News

50 Arrested in Pakistan for Lynching and Killing a Christian Couple

November 24, 2014

Hojin Choi

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Fifty Pakistani people were arrested for torturing and killing a Christian couple last week in the Punjab province, where religious conflicts have recently intensified, according to local police.

Before the murder, the Christian couple was accused of desecrating the Quran, and a local mullah announced that the couple was guilty of blasphemy. Allegedly, burned pages of the Quran had been found in trash of the couple’s house. A man who had financial conflicts with the couple accused them of blasphemy when the couple refused to pay back some money they owed to him.

The police reported that hundreds of people marched to the couple’s house, some of them broke the door and beat them hard after dragging them out of their home. Then, the crowd threw the couple into brick kiln. When police arrived, they were already burned to death. The local police chief, Jawad Qamar, said that “their bodies were totally burned.” He added that 48 people were arrested, while at least 460 were under investigation for criminal charges.

Police later identified the burned bodies as Shahzad Masih and Shama Masih, who had four children. They were in their mid-20s. The province’s chief minister says that their remaining family members will receive for compensation about $49,000 in U.S. dollars.

In Pakistan, a person charged with blasphemy can receive, at maximum, the death penalty. The law is problematic since it does not specifically and clearly define what words or behaviors will violate the law. Rather, the law is often used to oppress minority religions in Pakistan. About 4% of people in Pakistan are Christians, and Sunni Muslim militants often target them for terror attacks, such as bombing. Moreover, according to human rights groups, the controversial law is often used for personal revenge or hatred since the accused will be targeted by mob violence. The religious minorities in Pakistan have long been complaining about the government’s failure to protect them.

Whenever victims of the blasphemy law appear in Pakistan, the incidents have called for the world’s attention. Recently, Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman, was sentenced to death, and human rights activists of the world have been requesting her release. Pakistani government officials who tried to save her were assassinated by people in support of maintaining the blasphemy law. In 2013, a Pakistani Taliban splinter group allegedly attacked a Christian church in Pakistan where 85 people died by the attack.

For more information please see:

CNN – 50 arrested in slaying of Christian Pakistani couple 6 November 2014

New York Times – Pakistani Christian Couple Are Tortured and Burned to Death by Angry Mob – 4 November 2014

The Guardian – Pakistan arrests dozens over Christian lynchings – 5 November 2014

ALJAZEERA – Taliban splinter group claims Pakistan-India border attack – 3 November 2014

5 Years After Magnitsky’s Death, Russia Still Trying to get Browder

November 18, 2014

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – It’s been five years since Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian prison at the age of 37 and under suspicious circumstances. Even so, Russia is still looking to bring self-claimed “justice” over Bill Browder, a former associate of Magnitsky.

Sergei Magnitsky died in Russian captivity 5 years ago this week. (Photo courtesy of Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty)

Browder was the leader of the largest Russia-only investment firm in the world, Hermitage Capital Management. Browder’s company was worth over $4.5 billion by the early 2000’s. Magnitsky worked as a lawyer for Browder back when things were good.

As Browder became more and more successful, he began pushing for more transparency in Russian capitalism. In addition, Browder also pushed to expose corruption in Russian companies, hoping ultimately to have Russian capitalism come closer to Western models and encourage more mixing between the markets. When Vladimir Putin came to power, however, Browder’s goals were frustrated.

In 2005, Browder made a trip to Britain, but was refused re-entry into Russia after. Shortly thereafter, Browder’s company was declared to have $1 billion in “liabilities,” claimed by Browder to have come from fictitious documents. Quickly, Russia had other officials step in and attempt to clean up the mess Browder allegedly created.

Browder tried to have Magnitsky also flee, fearing what would happen if Russia decided to go after Magnitsky too. Instead, Magnitsky stayed behind and investigated very openly and expressly the fraud that Russia had committed on Brower and his company. He even testified against a group of Interior Ministry officers who allegedly stole over 5 billion rubles, or $230 million, from Russia’s Treasury. Magnitsky was imprisoned by these same officers on bogus charges, and he remained in prison until his physical condition worsened. Doctors were denied to Magnitsky, and under debated circumstances he passed away.

For the 5^th anniversary of Magnitsky’s death, Browder has come out with a statement regarding circumstances surrounding Magnitsky. Browder calls into question the “natural causes” that led to Magnitsky’s death. Browder questions why Magnitsky was alleged to have been guilty of crimes but never uncovered any in his investigation. And Browder questions how the Russian state officials involved in the case were all exonerated. Finally, Browder discussed one success in the search for justice that has come since Magnitsky’s death. The United States passed the Magnitsky Act, banning certain Russian officials implicated in the case from entering the US.

After a trial in 2013 posthumously found Magnitsky guilty and Browder guilty in a trial in absentia, Browder was sentenced by a Russian court to 9 years in prison. Russia has repeatedly tried to get Interpol, the international police force, to retrieve Browder from Britain and bring him to Russia, and Russia has repeatedly been denied. However, Interpol has recently decided to give Russia another chance to make their case.

For more information, please see:

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty – Interpol Said To Eye New Russian Bid For Browder’s Arrest – 17 November 2014

The New York Times – Putin Plays Hardball – 17 November 2014

Law and Order in Russia – Statement by Bill Browder on 5^th Anniversary of Sergei Magnitsky’s Killing in Russia – 16 November 2014

The Moscow Times – From the Archive: Magnitsky’s Death Was No Accident – 14 November 2014

The untold story of Syria’s smallest victims: The “bucket children”

November 15, 2014

By: Ashley Repp

News Desk Reporter, Middle East

East Ghouta-Syria

In an area the UN has declared one of the most dangerous places on earth, roam young Syrians carrying pots and pails. They are called Syria’s “bucket children,” and as their world, safety, and health deteriorate around them, these youngsters will roam up to 15 kilometers a day in a desperate search for scraps of food; anything edible to get them, and their families, by for another day. After the war sufficiently devastated the East Ghouta area in 2012, little food has made its way to the markets. With few survival options, despairing parents send their children out in groups to search for scraps. And while many of these children smile for photos, and enjoy a sense of comradery as they search for food together, their situation is dire.

The psychological and developmental implications of homelessness, war, and hunger, are incredibly grave. The bucket children suffer from severe malnutrition in many cases, and while they endlessly search for food, their brains become trained to focus solely on hunger and finding sustenance. As a result, psychologists concede that most of these children will have serious developmental delays and will struggle to concentrate on quite tasks, including reading and writing. The devastating impact malnutrition has on development and cognitive ability cannot be overstated, and the longer malnutrition continues, the more irreversible and serious the effects are on brain and physical development.

The bucket children are also exposed to serious dangers to their person when they venture out onto the streets to search for food. The children are often sexually assaulted or physically abused while out on their search. They are also exposed to sniper fire and crossfire. Death and injury become part and parcel of the fight for survival on the war torn streets.

Further compounding the issues of food shortage, is the difficulty many NGO and IGO organizations have in obtaining permission from the Syrian government to enter the country and distribute food and supplies to those in most serious need. It is nearly impossible for these organizations to have any impact, and many are ready and willing to help these bucket children and their families. And while aide waits at the door for permission to enter Syria, the dire conditions in which these children live deteriorate further with each passing day, as the war rages on around them. Without access to food and safety, most of these children do not have promising fates, and many will die as they struggle to survive another day, buckets in hand.

For more information, please visit:

Al Jazeera- Syria’s bucket children desperate for aide– 10 Nov., 2014

UNICEF- Syria Children’s Appeal

NBC- Hungry, homeless, helpless, Syria’s children know too much about war

Save the Children- Help and hope for Syria’s children and refugees

Pirate attacks in the Niger Delta; Government left to pay over $131 million in ransoms

November 15, 2014

By: Ashley Repp

News Desk Reporter, Africa

Abuja, Nigeria-

Though the international community began to associate piracy with the waters off of the coast of Somalia, the piracy practice is even more rampant off of the coast of West Africa. And while world piracy rates have largely fallen throughout most of the world, recently, the number of attacks on ships near Nigeria has increased. In the final days of last month, two attacks in the same week sent shock waves through the Niger delta region, and intelligence suggests that rate of attacks is likely to continue to rise, as elections are coming up. Intelligence sources assert that election time will likely contribute to increased rates of pirate attacks in the region, particularly because many of those campaigning will procure support and funds from illegal sources. In order to generate some of these funds, piracy will come into play as an economic resource.

In the two recent October attacks, over a dozen people were abducted, several were killed. In one of the attacks, the primary target was the gun boat, as it had a store of arms. In both of these cases, the pirates had more fire power than the police forces, and easily overpowered security. Furthermore, the ships were both oil company ships, which are typical pirate targets. In recent decades, piracy rose with rise of oil production in the Niger Delta, and then fell again. In fact, until the past few years, pirate attacks occurred on an almost basis. Many seafarers and security in the region are concerned that another spike in pirate attacks is at the doorstep of the Niger Delta, and the possibility of returning back to an era of daily pirate attacks is terrifying for many.

It is likely that the abducted men are being held as hostages. As they work for oil companies, the pirates offer equate holding these men hostages with a hefty ransom. According to the Contemporary Maritime Piracy Database, it has cost the Nigerian government and companies over $131 Million dollars in just the last three years alone to recover abducted men and pay pirate ransoms. This is no small price to pay for a government that already struggles financially, but with such high level oil drilling on Nigerian soil, piracy is likely to continue to remain a problematic and dangerous reality, not only for the government, but for those working on the ships and security boats.

For more information, please visit:

BBC News- Danger Zone: Chasing West Africa’s Pirates– 13 Nov., 2014

Times Live- Priates Hijack Gunboat, Kidnap Workers in Niger Delta– 28 Oct., 2014

Sahara Reporters- Niger Delta Pirates Seize Police Gunboat, Kill Four Policemen and Kidnap Six Oil Workers in Bayelsa– 25 Oct., 2014

gCaptain- Pirates Launch Deadly Niger Delta Attacks– 27 Oct., 2014

Russia Appears to be Repeating Crimea Tactic in Donetsk

November 12, 2014

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine – The already-shaky ceasefire agreed to on September 5 in Minsk, Belarus seems to be in its final days. NATO has confirmed a new Russian presence in and around Donetsk, Ukraine, following reports from the past few days of Russian tanks, troops, and supply trucks crossing the Ukrainian border after mobilizing for the past week along the Russian side of the border. As seen in Crimea, however, they all remain unmarked and without identifying insignia.

A column of unmarked tanks spotted near Donetsk, a pro-Russian stronghold. (Photo courtesy of the New York Times)

Ukrainian military officials, monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and NATO have all confirmed the presence of Russian troops and various military equipment in and around Donetsk and flowing into the country. One convoy of 43 unmarked military trucks was witnessed Tuesday heading towards Donetsk. Five of the trucks were towing 120mm howitzer artillery pieces, and five others were carrying multi-launch rocket systems. A report last week reported more than 40 Russian trucks and tankers, also unmarked, and 19 of which were towing 122mm howitzers, were in Ukraine. There is an estimated 7,000 Russian troops inside Ukraine now, along with an estimated 100 Russian tanks, more than 400 armored vehicles, and more than 150 self-propelled artillery and multiple rocket launchers.

Along the border of Ukraine on the Russian side is a very alarming sight as well. According to Phillip Karber, a former Pentagon strategy advisor who has worked with the Ukrainian government, between 40,000 and 50,000 Russian troops remain just across the border, along with another 350 to 400 tanks, more than 1,000 armored vehicles, and 800 self-propelled artillery.

In a fight that has claimed over 4,000 lives, it appears that fighting may go back to pre-ceasefire numbers and could claim many more lives very shortly. Although the Russian troops, vehicles, and equipment in Ukraine are all unmarked, U.S. General and NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Philip Breedlove states, “[t]here is no question any more about Russia’s direct military involvement in Ukraine.” Russia continues to deny any of the alleged involvement. In response, Ukrainian Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said Ukraine will no longer pay attention to Moscow’s denials of involvement, that Ukraine is “repositioning our armed forces to respond to the actions of the fighters.”

For more information, please see:

New York Times – Russian Troops Crossing Into Ukraine, NATO Says – 12 November 2014

Reuters – Ukraine redeploys troops, fearing new rebel offensive – 12 November 2014

Time – Russia Sends More Convoys Into Ukraine as Cease-Fire Collapses – 12 November 2014

CNN – Ukraine violence flares as ceasefire collapses – 11 November 2014

Daily Beast – Thousands of Putin’s Troops Now in Ukraine, Analysts Say – 11 November 2014