News

EU Authorities Arrest Kosovo Serb Politician on War Crimes Charges

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MITROVICA, Kosovo – A top Kosovo Serb politician has been detained by the European Union’s police and justice mission on suspicion that he committed war crimes.

Ivanovic was ordered detained for a month on Monday, EU officials say. (Photo courtesy of BBC News)

EU officials state that Oliver Ivanovic has been identified as a suspect as a result of a war crimes investigation that examined the Kosovo conflict of the 1990’s. No details of the alleged crimes have been released to the public, but reports indicate that Ivanovic, 60, is suspected of having tortured and killed numerous Albanians. Ivanovic is also believed to have a main organizer of a since-disbanded Kosovo Serb vigilante group widely known as the “Bridgewatchers.” The Bridgewatchers are suspected of widespread violence against ethnic Albanians.

Ivanovic turned himself into EU authorities voluntarily on Monday while accompanied by his lawyer. He was ordered to be detained for a month while investigators look into crimes “which occurred in 1999 and 2000 against Albanian victims,” Ivanovic’s lawyer, Nebojsa Vlajic, stated. Ivanovic has been transferred to a prison in Pristina.

Ivanovic is considered to be a moderate politically. He lost a recent election to be mayor of the Serb area of the northern town of Mitrovica to Krstimir Pantic. Ivanovic’s supporters believe that the recent war crimes charges are politically motivated, and untrue.

Ivanovic is the first senior Kosovo Serb official to be arrested by the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) on suspicion of war crimes against ethnic Albanians. EULEX has authority to investigate and prosecute cases that the local judiciary and police are either unable or unwilling to handle.

The 1998-1999 conflict began in Kosovo after ethnic Albanians rebelled against NATO bombings in Belgrade, which prompted an extreme crackdown.

Roughly 120,000 ethnic Serbs currently live in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and accounts for 1.8 million inhabitants, most of whom are ethnic Albanians. However, the approximately 40,000 Kosovo Serbs living in the northern part of the country do not recognize Kosovo’s independence. Serbia also rejects Kosovo’s secession. Despite this, Kosovo has been recognized by over 100 countries, including the United States and most EU states.

For more information, please see:

B92- Lawyer: Accusations Against Ivanovic “Politically Motivated” – 29 January 2014

BBC News – Kosovo Serb Politician Oliver Ivanovic Arrested Over War Crimes – 28 January 2014

InSerbia – Ivanovic Suspected of Crimes Committed in 1999, 2000 – 28 January 2014

Reuters – EU Arrests Moderate Kosovo Serb Leader in War Crimes Probe – 27 January 2014

 

70 Air Force Officers Implicated in Nuclear Test Cheating Scandal

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – The number of Air Force nuclear missile launch officers implicated in a cheating scandal widened Tuesday from 34 to 70. The Air Force is now investigating this unprecedented exam cheating scandal involving officers of captain rank.

News of the cheating scandal has prompted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to rethink the manner in which ICBM launch officers are tested. (photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Air Force leaders indicated that they stumbled on to the cheating at the Global Strike Command at Malmstrom Air Force base in Montana while investigating a separate drug-abuse scandal that spanned six different Air Force bases. At least 34 of the nuclear launch officers implicated in this scandal have been stripped of their certification while three others were implicated in the drug-abuse scandal.

The Malmstrom base houses and maintains 150 Minutemen 3 intercontinental ballistic missiles or one third of the nation’s ICBM arsenal. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh indicated that the remaining personnel on staff at Malmstrom were sufficient to maintain the nuclear nation’s arsenal.

Considered the largest breach of integrity in the nuclear force, Air Force leadership determined that some staffers from the 341st  Missile Wing texted answers to routine tests to others while others knew but failed to report the news. Ultimately, 16 officers were found to have actually cheated on the exams.

“This is absolutely unacceptable behavior and it is completely contrary to our core values in the Air Force and as everybody here knows, the No. 1 core value for us is integrity,” said Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force.

The exam questions were designed  to test launch officers’ proficiencies in “emergency war orders,” including receiving orders through the chain of command to fire a missile.

This scandal is the latest in a line for the Air Force, stretching back to October of last year when the two star general in charge of the ICBM arsenal, Michael Carey, was fired for drinking binge and other embarrassing behavior during a trip to Moscow.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Air Force nuclear cheating scandal widens – 28 January 2014

BBC News – Number of US nuclear ‘cheats’ doubles – officials – 28 January 2014

Fox News – Air Force: 34 nuclear missile officers implicated in cheating scandal – 16 January 2014

CNN – Air Force nuke officers caught up in big cheating scandal – 15 January 2014

The Washington Post – Air Force investigates dozens accused of cheating on nuclear proficiency exams – 15 January 2014

Thailand Plans to Proceed with Sunday Election Despite Growing Violence

By Brian Lanciault
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand–Thailand’s government announced Tuesday that it will move forward with an election set to take place this weekend despite a violent opposition boycott, street protests, and the prospect of even greater violence in the country’s political crisis.

A man is carried away after being nearly beaten to death by anti-government protesters Tuesday afternoon. (Photo Courtesy of AP)

The announced its plan after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra met with the Election Commission, which had plans to delay the election.

The decision to hold Sunday’s parliamentary balloting is expected to further inflame tensions and produce violence. One protest leader was killed and at least a dozen others were injured in a clash last Sunday as protesters swarmed polling stations in an effort to stop advance balloting. Since November 30, 10 people have died and at least 577 have sustained serious injuries.

Anti-government protesters occupying parts of Bangkok have demanded that Yingluck step down before the election. Protesters argue that she should be replaced by a non-elected interim government that would institute reforms to remove her family’s weighty influence from the political structures. The opposition Democrat Party, which backs the protests, is boycotting the election.

The crisis places followers and opponents of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra against one another. Thaksin, a billionaire and Yingluck’s older brother, was deposed by a military coup in 2006 after accusations of corruption and abuse of power. Since then the two sides have been engaged in a sometimes violent struggle for power.

Yingluck’s supporters, including many people in the countryside who benefited from Thaksin’s populist policies, are demanding that they be allowed to vote.

‘‘The longer this crisis goes on, the more dangerous it becomes,’’ said Chris Baker, a Bangkok-based political analyst and writer. ‘‘The economy is clearly suffering already. It will suffer more the longer it goes on. The chances of violence keep increasing because emotions are getting stoked up.’’

Several hundred protesters laid siege to Tuesday’s meeting between Yingluck and the Election Commission.

Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said more violence was expected during the polls and would further damage the country.

‘‘I think Thailand has suffered enough and no one should be hurt or die from this election,’’ Somchai told reporters.

Somchai earlier said he would tell Yingluck about the problems enveloping Sunday’s election, including the lack of workers and meager equipment, which has yet to reach many provinces. The disruptions have been caused largely by the protesters, and some senior government officials have accused the Commission of supporting the anti-government side.

Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana said the Commission and the government had different views and the election would therefore move forward as scheduled. A court ruled last week that the election could only be postponed by mutual agreement between the prime minister and the Election Commission.

‘‘If we postpone the election, will the problems go away? The people who are causing trouble didn’t say they would stop if it’s postponed,’’ Pongthep said. ‘‘The longer it is postponed, the more damage it will cause the people and the country.’’

For more information, please see:

The Hindu–200,000 police to be deployed for Feb 2 snap polls in Thailand— 29 January 2014

Times of Oman–Thailand to deploy 10,000 police in capital to secure voting— 29 January 2014

Channel News Asia–“No” option valid political choice in upcoming Thai election— 29 January 2014

The Boston Globe–Thai government says no delay in Sunday election— 29 January 2014

UN Backs More Troops to Central African Republic

By: Danielle L. Gwozdz
Impunity Watch News Reporter, Africa

BANGUI, Central African Republic – The UN believes at least 10,000 troops will eventually be required to end unrest in Central African Republic (CAR), the French UN envoy said.

A French peacekeeping soldier searches a man for weapons (photo courtesy of Yahoo!)

Yesterday, the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution allowing European troops to use force and threatening sanctions against those blamed for the country’s strife.

The European Union is to send up to 600 troops to help African and French forces in the country to try and end clashes between rival Christian and Muslim militias.

Almost one million people (a quarter of the population) have been displaced by fighting since the mostly Muslim Seleka rebel group seized power in March last year in the majority Christian country. At least 2,000 people have been killed.

The African Union force is eventually intended to reach 6,000 troops while France now has 1,600 soldiers in place.

The UN resolution also allows for asset freeze and travel ban sanctions against the ringleaders of groups blamed for massacres and human rights abuses. It did not name initial targets.

Ambassador Gerard Araud described the situation in CAR as “very, very dire.”

Araud said the African Union force in the country, intending to reach 6,000 troops, “is considered now too low because frankly the situation is very, very dire and the country is huge.”

He said the resolution was a “new stage” in efforts to help CAR out of the strife in which thousands are feared killed and more than 900,000 people have fled their homes.

Security council members have been alarmed by the vicious cycle of vengeance between Muslim and Christian militias in CAR, said the BBC’s Nada Tawfik in New York.

The United Nations had warned that the conflict in the landlocked former French colony could spiral into genocide.

CAR’s interim President Catherine Samba-Panza said on Tuesday that she had written to the UN to call for the African peacekeeping force to be transformed into a larger UN operation. She said the violence had continued despite the presence of African and French forces.

“It means that the number of troops is insufficient to restore and ensure security for the population,” she said.

On Monday, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said the situation was getting even worse despite the inauguration of a new leader last week.

A day after reports, at least 13 people were killed. Eleven people were killed in the violence on Tuesday and 26 others were wounded.

“It’s really quite a challenge because there is an incredible amount of resentment and hatred between the two communities,” Aurad said.

He also said that transforming the African force into a UN operation would bring guaranteed funding and an experienced civilian component to help rebuild CAR’s state institutions, which have basically disintegrated.

CAR is rich in gold and diamonds but years of unrest and poor governance have left most of its 4.6 million people in poverty.

For more information, please visit:
BBC News – Central African Republic: UN ‘may need 10,000 troops’ – 28 January 2014
The Peninsula – UN backs EU force, sanctions in Central Africa – 29 January 2014
Yahoo! News – Central African Republic wants U.N. force as EU troops OKed – 28 January 2014
AFP – UN backs EU force in Central Africa amid troops push – 28 January 2014
Japan Today – U.N. backs EU force in Central African Republic – 29 January 2014
The Guardian – UN backs force, sanctions in Central Africa Republic – 28 January 2014

 

Morsi Faces Trial for 2011 Prison Break

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Egypt’s overthrown President, Mohamed Morsi, appeared in court in Cairo on Tuesday to face charges stemming from a 2011 prison break. Morsi is accused of organizing a large-scale breakout from the Wadi al-Natrun prison and the subsequent murders of police officers during the jailbreak.

Morsi and the other defendants appeared in a glass cage in order to keep them from interrupting the proceedings. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Morsi is also accused of colluding with foreign forces, Hamas and Hezbollah, to plan and execute the prison break. Members of both organizations are on trial with Morsi for charges relating to the event. In total another 130 individuals are on trial for the prison break events, but many of them remain on the run.

The prison break was one of a number that occurred during the 2011 uprising against President Hosni Mubarak. During the 2011 revolution more than 20,000 inmates escaped from Egyptian prisons.

Morsi and the other defendants are appearing in a sound-proof glass box surrounded by a cage for the duration of the trial. At one point, journalists were given the chance to hear what was going on in the glass cage.

The defendants were heard chanting “Down with military rule” and the judge quickly cut off the sound. The defendants also made the four-finger “Rabaa” protest sign, which is linked to the pro-Morsi Rabaa al-Adawiya square protest camp that was cleared in August.

At one point Morsi demanded to know the identity of the court’s judge to which the judge replied, “I’m the head of the criminal court.” Additionally, Morsi shouted a handful of statements at the court that maintained he was still the President and that the conditions of his imprisonment were unsuitable.

There were pro-government crowds outside the courthouse, but no pro-Morsi supporters. The Muslim Brotherhood has been declared a terrorist organization and it is now illegal to show any public support for the Brotherhood or Morsi.

The trial was adjourned until February 22. Morsi currently facing four different criminal trials on separate charges some of which are punishable by death.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Morsi faces court over Egypt prison break – 28 January 2013

BBC – Egypt ex-President Morsi defiant at jailbreak trial – 28 January 2013

New York Times – Egypt Locks Morsi in Soundproof Cage During Trial – 28 January 2013

USA Today – Ousted Egypt leader shouts at judge during trial – 28 January 2013