News

Saudi Mistreatment of Shia Cleric

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia is a Sunni ran state, where ten-to-fifteen percent of its Shia population are systematically discriminated against by receiving unequal treatment with regards to justice and religious freedom, and from a lack of access to public employment and education. Shia cleric Ayatollah Nimr al-Nimr sought to put an end to this unfair treatment with his words and has been met with violence, imprisonment, and the possibility of crucifixion.

Shia cleric ayatollah Nimr al-Nimr remains detained with a bullet still in his leg while awaiting a trial which may ultimately end in his crucifixion. (Photo Courtesy of Ahlul Bayt News Agency)

Al-Nimr was shot in the leg four times while he was being detained by Saudi authorities. Three of the bullets have been removed from the shattered bone of his leg, but one still remains. Al-Nimr has not received regular medical care or physical therapy regarding his leg injury while being held at the Security Forces Prison Hospital. Additionally, requests for a second opinion on his health have been denied.

The official stance from the Saudi authorities has been that al-Nimr resisted arrest by ramming a security forces’ vehicle and inciting a shoot-off. Al-Nimr was not known by his family to own a gun, and has consistently preached throughout time his disdain for guns and a need for “the weapon of the word.”

Once apprehended, al-Nimr remained detained for eight months before being charged with anything. The Rasid news of Saudi Arabia has reported that al-Nimr will face charges of “inciting to infringe on property of the state,” “interference in the affairs of a sister nation,” and “incitement to commit terrorism crimes [in the sister nation],” presumably referring to statements he made criticizing Bahrain. The trial court is also considering charges of “instigating riots,” “heightening sectarian strife,” “destabilizing the security of the state and calling on sons of the country to participate,” and “storing materials on the internet that harm public order and religious values.”

It has only been recently that the courts have allowed al-Nimr’s lawyer and brother to attend his trials. As of today, the court is still refusing to assess whether al-Nimr’s ten month continued detention has been appropriate. Al-Nimr has been held in a four-by-four meter windowless solitary isolation cell. Four the first four months of his detention he was denied any visitation, however, now he has been allowed an hour visit by immediate family once every two weeks.

The prosecutors are looking to throw the whole book at al-Nimr, and a heavy book at that. The sentence they are seeking for al-Nimr is that of crucifixion. The treatment of al-Nimr has led to Shia protests, which has in turn led to the shooting of protesters by security forces.

Don’t be startled if the hanging of al-Nimr’s body from a pole leads to more demonstrations and subsequent killings of demonstrators to “maintain order.”

For further information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – Saudi Arabia: Cleric who Backed Protests on Trial for his Life – 11 May 2013

Al-Monitor – Saudi Arabia Clamps Down on Dissent – 3 May 2013

Ahlul Bayt News Agency – Saudi Shia Cleric Ayatollah Nimr Appears Before a Saudi Judge – 1 May 2013

Al Jazeera – Cleric Faces Possible Crucifixion in Saudi Arabia – 30 April 2013

Ali Abdulemam Resurfaces in UK

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrian – Bahraini human rights blogger and free speech activist, Ali Abdulemam, who had gone missing for two years has finally resurfaced in the UK. He will reunite with his wife and daughters who he has not seen or spoke to since his escape from Bahrain, and is set to speak next week at the Oslo Freedom Forum.

Ali Abdulemam, founder of Bahrain Online, has made it to the UK after spending the past two years in hiding. (Photo Courtesy of the Guardian)

Since the inception of pro-democratic demonstrations in Bahrain in 2011, the Bahraini government has sought to control the media. The media paints a picture of human rights activists as criminals attempting to subvert the state. The 2002 Press Law allows the state to incarcerate journalists who are found to have criticize the religion of Islam, the king, or who have been deemed to have threatened national security.

Back in March 2011, Abdulemam’s home was raided by security forces, however, Abdulemam was not home and has not been home since. He was able to escape Bahrain while being hidden in a secret compartment of a car and was brought to Saudi Arabia , Kuwait, and Iraq before finding his way to the UK.

While Abdulemam was missing he was tried in absentia and found guilty by a a military court for “plotting a coup.” He was then given a fifteen year sentence.

Abdulemam’s activist activity dates back to at least 1998 when he created the web blog, Bahrain Online, for individuals to have a place to discuss the government. Back then, Abdulemam was using a psyuedonym. He eventually began using his real name because he wanted people to know that a real person was behind the posts.

Once his name was known, it was not long until him and other Bahrain Online bloggers were arrested on charges of inciting hatred against the regime and publishing false information. He was only held for seventeen days back in 2005 when he was released. The detention did not deter Abdulemam, but inspired him with purpose.

Abdulemam was not arrested again until 2010 when he and twenty-two other rights activists were detained and accused with having ties to a London-basd terror network whose aim was to bring down the state. Before he was tried for those allegations, he was given no notice of the charges against him and was not permitted to have a lawyer.

As a result, he was detained for another five and a half months before being released. During those months, Abdulemam claimed that he was beaten, insulted, and made to sign false confessions.

As soon as Abdulemam was released, he joined the protest movement that was going on at Manama’s Pearl Roundabout. Martial law was invoked to deal with the demonstrations, and Abdulemam fled the country before he could be detained again.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Missing Bahraini Blogger Surfaces in London – 10 May 2013

Atlantic – Escape From Bahrain: Ali Abdulemam is Free – 10 May 2013

Guardian – Bahrain Online Founder Ali Abdulemam Breaks Silence After Escape to UK – 10 May 2013

Voice of Bahrain – The 10 Worst Countries for Journalists – 6 May 2013

Chilean Student Protests Ends With Petrol Bombs Thrown At Police

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile – Thousands of students took to the streets today as protestors marched on the Chilean capital of Santiago demanded free education. The second national march of the year, protestors clashed with police despite the peaceful undertone as petrol bombs were met with tear gas and water cannons.

Riot police were forced to end the Chilean student protest after it turned deadly as elements threw petrol bombs. (Photo courtesy of BBC)

While Chile’s education system is regard highly among Latin American countries, protestors state that they are discriminatory and unfair. While the middle and upper class have access to top schooling, the poor are limited to under-funded state schools with no free universities available.

The movement began with numerous demonstrations in 2011, and shows no signs of letting up. Few have seen any new benefit in the past few years, but education reform is slated to be a large issue during this year’s November Presidential election. Nationwide students marched for the opportunity to the same access to the education systems that the rich of the nation have had for generations. While the movement is mainly peaceful, with students waving signs and chanting, nefarious elements turned parts of the march violent.

Whether or not the protesters themselves have become violent or small groups of ill-tempered individuals who have infiltrated the movement has become the main question for police officers. Throughout Latin America during seemingly peaceful protests, hooded vandals can be seen inciting police officers to take the bait by throwing stones, vandalize shops and throwing homemade incendiary devices. Their intentions however must be questioned, as once peaceful scuffles become increasingly dangerous and disruptive as riot police shut down the protests. Here in Santiago after petrol bombs were thrown, the once peaceful protest was forcibly shut down by police who were attempting to quell the riot favoring elements.

Last month, 100,000 students marched for free education. The protest left casualties as eight officers were injured, one in serious condition after being attacked with acid, with 109 protestors were detained for different offenses.

For more information please see:

BBC – Chile Students Resume Protests For Free Education – 8 May 2013

Edmonton Journal – Chile Students Stage Big Protest Demand Education Reform – 8 May 2013

BBC – Chile Student Protests Resume As 100,000 March – 11 April 2013

Bolivian President Uses New Constitution To Seek Unprecedented Third Term

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SUCRE, Bolivia – A packed judiciary made their decision this week, despite constitutional restrictions, President Evo Morales would be able to seek a third term as President of Boliva.

Morales manipulation of Bolivian politics will allow him to seek an unprecedented third term. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

Following other Latin American leaders on the right and left, the Bolivian supreme court announced that despite term limits set forth by the Bolivian constitution, President Morales would be eligible to seek a third 5 year term after his current term expires. The language of the constitution allows that a Presidential candidate may only seek re-election once. However Supreme Court ruled that despite this being Morales second attempt at re-election, his first would not count as this was a new ratified constitution, that differed from the ones that were in place when Morales sought his initial term, and its subsequent re-election. Indicating that next year’s vote will be legally counted as Morales’ first re-election.

Opponents are claiming foul play are in order. The new constituoon was ratified via referendum in 2009, which lead many at the time to question whether Morales would attempt to circumvent the resitrictions. Insiders say that the constitution was only ratified because of a promise that Morales would not attempt to run for a third term. As for the court decision, opposition leader Samuel Doria Medina of the National Unity party accused the Morales government of stacking the judiciary in a way that favored Morales’ policies.

After the Constitutional Courts statement, the Senate of Bolivia immediately passed the Law Enforcement Legislation which would allow Evo Morales on the bill for the December 2014 Presidential election. The bill was passed quite quickly and is likely to be ratified by the parliamentary majority supporting Morales.

Should Morales win, he will be the longest sitting President in Andean politics, and be the longest sitting ruler in Bolivian history

For more information, please see:

La Republica – Evo Morales: Senate Approves Bill Allowing third Candidacy – 7 May 2013

Financial Times – Boliva court Clears Evo Morales’ bid To Run For Third Term – 30 April 2013

CNN – Court Clears Path For Bolivia’s Morales to Run For 3rd Term – 30 April 2013

Reuters – Court Allows Bolivia’s Morales To Seek Second Re-Election – 29 April 2013

After 37 Years And No Trial, Forgotten Prisoner Released

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru – Forgotten, and alone, Juan Navarro languished in a Peruvian prison for 37 years without ever being convicted.  Charged with murder in 1976, he was incarcerated in the Lurigancho prison on August 3 of that year, where he would remain until his story was revealed, without a court date or trial.

The oldest residence of the Peruvian prison has been released after 37 years in prison without a trial. (Photo Courtesy of RPP)

His brain has to fail him as the 76 or possibly 78 year old man has the signs of dementia and can no longer remember details about his life. Only that he has been in prison surviving against the harsh conditions and that he has been incarcerated, “They ruined my teeth from so many hits and they chased me with a knife. … They wanted to slit my throat,” the problem with his incarceration, is that no one knows how he got to be there. Prison and judiciary  officials have no information or records concerning his imprisonment and confinement. A prison riot destroyed any records that would lead to information concerning his crime, or family.

Having spent 37 years in prison, he has officially spent more time in prison than Peruvian statutory regulations allow. Peruvian criminal sentencing statutes do not allow for a sentence over 35 years. Peruvian law also dictates that if you are imprisoned for over 36 months without an official sentence you would be freed. So even had Mr. Navarro been sentenced to the maximum possible sentence for the crime of murder, he would have had have been released two years ago. However these loopholes require someone to file paperwork on your behalf in order to streamline the process. Unfortunately until Mr. Navarro’s story was revealed on the radio, he had no family in order to file his writ.

These violations of habeas corpus are nothing new to Latin American prisons. According to the prison director at the San Pendro prison in Lima, only 1,291 prisoners of the approximately 8,6000 inmates have been sentenced.

Before anyone had the opportunity to file a writ of habeas corpus for Mr. Navarro the government took a proactive step and released the inmate. Demented and without family, Mr. Navarro has been taken in by residential care center that takes care of the elderly that have been forgotten and neglected by society.

For  more information, please see:

CNN – 37 Years In Prison, But Was He Sentenced? – 15 April 2013

La Republica – Freedom Granted To Oldest Lurigancho Prisoner – 11 April 2013

Peru 21 – Freed Old Man Who Was Imprisoned 37 Years Without Trial – 10 April 2013

RPP – Judiciary has Immediate Reease of Juan Navarro Acuna – 10 April 2013