News

Russian Parliament Approves Bill Banning “Gay Propaganda”

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia — The Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, voted to approve bills that would ban promoting homosexual “propaganda” to minors and punish those who offend religious believers, on Tuesday.

A supporter of the anti-gay bill spits on a gay rights activist. (Photo Courtesy of Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty)

Before the vote was to take place, hundreds of anti-gay and religious activists and gay-rights activists gathered outside the State Duma, across from the Red Square in Moscow to voice their concerns. Fighting erupted between those that supported the bills and those that did not. Eggs and urine were tossed between the groups, and eventually 20 people were detained by police.

The anti-gay bill, which was approved by the Duma by a unanimous vote of 436 to 0, will imposed fines to individuals who provide information about the LGBT community to minors or who hold gay pride rallies. An individual would be fined up to $156 and organizations would be fined up to $31,000. The bill would also apply to foreigners that come into Russia.

The anti-gay bill is part of a larger Russian effort to promote traditional Russian values as opposed to Western liberalism, as the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church view the latter as corrupting Russian youth and greatly enhancing the protests against Vladimir Putin’s presidency.

The bill was preliminarily approved in January; however legislators then altered the wording of “homosexual propaganda” to “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.”

As the bill was passed by the Duma, it now needs to be passed by the Federation Council, which is the Russian Senate, and signed by the President. This process is considered a formality, however, and the bill is expected to become law by the end of June.

Hostility and violence towards LGBT communities is common in Russia, and human rights activists believe this bill will contribute to an even greater increase in these incidences.

“The draft law would only raise the level of intolerance in Russian society,” reported Human Rights Watch.

Yelena Mizulina, the head of the Russian State Duma’s Committee for Family, Women, and Children, however, believes that the law is a positive step to protect traditional family values. “[The bill prevents] the spreading of information aimed at forming nontraditional sexual attitudes among children, attractiveness of nontraditional sexual relations, or a distorted perception of social equality between the traditional and nontraditional sexual relations,” she stated.

The Duma also passed a bill Tuesday that would impose prison time on those found to be insulting religious believers. This bill would include prison terms of up to one year and fines of up to $9,000. The bill came to light after members of the punk rock band Pussy Riot sang a ballad against President Putin in a cathedral in Moscow last year.

“This is another step in the attack on the right to freely express your opinion, a right guaranteed by the constitution of the Russian Federation,” a researcher at Human Rights Watch opined.

For more information, please see:

Aljazeera – Russian legislators pass “gay propaganda ban” – 11 June 2013

BBC – Russian Duma passes law banning “gay propaganda” – 11 June 2013

Los Angeles Times – Russian lawmakers move to keep information on homosexuality from kids – 11 June 2013

The Moscow Times – Law on “Homosexual Propaganda” Set for Duma Approval – 11 June 2013

Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty – Russian Duma Passes Ban on “Homosexual Propaganda” – 11 June 2013

 

Tuareg Rebels and Mali Army Soldiers Torture and Abuse Civilians

By Danielle Gwozdz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

BAMAKO, Mali — Taureg rebels and Mali army soldiers committed abuses against civilians over the past week and a half. Taureg rebels are accused of rounding up and beating members of rival, darker-skinned groups, while Mali army soldiers are accused of torturing Tauregs.

The Taureg group have long said they have faced discrimination in northern Mali (photo courtesy of AFP)

The Tauregs of northern Mali, a mostly light-skinned group, have a history of seeking autonomy from the rest of the country. The Tauregs state they have been discriminated against by the government in Bamako. The Taureg rebels – Taureg National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) – detained about 100 people, most of them darker-skinned men from non-Taureg ethnic groups, and robbed, threatened, and severely beat many of them.

One truck driver told Human Rights Watch that MNLA fighters robbed him of about 300,000 CFA francs ($600 U.S.) and took him to a detention center where he and several others were beaten.

“They hit me with the butts of their guns until I could no longer walk,” the truck driver told HRW, adding that they broke one of his ribs.

Further, the truck driver stated that MNLA told him: “You blacks, Kidal is not for you. It is for us.”

The Malian army also committed abuses against Taureg civilians, including threats to kill them, beating them, and using racial slurs. HRW stated that about 100 black Africans were arrested in Kidal, with many being robbed, beaten, or expelled towards the south.

The Malian army has been conducting patrols and other military operations throughout northern Mali, due to the lack of security forces in this area because of the periodic infiltration by armed Islamic groups.

“The Malian security forces’ human rights record since January is, simply, appalling. They continue to violate human rights with apparently no fear of being held accountable,” said Amnesty researcher Gaëtan Mootoo.

The government seeks to control the town of Kidal before the July elections; however, the MNLA Taureg rebels state that they will continue fighting if the Mali army tries to recapture Kidal. Negotiations for this political stand-off are currently underway.

BBC International Correspondent Mark Doyle states this re-ignited racial tension has been due to the Mali army’s attempt to re-take Kidal and their plans to hold an election in July.

The MNLA took Kidal last year in its attempt to create a Taureg homeland in northern Mali. The MNLA joined forces with al-Qaeda associated fighters and with their help they overran northern Mali. However, the better-armed Islamists soon took control of the Taureg rebels.

The UN is due to deploy a group of 12,600 people as a peacekeeping force before the planned elections in July. This peacekeeping force is to incorporate thousands of West African troops already in the country in support of the French intervention.

 

For further information, please see:

BBC News — Mali crisis: Human Rights Watch condemns ethnic abuses — 7 June 2013

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH — Mali: New Abuses by Tuareg Rebels, Soldiers — 7 June 2013

StarAfrica.com — HRW reports new abuses by Tuareg rebels, Mali soldiers — 7 June 2013

Yahoo!News — Malian army fights Tuareg rebels; unofficial truce over — 5 June 2013

Independent Online News — Mali army, rebels accused of rights abuses — 7 June 2013

 

Human Ring around Bosnian Parliament Highlights Government Shortfalls

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch, Europe

SARAJEVO, Bosnia – On June 6, 2013, approximately 3000 protesters kept nearly 1500 lawmakers, government employees, and international bankers blocked inside Bosnia’s parliament building for fourteen hours. The protesters consisted primarily of students and young parents, who have been unable to get birth certificates or identification numbers for their babies since February 2013.

Undocumented babies increased due to delays in creating a new law. (Photo courtesy of WestPort News)

Dating back to the 1992-1995 war, ethnic divisions between Serbia and Bosnia heat the battle between a unified or divided country. Currently, Bosnia consists of two semi-autonomous mini-states, each with a president and parliamentary government. A joint parliament, government and a three-member presidency link the mini-states.

In early February 2013, an old law on identification numbers for Bosnian citizens lapsed. Disagreements among ethnic communities have delayed the creation of a new law, leaving undocumented babies born since the lapse. While Bosnian Serbs seek an identification system that reflects territorial agreements established after the war, Bosniaks and Croats seek a solution that unifies the country.

Recently, a baby in need of stem cell treatment in Germany could not leave Bosnia because she had no documentation. On June 5, young parents protested and trapped lawmakers inside parliament. Although the government reached an interim deal, protesters claimed that they would continue for as long as necessary to reach a long-term agreement. Every hour, more people joined the blockade. On June 6, thousands of protesters formed a ring around parliament, encouraged by protests in other Bosnian cities.

As parliament employees attempted to escape the building through windows, protesters shouted, “Get back to work!” before sending them back inside.

Tarik Celik said, “This is not just about the ID number. It is about their attitude toward us. It is about how unimportant we are to them as citizens.”

Additionally, parliament salaries angered protesters. Reports claim that lawmakers receive six times Bosnia’s average salary per month. However, poverty throughout the country has increased, and the unemployment rate hovers above twenty percent.

On the morning of June 7, police helped free the people trapped inside parliament, who decided to return after the weekend. Nevertheless, within hours, student protesters returned, and demanded improvements for impoverished citizens, rather than “ethnic bickering.”

“We just want to send a message to the politicians not to play with our future,” said protester Amar Nurkovic, “because their future is in our hands.”

Peter Sorensen, the head of the European Union mission in Bosnia, stated that such protests were “a clear demand on elected officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina at all levels to do what they have been elected to do — work in the interests of the citizens.”

As demonstrated in Sarajevo during a recent commission meeting, Bosnia and Serbia currently support each other on their path toward EU membership. For stability in the region, the Bosnian delegation emphasized a need for progress.

While Serbia appears to support EU membership for Bosnia, it appears that progress will be delayed until the government agrees to unify or divide the country. Only then can economic and social woes be fully addressed.

For further information, please see:

EuroNews – Parents in Bosnia in Birth Registrations Protest – 7 June 2013

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty – Bosnian Police Evacuate Parliament Besieged by Protesters – 7 June 2013

Reuters – Protesters Allow Out Bankers, Lawmakers Trapped in Bosnian Parliament – 7 June 2013

Westport News – Bosnian Lawmakers Take Early Weekend after Siege – 7 June 2013

Bloomberg Businessweek – Thousands Protest Lack of Bosnian Law on ID Numbers – 6 June 2013

InSerbia News – Serbia and BiH Support Each Other on EU Path – 5 June 2013

Zimbabawe’s Security Forces Accused of Election Interference

by Erica Smith
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Human Rights Watch has issued a new report accusing the Zimbabwean military and security forces of interfering with the upcoming election. The security forces are believed to be working to secure the reelection of current president Robert Mugabe and the Zanu-PF party.

The report comes as Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mr. Mugabe’s opponent, says there is not enough time to institute security reforms before the court mandated election deadline of July 31st. The current government is a unity government formed between Zanu-PF and Mr. Tsvangirai’s party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) after the 2008 election.

A police officer with ballot boxes during the 2008 election. (Photo courtesy of The Guardian)

Security forces were also accused of intimidation and interference in the 2008 elections.  Mr. Tsvangirai ran against Mr. Mugabe in 2008 and won the first round of voting but did not win enough votes to secure the election. Mr. Tsvangirai boycotted the second round of voting because his supporters were being targeted by security forces. Mr. Mugabe went on to win another term but had to form a unity government with MDC.

The new report details how security forces have openly supported Mr. Mugabe and have refused to meet with Mr. Tsvangirai about his security concerns. On May 4th, the Zimbabwe Defense Forces commander, Gen. Constantine Chiwenga told The Sunday Mail: “We have no time to meet sellouts. Clearly Tsvangirai is a psychiatric patient who needs a competent psychiatrist.” Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri has also said that the security forces would never meet with Tsvangirai and that anyone who reported on the issue risked being arrested.

The Human Rights Watch investigation has found that the army has deployed soldiers across the country to beat and intimidate anyone they believe to be a supporter of MDC.  The army has been accused of using food distribution programs and army research projects to gain admission into people’s homes and other areas. One MDC supporter told HRW:  “When I said I had voted in favor of the draft constitution they then asked me why I was wearing an MDC t-shirt and before I could respond they began to punch and kick me all over my body. They said I must vote for ZANU-PF in the coming elections without fail or they would come back for me.”

“Zimbabwe’s laws and constitution require neutrality and impartiality from the security forces but the security forces have shown no sign of meeting their obligations,”  Tiseke Kasambala, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch said .  “The government needs to send a clear message by disciplining and prosecuting security force personnel and soldiers who violate the law for political reasons.”

 

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – The Elephant in the Room – 5 June 2013

Human Rights Watch – Zimbabwe: Security Forces Pose Election Risk – 5 June 2013

BBC News – Zimbabwe’s Tsvangirai wants polls delayed for reforms – 5 June 2013

Aljazeera – Rights group slams Zimbabwe security forces – 5 June 2013

Zimbabwe Independent – Security reforms: Elephant in the room – 7 June 2013

 

Brazil Sends National Force Soldiers to Defuse Conflicts Over Indian Lands

By Ellis R. Cortez
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SAO PAULO, Brazil — The Brazilian Justice Ministry said on Wednesday, June 5th, that 110 National Force soldiers have been dispatched to Mato Grosso do Sul state where hundreds of Terena Indians are occupying a ranch they say is on ancestral lands.

An indigenous delegation met with government ministers in Brasilia on June 4th. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

The ranch is at the center of a land dispute between its owner, a former congressman, and the Terena Indians. Approximately 200 Terena Indians occupied the ranch on May 15th. Two weeks later police evicted them in a violent clash during which a 35 year-old Indian man was shot dead. The following day, the Indians occupied the ranch again and on June 4th, another Indian man was injured in an attack by unidentified gunmen. Two others have been reported as missing.

“We must avoid radicalizing a situation that goes back a long way in Brazilian history,” Justice Minister Jose Cardozo told reporters after meeting lawmakers from Mato Grosso do Sul in Brasilia. “We’re not going to put out the flames by throwing alcohol on the bonfire,” he said.

A new eviction order was issued, and Funai, the federal indigenous affairs agency, was informed to peacefully move the Indians off the ranch on June 5th. However, Funai’s press office said a judge suspended the new eviction notice until a federal court rules on the case.

The Indians are also protesting a proposed constitutional amendment that would reduce Funai’s role in determining land for Indian reservations. Under the proposal, Congress and other federal agencies would also have a say in the demarcation of indigenous territory.

Justice Cardozo, however, stressed on June 4th, that Funai would continue to play a central role as the main institution that defends Indian rights, but others will be brought in to improve the process of deciding ancestral lands.

Brazil’s indigenous land policy, included in the country’s constitution, is considered one of the most progressive in the world, with about 13% of the nation’s territory set aside as indigenous territories.

Similar protests have now erupted across the country. In the Amazon region, the Munduruku indigenous group has been occupying the site where construction is underway on the controversial Belo Monte hydroelectric dam. The Belo Monte dam is set to become the world’s third largest dam and it would be capable of producing 11,233 megawatts of electricity, which is equivalent to about 10 percent of Brazil’s total current generating capacity.

For more information please see:

Washington Post – Brazil deploys elite National Force Troops to contain growing Indian-rancher conflicts – 5 June 2013

BBC – Brazil sends army to indigenous land dispute farm – 5 June 2013

New York Times – Brazil Troops to Contain Indian-Rancher Conflicts – 5 June 2013

Reuters – Brazil calls in army to defuse conflicts over Indian lands – 4 June 2013