News

Ahwazi Arabs Hunger Strike After Death Sentence

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – It is not easy to be an Ahwazi Arab in Iran. Negative treatment in the arenas of education, employment, and culture have led many angered Ahwazis to demonstrate and some to call for separation. Iranian authorities have not appreciated such protests and have sentenced to death and killed a handful like Abd al-Rahman Heidarian, Taha Heidarian, and Jamshid Heidarian after an allegedly unfair trial. Five more men, Mohammad Ali Amouri, Hashem Sha’bani Amouri, Hadi Rashidi, Sayed Jaber Alboshoka, and Sayed Mokhtar Alboshoka have recently been sentenced to death after another highly questionable trial.

The five Ahwazi men pictured above have been sentenced to death and are now in the midst of a dry hunger strike in efforts to get an appeal. (Photo Courtesy of Payvand Iran News)

The Amouris, Alboshokas, and Rashidi, a few of which are teachers, all co-founded the cultural institute known as Al-Hiwar. The group organized conferences, poetry recitals, and arts and education classes before being banned in 2005. Since its ban, many former Al-Hiwar members have been arrested.

The five men have been charged under the vague claims of “enmity against God and corruption on Earth”, “gathering and colluding against state security”, and “spreading propaganda against the system.” These charges arise as of an alleged linkage between the men and a terrorist group who was involved in a shooting around Ramshir. Currently, no evidence was ever made public which showed any support of the allegations these five men faced. Additionally, their trials were held completely behind closed doors.

In an effort to protest their hunger strike and previous mistreatment while being detained in Karoun prison, the five men began a hunger strike. While being held, despite their requests, the men were denied medical examination and treatment. The need for treatment is believed to be as a means to treat injuries resulting from torture.

The torture was believed to be used to coerce confessions, false or true, out of the detained. These confessions are also often broadcast on television before a trial even begins. Such actions violate Article 38 of the Iranian Constitution and Article 9 of the Law on Respect for Legitimate Freedoms and Safeguarding Citizen’s Rights. The broadcasts violate trial obligations under Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a party.

Hunger strikes often lead to negative publicity for the authoritarian regime which often has its hand forced to undo its previous action. To prevent that from happening, prison authorities banned the hunger striking Ahwazis from making or receiving phone calls. Eventually, families of the strikers were allowed to visit and were able to convince the detained men to begin drinking water again. Currently, they are still refusing to eat solid food.

For further information, please see:

Ahwaz News Agency – Profile of a Hero: Mohammad Ali Amouri – 28 March 2013

Guardian – Iranian Ahwazi Arabs on Hunger Strike Over Death Sentences -27 March 2013

Amnesty International – Urgent Action Dead row Ahwazi Arab men on Hunger Strike – 26 March 2013

Payvand Iran News – Iran: Death row Prisoners in Ahwaz Begin Hunger Strike – 9 March 2013

China Denies Firing Weapons at Vietnamese Fishing Boats

By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

HANOI, Vietnam – On Tuesday, China responded to Vietnam’s accusation of unlawfully firing on one of its fishing boats near the Paracel islands as a legitimate action.

Vietnamese soldier in the Spratly islands, another area of dispute. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News)

According to BBC News, China claimed that its patrol boats acted “reasonably” in an alteration with the Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea last week.  Furthermore, China states that it fired flares, not weapons, at the fishing boats.

“It [was] necessary and legitimate for China to take action against a Vietnamese shipping boat that has entered China’s waters for illegal activity,” stated Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.  “No damage was caused to the fishing boat from Vietnam at the time,” continued Mr. Lei.

Both China and Vietname claim the Paracel islands, a region China has controlled since a brief war with South Vietnam in 1974.

A Xinhua news agency report quoted an unidentified Chinese navy official characterizing Vietnam’s allegations as “sheer fabrication.”

“After the dissuasion by means of whistle-blowing, shouting and hand-flag guiding was of no avail, the Chinese naval vessels fired two red signal shells into the sky as a warning, and the signal shells burned out and extinguished in the air,” relayed the unidentified Chinese navy official.

However, Vietnam has filed a formal complaint with the Chinese embassy in Hanoi.

“Vietnam strongly protests, urging China to investigate and seriously deal with the wrongful and inhumane act, and compensate Vietnamese fishermen for their loss,” said Luong Thanh Nghi, a Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

The South China Sea is a disputed area and has been the root of controversy.  According to China, it possesses the U-shaped strip of the sea and points to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for its authority.

Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan also have coinciding claims with China.  For instance, last year, the Philippines and China engaged in an extensive “stand-off” over another disputed area, the Scarborough shoal, straining their diplomatic relations. However, the Philippines is not the only country in the region whose relationship with China is deteriorating.

According to BBC News, this recent incident is fueling the existing anti-China feeling in Vietnam.  Before last week’s occurrence, a Chinese marine ship in the South China Sea chased two Vietnamese fishing boats.  Moreover, in recent months, China has increased its patrolling of the area.

The Chinese navy “are determined to safeguard the country’s sovereignty with their services on the South China Sea,” read the Xinhua report.

For further information, please see:

BBC News – China ‘fired flares’ at Vietnam boat in South China Sea – 27 March 2013

The Guardian – China denies starting fire on Vietnamese fishing boat – 27 March 2013

BBC News – China and Vietnam row over South China Sea clash – 26 March 2013

Russia Raids NGOs, Rights Groups

By Madeline Schiesser
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – The Justice Ministry’s inspections of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) this week have been compared to the Great Terror during the Soviet government’s campaigns in the 1920s-30s that closed down religious institutions and foreign organizations.  It is estimated that at least 100 organizations from 25 regions across Russia have been inspected so far, and the inspections are expected to continue.

A worker at Memorial, one of Russia’s oldest and most respected rights groups, prepares some of the 600 documents demanded in the government raids. (Photo Courtesy of the Moscow Times)

Authorities in Russia have claimed that the purpose of the checks is to ensure that the activities of the NGOs match those the organizations have declared.  Justice Ministry stressed in a press release the legality of the Ministry’s actions and the importance of the checks in light of a November law requiring NGOs in Russia that receive forging aid to register as “foreign agents.”

While the Prosecutor General’s Office says that the inspections are scheduled, several groups have reported surprise inspections by the Justice Ministry, the fire-safety service, the Health Department, prosecutors, and tax police.  It is possible as many as 2,000 organizations have been visited in the last month for the collection of registration and financial documents.

Lev Ponomaryov, director of For Human Rights, believes the raids are illegal, and would only be permissible “only if there is information about the organization violating existing laws and no grounds for [such accusations] were presented to us.”

Memorial, one of Russia’s oldest and most respected rights groups, which was required to submit over 600 documents, called the audits “worrying and unprecedented.”  Amnesty International and the movement For Human Rights say that officials requested documents that should already be on file with the government.  The inspections have slowed the effectiveness of some top rights watchdog groups in Russia, and some activists fear that audits will eventually force them out of the country.

The term “foreign agent” which the law passed in November requires NGOs receiving foreign funding to identify themselves as, has its roots in the Stalin Era, when it was used to discredit enemies of the state.  Many NGOs, including Amnesty International, believe the label will be used to “to harass and seek closure of those [organizations] highlighting abuses and critical of the government.”  In spite of the law, all NGOs have refused to register as “foreign agents.”  It is estimated that in 2011, Russian NGOs received about $613 million (19 billion rubles) in foreign funding.

A wide variety of organizations have been raided by the Justice Ministry and others, including women’s rights groups, environmental advocates, and Roman Catholic parishes.  A number of rights groups known for their criticism of the government have also meet with various inspectors.  These groups include: Transparency International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, the movement For Human Rights, the Public Verdict Foundation, the Agency for Social Information, Memorial, Agora, the Moscow Helsinki Group, and two German NGOs: the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), which caused backlash in Berlin.

Analyst Dmitry Oreshkin say the raids are an attempt by Putin’s (who described the ongoing inspections as “routine measures”) government to regain clout.

“It reflects the intense nervousness of authorities over the fact that their popularity is falling, that Putin’s popularity is falling, that United Russia’s popularity is falling,” says Mark Urnov, head of the Political Behavior Department at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics.  “Authorities are very scared of all organized protests and groups that gather information to this effect, on issues such as corruption, for instance. This is why these organizations are being targeted. This is the behavior of a regime that is becoming increasingly insecure.”

“The State Duma has been passing laws that contradict the spirit of the constitution, the spirit of the law,” said Lev Ponomaryov, emphasizing the tactics that the government has taken to boost its power. “The new law on high treason, in particular, has transformed the legal system. It is a Soviet-style law. What is now happening with nongovernmental organizations is a continuation of this. Hundreds of nongovernmental organizations are being subjected to unlawful actions by the Prosecutor-General’s Office.”

For further information, please see:

The Moscow Times – NGO Checks ‘Unprecedented’ in Post-Soviet Russia – 29 March 2013

RFE/RL – Russian Rights Council Members Criticize ‘Unprecedented’ NGO Searches – 28 March 2013

BBC News – Fears for NGOs in Russia as Tax Raids Multiply – 27 March 2013

RFE/RL – Raids On NGOs In Russia Suggest ‘Increasingly Insecure’ Kremlin – 26 March 2013

RFE/RL – Russian NGOs Subjected To Continuing Searches – 25 March 2013

RT – Amnesty International Probe Lawful, Pre-Scheduled – Ministry – 25 March 2013

Jordan Charges ‘Devil Worship’ Students With Incitement

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan — Last Wednesday, Jordanian prosecutors charged five Al al-Bayt University students with incitement, for allegedly desecrating the Quran and engaging in acts of “devil worship.”  The students had been detained for fifteen days, since March 12, 2013, and were charged by prosecutors after Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the Jordanian government to either charge or release them.  If convicted, the students could face up to three years in prison.  The students deny the accusation.

Five university students were detained, and eventually charged with incitement, after rumors claiming that they had ripped up a Quran in a bathroom had spread. (Photo Courtesy of Al Bawaba.)

They were accused of ripping and burning Quran manuscripts while performing a “religious ritual” in a campus bathroom in the city of Mafraq.  Prior to being detained, the students were assaulted by a crowd of other students when rumors had spread about their involvement in the act.  A sister of one of the students claimed that a mob of 200 other  students had attacked the accused, which is comprised of her sister and four male students.

HRW released a statement from the students’ families, which said that “no evidence of criminal activity had been presented to the accused.”  HRW said that Jordanian authorities should actively do their best to protect the students and arrest anyone who allegedly attacked and threatened them.  “Jordanian authorities should release the five students and take steps to protect them from further attack,” said Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East Director at HRW.  “The authorities should hold to account anyone who joined in this witch hunt and committed acts of violence.  They should not be allowed to walk free while their victims are locked up.”

HRW also urged Jordanian authorities to investigate reported remarks that advocated the students’ deaths, such as those made by a well-known Salafi shaikh.  Salafists are an ultra-conservative group derived from the Sunni sect of Islam.  HRW believes that these remarks have sparked a chain reaction of Facebook messages by other university students calling for the death of their fellow students.  HRW says that such messages have “prompted fears for their safety and doubts about whether they will be able to complete their university studies in Jordan.”

International law, and Jordan’s treaty obligations as a member of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) requires Jordan to take reasonable steps in ensuring that the right to security for all people within Jordan is protected.  Jordan is also required to uphold the rights to freedom, expression and thought, conscience, and religion.  This establishes that it must not prosecute people who peacefully express their views, and must protect those who do from others who coercively try to curb their expressions of opinion and religious belief.

Al-Rai, a Jordanian newspaper, reported that the president of the university had established an investigative committee to determine the truth as to whether the students were involved in “throwing manuscripts of the Quran in the toilets.”  The head of the investigative committee informed a news website, Kharbani, that it could not find any evidence that the students had committed such acts, and also said that none of the statements against them were based on first-hand evidence.

For further information, please see:

Al Bawaba — Jordan Charges Students With Incitement After Claims of “Devil Worship” — 27 March 2013

The Raw Story — Jordan Charges Students With ‘Devil Worship’ — 27 March 2013

Al Jazeera — Jordan Urged to Free ‘Devil Worship’ Students — 26 March 2013

Human Rights Watch — Jordan: Students Accused of ‘Devil Worship’ — 26 March 2013

Peru Reinstates the Draft, Targets the Poor

By Pearl Rimon
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

 LIMA, Peru – Peru has reinstated selective military service. However, this obligatory military service can be avoided by paying a $700 fee. The government of Peru is being accused for imposing a draft for the poor.

Soldiers marching in a parade celebrating Peru’s Independence Day. (Photo Courtesy of AP)

Military service in Peru has been voluntary since 1998, but the harsh conditions and lack of incentives has left the armed forces short 30,000 recruits this year.

President Ollanta Humala, a former army officer, reimposed the draft via decree. Military chief Adm. Jose Cueto announced that the draft would be held in May. The draft applies to all males between the ages of 18 to 25 chosen by lottery. There are exemptions for parents, university students and anyone who can afford the $700 fee.

“It seems to me completely improvised with the aggravating factor that it directly affects the poor,” said human rights activist Wilfredo Ardito. Ardito called the draft discriminatory on several counts. The poor get hit twice — they cannot afford neither higher education nor the fine, he said.

Adm. Cueto believes that President Humala acted out of necessity in issuing the decree. He told The Associated Press that Peruvian armed forces are operating in a different era from the one in the 1980s and 1990s that contained many human rights abuses.

The draft entails two years of obligatory military service. Cueto believes that the draft would be beneficial for poor young men.  He has said, “Military service has been stigmatized as something bad and the exact opposite is true, because it provides a series of benefits to young men, principally those of humble means. It offers instruction, trains them, creates values and, in addition, gives them a profession.”

Peru’s southeastern hot zone, located between the Purimac and Ene river valley is where more than 80 soldiers have been killed since 2008 in battles between the cocaine-funded vestiges of the Shining Path.

The soldiers who participate in the draft are paid a little more than $100 per month and can increase to $146 with room and board included. However, the minimum wage in Peru is $283 per month.

Most of the citizens are against this draft seemingly imposed just on the poor. “I’m against it. They would be depriving young people of their right to decide. A lot people here can’t afford to pay (the fine),” said Eduard Rodriguez, a 24-year-old gastronomy student.

Peru may have taken a cue from neighboring countries in the reinstatement of its draft, since Boliva and Colombia have ranks of their armed forces filled by many poor citizens.

 

For more information, please see:

Associated Press —Peru criticized for ‘avoidable’ military draft – 27 March 13

East Oregonian — Peru criticized for ‘avoidable’ military draft – 27 March 13

Fox News Latino — Peru Criticized For Military Draft On The Poor – 27 March 13

Yahoo News —  Peru criticized for ‘avoidable’ military draft – 27 March 13