News

Guinea Court Charges Minister for 2009 Staduim Massacre

By Erica Smith
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

CONAKRY, Guinea – A court in Guinea has charged Col Claude Pivi with murder, rape, and destruction of property for his alleged role in the 2009 massacre of opposition supporters in a stadium in Conakry.

2009 Stadium Massacre (Photo courtesy of Voice of America)

On September 28, 2009, security forces entered and opened fire on peaceful pro- democracy demonstrators gathered in the stadium to protest the military junta.  At least 150 people were shot, trampled, and stabbed and about 100 women were publicly raped, and tortured during the attack.  A subsequent U.N. investigation concluded that the events at the stadium likely constitute crime against humanity and the violence was believed to be a factor in the ending of the junta. Eyewitness accounts place Col Pivi in the stadium during the attack.

Col Pivi was a leading figure in the CNDD military junta at the time of the massacre and is now minister for presidential security.  He is the highest ranking official to be charged thus far and is one of seven leaders from the junta to be charged for the massacre.

There were fears that Pivi  would never be charged for his role in the attack because he still has a loyal following among the army.  Human rights groups have appluaded the action taken by the court, but are concerned that a trial may never take place.  “Our concern is that this must not just be a situation whereby people are indicted and then are left to go about their business as normal. We want to see some further advancement on this issue…we welcome this indictment as it should help us get to the truth. However, we call on this government to make sure that all those indicted persons still in the country should be removed from their posts until they face justice.” Asmaou Diallo, who runs a victims’ support group told BBC news.

Rights groups have also criticized President Alpha Conde, elected in 2010 in Guinea’s first democratic power hand over since the end of colonialism in 1958, for not moving fast enough to prosecute those responsible for the 2009 attack.

For further information, please see:

Washington Post — Court in Guinea charges notorious military commander Claude Pivi for 2009 stadium massacre — 28 June 2013

Human Rights Watch — Guinea: Minister Charged for Alleged Role in Stadium Massacre — 28 June 2013

Chicago Tribune — Guinea charges minister over 2009 massacre of demonstrators — 28 June 2013

BBC News — Guinea stadium massacre: Minister Claude Pivi charged — 28 June 2013

China’s Xinjiang Region Plagued by Unrest and Deadly Attacks

By Brian Lanciault

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China– Violence erupted Wednesday in China’s western Xinjiang region, and continued through Friday with reports of at least 35 dead. Beijing officials reported through state-run media outlet Xinhua Saturday that the two incidents were “terrorist attacks.” This is the deadliest attack in the area since a 2009 clash between ethnic minority Uighurs and the majority Han Chinese left over 200 people dead. President Xi Jinping has authorized a security crackdown in the area, stationing riot police, armored tanks, and other security military personnel throughout the region.

Armed police officers stationed in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang region. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

Wednesday’s incidents took place in Lukqun township in Turpan prefecture, a fairly remote area of the vast western region. Reports state that some 11 armed assailants attacked a police station with knives and set fire to nearby police cars. The initial violence culminated in the deaths of 24 people, at least two were police officers. The police forces squashed the brief uprising, however, killing 10 of the assailants and severely wounding one, who died later in the week.

The rioting continued on Friday in the desert city of Hotan, a remote area heavily populated by minority Uighur. According to Xinhua News Agency, approximately 100 people, armed with knives and riding motorcycles, gathered outside of mosques and other local religious venues, before launching an attack on a police station near Moyu county. Additionally, some 200 people, reportedly unaffiliated with the motorcycle group, attempted to “incite trouble” at a nearby shopping mall.

While little information has been uncovered describing any causes or reasons for the incidents, reports suggest that they reflect a continual strife in the region between the minority Uighurs and majority Han.

Uighurs make up approximately 45% of the regions population, the remainder being Han Chinese. The Uighurs are an ethnically diverse group, largely muslim and speaking Turkic, that have inhabited the area for decades. The most recent decade has seen a massive influx of Han Chinese to the area. The Uyghur American Association, a Washington-based advocacy group, argues that the Chinese government has cracked down intensely on religious practice by Uighurs, and restricted their cultural heritage under a guise of trying to eradicate “poverty” from the Xinjiang region.

The Chinese government has dumped billions of dollars into the region in order to decrease poverty, which it perceives as the legitimate source of unrest between Uighurs and the Han settlers. In pursuit of these investments, the government policy has been to foster religious and cultural identity which is legitimate. The government has since taken a harsh stance against most Uighurs whom it believes use Islam to incite violence and repel the Communist regime.

In July of 2009 a massive, seven day riot broke out between Uighurs and Han Chinese in Urumqi, the regional capital. The events began with a relatively peaceful march by approximately 1,000 Uighurs, but quickly degenerated into a violent riot, with a reported death toll of 197, although UAA and Human Rights Watch suspect that this number is a severe under-estimate. Since these riots, the Chinese government has suspiciously watched Uighurs, suspecting them as “separatists” and believing many Uighur groups to be connected with the Taliban in Pakistan. Beijing has issued several reports that connect some violent Uighur groups with terrorist training under the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) based in Pakistan. ETIM affiliations are banned in China, and the UAA disputes claims that Islamic extremists and fundamentalists exist in the Uighur population of Xinjiang.

The latest incidents took place just one week before the four year anniversary of the Urumqi riots.

The Chinese government has vowed to resolve the issues and extinguish any further unrest or terrorist acts. Yu Zhengsheng, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, pledged to “step up action to crack down upon terrorist groups and extremist organizations,” at a meeting of government officials in Urumqi.

For more information, please see:

The Globe and Mail — Death toll from violence in China’s Xinjiang region rises to 35: state media — 28 June 2013

Reuters — China’s troubled Xinjiang hit by more violence — 29 June 2013

VOA — Xinjiang’s Deadliest Violence in Years Renews Focus on Ethnic Tensions — 26 June 2013

Channel News Asia — China blames ‘terrorists’ for sparking riot in Xinjiang clash — 29 June 2013

Indian Express — Violence hits west China’s Xinjiang ahead of key anniversary — 29 June 2013

BBC — China’s Xinjiang hit by fresh unrest — 29 June 2013

 

Israel Approves Building New Settlements in East Jerusalem Ahead of John Kerry’s Visit to the Region

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited a controversial Israeli settlement in the West Bank on Monday where he dedicated a school named for his late father. The Netanyahu visit to the West Bank was played down by Israeli officials; however, the visit drew the Israeli settlement program into the limelight just ahead of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to the Middle East. The Secretary of State’s visit to the region is an attempt to reignite peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Jerusalem construction prepares new homes in two Palestinian-populated districts. (Photo courtesy of Aljazeera)

An Israeli planning committee has introduced a plan to build an additional sixty-nine housing units in Har Homa, a Jewish settlement of East Jerusalem originally constructed more than a decade ago with a population of roughly twelve thousand Israelis. The municipality has said that this plan is not new and has already been passed through initial planning stages.

Kerry’s visit will be his fifth to the region since being sworn in as Secretary of State in February. Kerry is expected to visit Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramalhal. Patrick Ventral, acting deputy spoken for the State Department decided to answer any questions about the announced settlements, but stated that on his trip Kerry will “sit down with both sides.” Kerry mentioned that he is not concerned with setting any deadlines for specific actions to be taken by either side, including limits on settlement development.

Kerry said “I’m not setting any deadlines. We purposefully wanted to avoid deadlines. Deadlines can become self-imposed hurdles and, in fact, impediments to actually making progress.” However, Kerry stated that this is an urgent time in the Middle East peace process and a critical moment to make difficult decisions because ultimately “time is the enemy of a peace process.”

Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be recognized as the Palestinian state, which was annexed by Israel but never recognized by the international community. Palestine also feels that Israel must stop the development of new Jewish settlements in the occupied regions of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, lands that Palestinian hope will encompass the new Palestinian state. Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of the state they seek in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. They say that Israel must stop building settlements before peace talks resume.

Palestinian officials condemned Netanyahu’s controversial visit to a Jewish Settlement and plans for continued construction in Har Homa as “message” to Secretary of State John Kerry intended to underpin the Israeli government’s possession in regard to continued settlement development in the West Bank.

For further information, please see:

Guardian – McDonald’s Israel Rejects West Bank Branch Proposal – 27 June 2013

Aljazeera – Israel Approves Settlements in East Jerusalem – 26 June 2013

CNN International – Israel Okays East Jerusalem Settlement Just before Kerry’s Peace Visit – 26 June 2013

Washington Post – Ahead of Kerry Visit, Israeli Leader Dedicates School in West Bank Settlement – 24 June 2013

Tunisia Frees Femen Activists After Apology

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TUNIS, Tunisia – Josephine Markmann, Pauline Hillier,  and Marguerite Stern, the three Femen activists arrested last month for a topless protest, were released on Wednesday after a Tunisian court heard their appeal.  The women had been sentenced to four months in jail for public indecency and offending public morals after protesting Amina Tyler’s arrest.  The women left Manouba prison late Wednesday night in the midst of small protest and arrived back in Paris on Thursday.

The three Femen activists held in Tunisia raise their fists triumphantly as they arrived at Orly airport on Thursday in Paris. (Photo Courtesy of Getty Images)

The women, dressed in the traditional Tunisian veil or sasfari, apologized for their actions during the appeal on Wednesday.

“I didn’t think it was going to shock Tunisians to that extent. Given the consequences, I would never do it again. We want to return to our country and our loved ones,” Ms Hillier told the court.

Local Islamist associations were attempting to join the trial as a civil party, which is allowed under Tunisian law, in an attempt to seek damages and delay the appeal.  Their lawyers asked for an extension and unsuccessfully argued that there had not been sufficient time to review the case file.

The activists’ French lawyer, Patrick Klugman, argued that the Islamist associations were merely trying to delay the appeal in an effort to keep the women imprisoned.  The court agreed and allowed arguments to proceed.  Klugman appealed to the court  that the protest was not sexual in nature and that the women did not exact such significant backlash as a result of their actions.

“You cannot pervert the message of Femen. Their breasts were visible to the public but they were carrying a message you can’t ignore. Stop looking at their breasts… and listen to them,” Klugman told the court.

The ruling comes after the Tunisian government came under pressure from Germany, France, and the European Union to reform its freedom of expression laws.  These governments along with international human rights groups had criticized the punishment as harsh and unjust.

The three activists had also received support from fellow Femen members.  Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Larayedh had been visiting Brussels on the eve of the hearing when three topless Femen protesters jumped on the hood of his car demanding the jailed Femen protesters be released.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Tunisia frees European Femen activists – 27 June 2013

Reuters – Tunisia frees trio who staged topless protest against Islamist-led government – 27 June 2013

BBC – Tunisia frees Femen topless protest activists – 26 June 2013

Daily Star – Jailed activists apologize for topless Tunisia protest – 26 June 2013

 

Snowden Travels to Moscow on Way to Ecuador

By Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

MOSCOW, Russia – Since revealing classified intelligence on June 6, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has been on the run from the US government.  News outlets began reporting Monday that Snowden left Hong Kong heading for Ecuador with a layover in Moscow.  Reporters, believing Snowden to be bound from Moscow to Havana, Cuba, booked flights on Aeroflight SU150 only to find that Snowden was not on board.

An estimated two dozen journalists booked tickets Aeroflight SU150 to Havana for a chance to interview Edward Snowden. (Photo Courtesy of Yahoo News)

Snowden stayed behind in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport where he remained Tuesday and Wednesday.  During that time, Secretary of State John Kerry wasted no time expressing his concern that Snowden was able to leave Hong Kong, stating it would be “deeply troubling” to find that China had intentionally allowed Snowden to fly to Russia.  Kerry, joined by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, urged Russia to “do the right thing” and extradite Snowden back to the United States.

As of Wednesday, Russian Prime Minster Vladamir Putin has not acquiesced to US demands, stating that the Russian authorities may not take action against Snowden, who, by remaining in Sheremetyevo Airport, has not technically entered Russian borders.

Since fleeing Hong Kong, Snowden has been formally charged in the US with espionage for disclosing classified information, a crime which carries a prison sentence of up to ten years and may also include a fine.  Snowden may never stand trial, however, since Ecuador has invited Snowden to apply for political asylum.

Ecuador famously provided political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in their London embassy.  NBC News reports that Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa “sharply criticized” the US government for drawing attention away from the sweeping NSA intelligence programs by focusing attention on finding and prosecuting Snowden.

Ecuador may not be Snowden’s only option for political asylum.  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro praised Snowden’s courage and offered to allow him to apply for political asylum in Venezuela.

 

For further information, please see:

ABC News – Edward Snowden Steps Into Secret U.S.-Russia Spy Scuffle – 26 June 2013

NBC News – Hagel calls on Russia to return Edward Snowden to answer for ‘serious security breach’ – 26 June 2013

NBC World News – Chavez successor praises Snowden, offers to consider asylum – 26 June 2013

CBS News – Russia: Edward Snowden hasn’t “crossed the Russian border,” and U.S. demands “unacceptable” – 25 June 2013

BBC News – Edward Snowden: US anger at Russia and China – 24 June 2013

CBS News – Reporters chasing Edward Snowden stranded on Cuba-bound plane – 24 June 2013