News

Rights Groups Urge for Saudi Arabia to Cancel Death Penalty for Young Man

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – France and experts from the United Nations, join rights groups in urging that Saudi Arabia cancel the execution of a young man because he was a minor when he was arrested. Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr was sentenced to death in May for taking part in a protest three years ago.

Photo of Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Namir. (Photo Courtesty of The Huffington Post UK)

Al-Nimr could be executed, by beheading, and then crucified at any time. Crucifixion is a public display of the body after the execution to warn others not to commit the same crime. The execution is likely to happen at any times, as al-Nimr’s final appeal was rejected last week. His family does not even know when the execution is to occur because Saudi Arabia does not give the families notice.

When he was only 17 years old, al-Nimr was arrested for protesting in the Arab Spring protests in 2012. The protestors demanded equal rights and democracy for the province of Qatif. Al-Nimr was convicted for various charges including, attacking police with Molotov cocktails, being a member of a terrorist cell, incitement, encouraging sectarianism, breaking allegiance with the king, robbing a pharmacy, and rioting.

A source who is close to the al-Nimr family, spoke to CNN and stated that Ali was innocent of the charges. The source told CNN, “Ali’s young. He just went (to the demonstrations) with people from his school and chanted with the guys and took pictures.” The source claimed that al-Nimr’s sentence was only used as a means to seek “revenge against his uncle.” Ali al-Nimr’s uncle, a Shi’a cleric,  is also condemned to death for charges including, sedition, breaking allegiance with the ruler, and encouraging sectarianism.

The final appeal was heard in court without al-Nimr or his lawyer being present. Sadeeq al-Jabran, al-Nimr’s lawyer, tweeted on Tuesday, “We as a defense team have not been able to visit Ali al-Nimr at the detention center to prepare his defense.” Many rights groups allege that al-Nimr had not received a fair trial and may have been forced to sign a confession to the charges. It is also alleged that al-Nimr may have been tortured.

France, who rarely comments on Saudi Arabia’s death penalties because of the shear frequency, is “opposed to the death penalty in all cases and circumstances, we call for the execution to be called off,” stated the Foreign ministry spokesman, Romain Nadal.

Saudi Arabia is a signatory on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits capital punishments for individuals who commit crimes under the age of 18. Donald Campbell, spokesperson for the international human rights charity Reprieve, stated, “The international community – particularly Saudi Arabia’s closest allies, the UK and the U.S. – must stand with the French government and U.N. experts against this outrage, and call on Saudi authorities to halt this unjustified killing.”

A Saudi Ambassador, Faisal Trad, has recently been appointed to a consultative group for the U.N.’s Human Rights Council. A spokesperson for the Human Rights Council, told CNN, “Members of the Consultative Group are appointed by their regional groups” not the U.N. body and “these members serve in their personal capacity, not their national capacity.”

In August, a report published by Amnesty International alleged that 102 people had been executed in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2015.

For more information, please see:

BBC – The young Saudi who Could be Executed at any Time – 23 September 2015

CNN – U.N., Rights Groups Call on Saudi Arabia to Spare Man From Beheading, Crucifixion – 23 September 2015

Reuters – France Urges Saudi Arabia to Cancel Death Penalty for Young Shi’ite – 23 September 2015

The New York Times – France Urges Saudi Arabia to Cancel Death Penalty for Young Shi’ite – 23 September 2015

The Huffington Post UK – Ali Mohammed al-Nimr Sentenced to Crucifixion in Saudi Arabia for Attending Pro-Democracy Protest– 22 September 2015

Saudi-led Coalition Airstrikes Kill 29 in Yemen’s Capital City

By Brittani Howell

Impunity News Desk Reporter, The Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – Saudi led warplanes bombed Yemen’s capital city, Sana’a, on Friday killing at least 29 people. Bombing continued in Sana’a through Sunday, becoming one of the heaviest bombardments since the coalition began.

A man is carried from the rubble of an airstrike that occurred on Saturday. (Photo Courtesy of the New York Times)

On Sunday, 10 people were killed in the province of Ibb as air strikes targeted a military compound. Coalition forces are trying to retake Sana’a from the Houthi rebels so that exiled president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi may return.

On Friday the home of an Omani ambassador was attacked during the fighting, The Saudi-led coalition denies that they attacked the ambassador’s residence.

Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Asiri, military spokesperson for the coalition, stated that he would welcome an investigation as the ambassador’s house could have been hit by a Houthi mortar shell. He stated “One would be able from the beginning to distinguish between a mortar strike and plane strike.”

Friday’s airstrikes targeted Yemen’s Interior Ministry building, but apartment buildings and under passes, of no apparent military value, were also struck.

An apartment building in the UNESCO world heritage site was struck, killing a family of nine. A neighbor, Taha al-Maghribi stated that he did not know why the family had been targeted as they had remained neutral throughout the conflict. In addition, he stated that the apartment building was not close to any military installation.

Critics of the coalition believe the airstrikes that hit the residential areas are part of a deliberate policy to terrorize the population, in hopes that citizens will turn against the Houthi rebels.

On Saturday a 100 people protested in front of the Houthi rebel’s headquarters. The protesters demanded for the release of Mohammed Qahtan, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as for the release of others.

Five people were arrested as a result of the protest. Ahmed Moslah, a protester, stated, ”They beat us with batons and heaped insults on us.”

UNICEF, the United Nations child agency was appalled that water supplies, intended to help as many as 11,000 were destroyed in the bombing of a warehouse in Sana’a on Friday. Blame was not assigned, but it is suspected that coalition airstrikes were responsible.

For more information please see:

Al-Jazeera – Coalition-led bombings hit Yemen’s Capital – 20 September 2015

Reuters – Saudi-led Coalition Denies Attacking Home of Oman Envoy to Yemen – 20 September 2015

The Associated Press – Saudi-led Coalition Airstrikes in Yemen’s Capital Kill 29 – 19 September 2015

The New York Times – Arab Coalition Bombs Yemen’s Capital, Killing Dozens – 19 September 2015

Military Coup Days Before an Election

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – As of yesterday, Burkina Faso is officially under new leadership. The military announced it had dissolved the government and removed the sitting president days before the election, which was scheduled to take place on October 11. The presidential guard seized the president, prime minister, and other government officials during a cabinet meeting this Wednesday. It is not clear what has become of these government officials at this time.

Protestors in the Nation’s Capitol (photo courtesy of the Indian Express)

Shortly after the seizer the guard took to radio and television signals to announce that they were now in control of the country. The presidential guard had been very vocal about its disagreement with the interim government that was running the country. The guard has heavy ties with the previous president, Blaise Compaore. He had been in control for 27 years until finally being ousted by public up rising the year before. The presidential guard’s main issue with the interim government was its decision to block any members of the ex-president’s party from running in the October election. This move could likely be an attempt for ex-president Blaise Compaore to regain power, or keep control within party lines.

 

This coup has had some immediate negative consequences for the country. The boarders of Burkina Faso have been shut down. The presidential guard has also put a curfew in place. The coup and these actions by the guard have been met with heavy rioting in the nations capitol.

 

These riots have left ten dead so far. An unverified claim blamed these deaths on shots fired by the presidential guard. Along with these deaths have come an unknown number of rioters being arrested.

 

Cheriff Sy the transitional parliamentary speaker has become the unofficial leader of the opposition to this coup. After declaring himself the leader of Burkina Faso he asked its people to rise up and fight this oppositional government. Saying, “We are in a resistance situation against adversity.”

 

The U.S. and French governments have both expressed concern and condemnation about the actions of the presidential guard. However, military action by either of these nations against the coup is very unlikely at this time. This could change if the situation with ISIS continue to worsen. Burkina Faso was one of the most important allies of these two nations in their fight against Islamist extremism.

 

For now it is fully up to the citizens of Burkina Faso to once again rise up and expel an illegitimate regime, like they did in 2014. In those riots the citizens of Burkina Faso eventually ended up setting fire to the capitol building and homes of then president, Blaise Compaore. We shall see if this level of violence will be needed to overthrow the presidential guard this time around.

 

For more information, please see:

 

Huffington Post – Military In Burkina Faso Confirms Coup And Dissolves Government – 17 September 2015

 

The Guardian – Coup in Burkina Faso as military takes over country ahead of elections – 17 September 2015

 

BBC – Burkina Faso coup sparks deadly street protests – 17 September 2015

 

CNN – Burkina Faso: Military takes over after presidential guards detain President – 17 September 2015

 

The New York Times – Violent Protests Topple Government in Burkina Faso – 30 October 2014

 

 

Palestinian Hunger Striker Re-Detained After Hospital Release

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – Mohammad Allaan, a Palestinian lawyer, was re-arrested by Israel on Wednesday after being discharged from the hospital. Allaan was in the hospital as a result of his hunger strike, protesting his incarceration

Protesters hold posters of Mohammed Allaan’s picture. (Courtesy of CNN)

Allaan, an alleged member of the Islamic Jihad militant group was detained by Israel without charges or a trial. The administrative detention allows military courts to detain militant suspects indefinitely, subject to a renewal every six months. According to the Israeli civil rights group, B’Tselem, “Israeli’s use of administrative detention blatantly violates the restrictions of international law.”

Israel states that the detention orders are necessary to protect intelligent sources in security-related cases. The Shin Bet internal security agency stated that Allaan was still, “a danger to peace and security in the region” and placed him back in custody because his health had improved.

Israel’s justice ministry alleges that Allaan is involved in “grave terrorism” which necessitates his detention. Allaan denies the allegations and denies involvement with the Islamic Jihad militant group.

Allaan was detained November 2014 and his detention was renewed in May. Allaan stopped eating on June 16 and, as a result, suffered brain damage among other medical conditions. Allaan’s lawyer, Mr. Khatib, intends to appeal the re-arrest because of the brain damage Allaan suffered. He also argues that only the Supreme Court had the authority to cancel the suspension of Allaan’s detention. The re-arrest was a result of a military directive, not a Supreme Court order canceling the suspension of the detention.

Sawsan Zaher, a lawyer for an Arab-rights group which also represented Allaan, stated, “The fact that the authorities renewed the order the moment his situation improved, without checking relevant or justifiable evidence – this means that the order is only an act of revenge.”

In July, Israel passed a law which allows force-feeding to those who are hunger-striking, if the strike’s life is in danger. The United Nations finds the law a “cause of concern” and the Israel Medical Association equates the law to torture.

Allaan was not force-fed, as the government could not find any willing doctors to do the procedure. Instead, Allaan was given intravenous fluids when his condition deteriorated.

Israeli police stated Allaan will be held in detention until November 4, which is when his detention is scheduled to end.

For further information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Palestinian Hunger Striker Detained on Hospital Release – 16 September 2015

BBC – Israel Re-Arrests Hunger Striker Mohammed Allan – 16 September 2015

CNN – Palestinian Hunger Striker Mohammed Allan back in Israeli Detention – 16 September 2015

The New York Times – Palestinian is Rearrested and Resumes Hunger Strike – 16 September 2015

The Seattle Times – Israel Re-Arrests Palestinian Hunger Striker – 16 September 2015

British Arms Fair Invites Countries with Child Soldiers

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

 

ALGIERS, Algeria – This Tuesday marked the opening day of the Defence and Security Equipment Industry (DSEI) show. This is one of the world’s largest arms and securities fairs in world and it is held every two years in London. This is a massive event were more than 1,500 companies show off their best and latest weapons of war. On the guest list to the event are some of the biggest repeat offenders in human and civil rights violations.

Child Soldiers in Algeria (Photo of photo courtesy of telegraph.co.uk)

There were 61 countries officially invited to the event. Out of these 61 countries 14 of them have authoritarian leadership. More troubling is that the UN has flagged 23 of these 61 countries for serious child rights violations, including the use of child soldiers. Notable African countries with questionable human rights records on the list were Egypt, Angola and Algeria.

 

These invitations come in stark and almost ironic contrast to the message the European parliament was trying to send some of these countries only four days earlier. In debates about the British arms industry parliament talked about Azerbaijan and Angola, two countries with an invitation to the DSEI. The deteriorating situation of human rights in Angola was one topic that got touched upon.

 

This type of hypocrisy is not a new trend for the British arms industry. Britain has been selling arms to the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2010. This is one nation that has a long record of recruiting and using child soldiers. Another country, Saudi Arabia, has had its own problems with civil rights and continues to be Britain’s leading arms customer. In past years at the DSEI, devices clearly against British law have even been offered up for sale.

 

These problems have not gone unnoticed by London protesters. Human rights activist protested and attempted to block the set up of the event. They also have a protest schedule for each day the event is going on. Advertisements on the sides of buses around London have been replaced with “These visitors make huge amounts of money from weapons and equipment that kill people all over the world.”

 

The other side of the debate continues to say that this event and the British arms industry are important sections of the economy and are essential to jobs and a growing GDP. This is most likely not an understatement. The UK has continued to be the world’s second largest defense exporter, behind only the United States. For this to change it will take aggressive action and legislation by parliament.

 

 

 

For more information, please see:

EurActive – Nations using child soldiers are invited to British arms fair – 14 September 2015

 

Yahoo News – Mega arms fair met with protest in Britain – 15 September 2015

 

Global Information Network – Nations using child soldiers among guests at UK arms fair – 15 September 2015

 

Defense One – UK Invites ‘Countries of Concern’ To Shop for Weapons in London – 15 September 2015