” by the attack, and expressed his hopes for a “rapid and impartial investigation.”

Ukrainian President Peter Poroshenko, however, is “not excluding the possibility of some foreign interest” in the explosion, and hints at the involvement of Russia in the killing.  Poroshenko has requested the assistance of foreign agencies from the United States and the European Union to assist in the investigation.

 

For more information, please see:

BBC — Pavel Sheremet: Murdered Journalist Buried in Belarus — 23 July 2016

NBC — Car Bomb Murder of Pavel Sheremet Dashes Hopes in Post-Maidan Ukraine — 23 July 2016

CNN — Journalist Pavel Sheremet Killed in Kiev — 20 July 2016

The Guardian — Car Bomb Kills Pioneering Journalist Pavel Sheremet in Kiev — 20 July 2016

NY Times — Pavel Sheremet, Journalist in Ukraine, is Killed in Car Bombing — 20 July 2016

Massive Brawl at Hungarian Refugee Camp Near Serbian Border

By Sarah Lafen
Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Eight people have been hospitalized as the result of a massive brawl at a migrant processing center in the southern Hungarian town Kiskunhalas.  The refugee camp at Kiskunhalas is one of three closed camps in Hungary where asylum seekers are processed.  Over 200 asylum seekers participated in the fight, and approximately 200 police officers were sent to the camp to subdue the uprising.

Police patrol a migrant reception center in Hungary near the Serbian border (Photo Courtesy of ABC News)

Though the exact cause of the fight is not clear, Gyorgy Bakondi, chief advisor to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, believes the fight was triggered when a group of 20 asylum seekers from Algeria, Syria, Pakistan, and Mongolia threw furniture at each other.  Bakondi also stated that other incidents have occurred at the camp within the past week.

Through a report released in mid-July, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced Hungary for “cruel and violent treatment” of migrants in April and May.  The report accused police officers and soldiers manning the camp of beating refugees, then forcing them to return to Serbia.  Other human rights organizations have recently admonished Hungary for breaking its legal obligations to accept war refugees by making it nearly impossible for those seeking asylum to attain refugee status in the country.  The Hungarian government rejected these accusations, stating that the HRW misconstrued the rules of asylum proceedings.

As of July 5, any illegal migrant detained by Hungarian authorities within 8 kilometers of the Hungarian Serbian border can be returned the Serbia without any legal processing in Hungary.  Hundreds of migrants each day enter Hungary through Serbia, who enter Serbia through Macedonia and Bulgaria.  A majority of these migrants are expelled from Hungary and are sent back to Serbia.  Fearing a backup of migrants as a result of this new system, Serbia has deployed army and police teams to better patrol its borders.  Serbian Prime Minister Aleksander Vucic emphasizes that Serbia cannot be a “parking ground” for migrants whom no other European country is willing to accept.

For more information, please see:

Global Post — Migrants Injured in Mass Brawl at Hungary Refugee Camp — 18 July 2016

The Irish Times — Migrants Brawl in Hungarian Camp as Border Tensions Grown — 18 July 2016

Reuters — Migrants Fight in Hungarian Camp Near Serbian Border, Nine Injured — 18 July 2016

Campaigns Shut Down After Violence in Zambia

By: Samantha Netzband

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

LUSAKA, Zambia—A campaign ban has been put into effect in the Zambian cities of Lusaka and Nawala by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).  The ban comes after a political rally for the United Party for National Development (UPND) turned violent on July 8th.  A police order was issued against the rally being held, but it proceeded as planned anyways.  Police opened fire on UPND protesters when the situation became violent. One person has died as a result of the protest and a number of others are injured.  The suspension of campaigning includes “public rallies, meetings, procession, or door to door campaigns.”

 

Zambia electoral body suspends campaigns

Campaign rally in Zambia. (Photo Courtesy of Today)

 

The United Party for National Development along with the Patriotic Front are cited as being the center of the violence by creating tension as the August elections draw nearer.  Hakainde Hichilema, the leader of the UPND, says that the cancellation of campaign events is meant to save face for the current President of Zambia Edgar Lungu, a member of the Patriotic Front.  Hichilema believes that Lungu was experiencing low turnout at his campaign events.

Human rights activists are calling on members of law enforcement to take the campaign break as a time to reflect on the alleged poor treatment of the United Party for National Development.  Activists claim that the UPND has had trouble getting permits for rallies.  Police have already promised to make an inquiry into the death of the one protester.

Forum for Democracy & Development (FDD) party member Antonio Mwanza, who is running for MP, says that the parties inciting the violence should be punished: “What ECZ should do is punish the violent candidates and parties as opposed to inconveniencing some of us who have been peaceful; us who have nothing to do with the madness of violence.”

Despite the ban on in-person campaigning, campaign activities via electronic and print media will still be allowed.  However, these communications will be monitored for hate speech.  Normal campaign activities will start back up on July 18th after a review of the the political situation. In the interim, all campaign vehicles will remain parked.parked and campaign activities will not happen in hopes of stopping the political violence.

For more information, please see: 

All Africa – ECZ Impose 10 Day Ban On Campaigns in Lusaka and Namwala – 10 July 2016

Daily Mail – Zambia Elections Body Halts Campaigning in Capital Over Violence – 10 July 2016

Sun Daily – Zambia Suspends Election Campaigning Over Violence – 10 July 2016

Today – Zambia Electoral Body Suspends Campaigns – 10 July 2016

Zambia Daily – FDD Decries Campaign Ban – 10 July 2016

Berlin Anti-Gentrification Riot Leaves 123 Police Officers Injured

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BERLIN, Germany — In what authorities are calling the most violent protest in Berlin in over five years, 3,500 leftist protestors marched Saturday through Friedrichshain to oppose the gentrification of a district in the eastern part of the city.  Over the past decade, investment money has flowed into the German capital, making its way to previously run-down neighborhoods of Berlin.  This surge has increased rents in neighborhoods formerly home to artists and squatters.

Leftist protestors light flares on top of R94 in opposition to gentrification efforts (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

The protest began peacefully, and police used a helicopter to monitor the crowd.  The scene quickly turned violent as missiles, cobblestones, firecrackers, flares, and glass bottles were eventually thrown at the police officers.  123 of the 1,800 officers on scene were injured, and 86 protestors were arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, causing injury, and illegal use of explosives.  Police used tear gas, pepper spray, and billy clubs to break up the riot.  Residents who live in housing collectives in the neighborhood banged spoons on pots and pans in support of the leftist squatters.

Since June, there have been movements to evict squatters on the land in furtherance of efforts to gentrify neighborhoods that have been home to the squatters for decades.  The eviction of a house called “Rige Street 94” (R94) occupied by squatters in Friedrichshain on June 22 sparked the onset of aggressive demonstrations, the smashing of shop windows, and the burning of dozens of cars in opposition to the gentrification movement.

These leftist activists protest the invasion of what they call “yuppies” and “big shots” into the area of Berlin which they currently occupy.  Various leftist websites have supported the anti-gentrification movement, encouraging their followers to cause as much disruption as possible to voice their opposition to the gentrification.

Frank Henkel, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, categorized the riots as “arbitrary terror” and stated that his political party will not allow “lawless areas” to exist in any part of Berlin, including R94.

For more information, please see:

BBC — Berlin Riot : 123 Police Injured in Anti-Gentrification Protest — 10 July 2016

NY Times — Berlin Protests in Support of Squatters Turn Violent — 10 July 2016

Wall Street Journal — Berlin Leftist Rioting Leaves 120 Police Officers Injured — 10 July 2016

Breitbart — Berlin Rocked by Nightly Riots from Left-Wing Extremists — 5 July 2016

Police and Protesters Clash in Zimbabwe as Protests Turn Violent

HARARE, Zimbabwe— Police and protesters clashed in Harare and other towns in Zimbabwe on July 4th.  Minibus and taxi drivers were protesting excessive road blocks where police often collect bribes.  Drivers said that the payment of these bribes is costing them nearly $50 a day.  This is in a country where most of the population lives on less than $1 a day.

 

zimbabwe

Protests turn violent as police clash with protesters. (Photo Courtesy of VOA)

The protests started out peacefully, but negotiations soon broke down between police and protesters.  Protesters began to set up barriers to mock the road blocks that they deal with from the police.  Local businessmen tried to negotiate between the police and protesters, though violence broke out despite their efforts. Police launched tear gas and water cannons to clear the crowds. A warning against public violence was also published by the government and said that “all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that such misconduct will be severely dealt with.”  Media reports show that 30 protesters have been arrested.

Zimbabwe has been facing economic difficulties since gaining independence from Britain in 1980.  The country’s leader President Robert Mugabe has faced criticism over his inability to stimulate the economy since he came to power.  Most recently, banks have run out of notes and government employees have not received their paychecks.  These unpaid government workers are were expected to strike by Tuesday if not paid.

For more information see:

Africa News – Zimbabwe police cracks down on protesting drivers – 4 July 2016

Al Jazeera – Taxi drivers’ protest turns violent in Zimbabwe – 4 July 2016

BBC – Zimbabwe police clash with rioting minibus drivers – 4 July 2016

VOA – Riots Rock Zimbabwe – 4 July 2016