By Emily Schneider
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – For the first time since the Yom Kippur war in 1973, Israel has fired on Syrian forces. Israeli officials say they fired warning shots into Syria this weekend after a mortar round from Syria hit an Israeli vehicle in the Golan Heights.

Last week, the Israeli forces claimed that three Syrian tanks entered the demilitarized buffer zone between the two countries. It was believed they were attacking rebel fighters in the area. Israel filed a complaint with the UN peacekeeping force and military chief of staff Benny Gantz visited the Golan Heights area in response. He warned the troops in the area to be on high alert and to make every effort to discourage the overflow of Syrian violence.

Activists in Syria near the Golan Heights have reported Syrian troop movement in the area in recent days. BBC Beirut correspondent Jim Muir likened the situation to that between Turkey and Syria at the border.

On Saturday, the IDF posted a statement on their website that said the mortar shell hit an IDF post in the Golan Heights adjacent to the Israel-Syria border, as part of the internal conflict inside Syria.” Although no damage or injuries were reported, “IDF soldiers fired warning shots towards Syrian areas” in response.

The mortar shot hit an Israeli outpost in the Golan Heights, an area that is currently occupied by Israel. The Golan Heights is a rocky area with strategic significance. Israel seized the area from Syria near the end of the Six Day War in 1967. Israel repelled an attack in 1973 by Syria, who was trying to regain the area.

Although Syria and Israel are still formally at war, they signed an armistice in 1974 and an UN force has patrolled the buffer zone since then. Israel unilaterally annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, but that annexation was not recognized internationally.

Following this latest incident, the Israel Defense Forces filed a complaint through the UN forces patrolling the buffer zone, stating that overflow of mortar fire from Syria into Israel and its occupied territory will not be tolerated and Israel “shall be responded to with severity.”

Defense Minister Ehud Barak reiterated that point, saying “additional shelling into Israel from Syria will elicit a tougher response, exacting a higher price from Syria.”

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, called for restraint from both countries on Sunday. Ban’s office said,  “the Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the potential for escalation. He calls for the utmost restraint and urges Syria and Israel to uphold the Disengagement Agreement, respect their mutual obligations, and halt firing of any kind across the ceasefire line.”

 

For further information, please see:

Aljazeera – Israeli Army Fires ‘Warning Shots’ at Syria – 11 Nov. 2012

BBC- Israel Fires Warning Shots ‘After Mortar Strike’ – 11 Nov. 2012

Israel National News – IDF Fires Back at Syria – 11 Nov. 2012

JPost – UN Urges Restraint From Israel, Syria After Shelling – 11 Nov. 2012

 

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Ever since the removal of Mubarak in February 2011 and the installation of Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi as President, there has been great dispute among the public as to what role religion should play in Egypt’s constitution. Both the Islamic liberal/Coptic Christian and Islamic conservative sides of the debate have been demonstrating regularly in Egypt’s capital. The most recent demonstration was held the other day when 10,000 conservative muslims congregated in Tahrir Square to call for Shari’a law.

While neither the Muslim Brotherhood nor the ultraconservative Al-Nour party backed the protest, many of their followers and other Salafi groups showed up to demonstrate. The main groups which organized the rally were the Gama’a Islamiya and the Salafi Front. The current stance of the Muslim Brotherhood is to introduce Shari’a law gradually, however, the other Salafi groups want to see more immediate change.

At the heart of this political/religious conflict is the wording of the second amendment of Egypt’s constitution. Under the previous constitution, the second amendment stated that the basis of legislation would be rooted in the “principles of Islamic Shari’a.” Conservatives believe that this is far too broad. They seek the amendment to state that the basis of the law will be “the rulings of Shari’a.” To a Salafi like Mahmoud, “[h]aving the principles of Shari’a included is the same as not having Shari’a at all.”

Those like Mahmoud want to be governed by their own religion, and nothing else. They chanted in the streets that, “[t]he people want God’s law applied.” They believe that Shari’a law will benefit all people, even non-muslims. Hassan Abdel-Hamid, a resident of small town near Alexandria, believes it is good because it will help protect women. He claims that if ruled by true Shari’a law, no parents should fear for their daughters’ safety because anyone who would harass a woman would end up facing Shari’a punishment. The spokesman for the Salafi Front, Khaled Saeed points out that Shari’a already allows for non-Muslims to have the freedom to decide between their own legislation and Islamic law. This would still guarantee that Coptic Christians could use their own religious practices for marriage and divorce.

Newly elected Coptic pope, Tawadros II is adamantly against any constitution that is overtly religious. Coptic Christians make up approximately 10% of the population and completely reject the Salafi demand for full Shari’a implementation. Secular and liberal individuals also greatly favor the original wording of the second amendment which simply appeals to the broad tenets of Islam.

A constitutional assembly, charged with creating the new constitution, failed earlier this year and was dissolved by court order. The secular and liberal members removed themselves from the body after claiming that “Islamists were trying to dominate the process.” A second assembly has been formed, however, the same problems still remain, and liberals again are threatening to walk out.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Egypt’s Ultraconservatives Demand Islamic Law – 9 November 2012

CNN – Salafis Call for Islamic Law in Egypt Protest – 9 November 2012

Daily News Egypt – Thousands of Protesters in Tahrir Call for Shari’a Law – 9 November 2012

Egypt Independent – Salafi Front to Join Friday’s Pro-Sharia Protest – 8 November 2012

By Emily Schneider
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – The International Red Cross says it “can’t cope” with the situation in Syria any longer. Yet, President Assad still refuses to leave in spite of urgings from the UK prime minister.

“The humanitarian situation is getting worse despite the scope of the operation increasing,” said Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The ICRC has worked extensively to bring relief to victims of the Syrian conflict, but it hasn’t been easy. Because of the daily uncertainties of the conflict, the ICRC must continuously react to the needs of victims only after attacks. This makes it nearly impossible to keep a set plan or organize efficiently.

Further, there are still areas of the country that are impossible to reach. Aleppo, for instance, has seen a great increase in violence in the recent months but the ICRC has been unable to coordinate any aid there. Homs, another city hit hard by violence, is only open to the ICRC in certain districts. The ICRC was finally able to reach people in those districts last week, which Mr. Maurer said was a major success.

Other problems, like the diversion of foreign medical supplies to government forces, are rumored to be happening on a daily basis. A Syrian medical group claimed this week that 95% of foreign medical supplies actually fall into the hands of government officials. The ICRC says that this statement is so far unsubstantiated.

In spite of the crumbling humanitarian situation in his country, President Assad refuses to leave or allow foreign troops into the country.

“I am not a puppet, I wasn’t made by the West. I’m Syrian… and I have to live and die in Syria,” Mr Assad told the Russia Today TV channel. He warned that if Syria were to be invaded by foreign troops “the price would be too big” for the rest of the world.

“If we have a problem in Syria – and we are the last stronghold of secularism, stability and co-existence in the region – it will have a domino effect from the Atlantic to the Pacific,” he said.  Although he claims he does not believe the West would invade, added: “If they do so, nobody can tell what’s (going to happen) next.”

The inability of the ICRC to cope with the worsening situation in Syria and President Assad’s refusal to leave come at an opportune time for the Syrian opposition forces, who are reportedly meeting in Doha to discuss uniting under a new, unified leadership.

For further information, please see:

BBC – Red Cross Says it Cannot Cope with Syria Emergency – 8 Nov. 2012

Gulf News – Al Assad: I Will Live and Die in Syria – 8 Nov. 2012

Khaleej Times – Can’t Cope with Syria Crisis: Red Cross – 8 Nov. 2012

Gulf News – Syria’s Divided Opposition Factions Gather for Talks – 5 Nov. 2012

 

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – Facebook activist Sattar Beheshti has been reported dead in Iran.

Beheshti was a thirty-five year old blogger who cared deeply for his fellow Iranians. Sattar once said “that he saw the faces of the people in his country, how difficult their lives were and how poor they were, and that he couldn’t be quiet as long as they suffered.”

Beheshti was arrested in his family home in the city of Robat Karim by Fata [cyber] police. He was detained for alleged opposition activism on Facebook. Beheshti is one of many Facebook activists to have recently been arrested in Iran. While Facebook is blocked in Iran, millions of Iranians still utilize the site through virtual private networks and proxy websites.

Just prior to his arrest, Beheshti wrote that, “[t]hey threatened me yesterday that my mother would wear black because I don’t shut my mouth.” It now appears that the Iranian authorities have made good on their threat. Many believe that the Fata were using Beheshti as an example to warn other Tweeters and Facebook posters about what would happen to them if they wrote negatively about the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beheshti was initially brought to Evin prison to be interrogated. In places like the Evin prison and Kahrizak Dention Centre, the phrase interrogation is synonymous with torture. It was reported by prisoners of the Evin ward that Beheshti was badly beaten and that there was not a square inch of his body that was not left black and blue. While it has yet to be independently verified, its been said that Beheshti died “under torture” while being interrogated by security officials at Kahrizak.

Claims of Beheshti’s death have surfaced as a result of phone calls made from the authorities to Beheshti’s family. Beheshti’s sister said to Masih Alinejad, a U.K.-based Iranian journalist that, “[t]oday they called my husband and asked him to prepare me and my mother and buy a tomb for his dead body.” Another family member reported to Sahamnews that, “[t]hey called us today and asked us to collect his dead body tomorrow from Kahrizak.”

Alistair Burt, the U.K.’s minister for the Middle East and North Africa, is in disbelief of the tragedy that has occurred stating that all Beheshti did was advocate for human rights over the internet. He holds the Iranian regime fully responsible for the prisoner’s welfare in prison and urges the authorities to confirm what has happened.

Beheshti is allegedly not the first person to have died while being tortured at Kahrizak. Other prisoners have also claimed to have been raped. In 2010, a doctor came to the detention center to examine victims, and was shot dead, not long after.

Beheshti’s death, while meant to be a warning, may have served to further unite the opposition. Reza Mohajerinejad, one of the original student organizers of 18 Tir, is enraged and asks his fellow people, “How long will we watch this regime take the lives of our young people? How long will we wait?”

For further information, please see:

Iranian – The Killing of Sattar Beheshti – 7 November 2012

Baztab – درگذشت یک وبلاگنویس حین بازجویی، نگذارید به سرنوشت پرونده کهریزک تبدیل شود
– 7 November 2012

Guardian – Iranian Facebook Activist Sattar Beheshti Feared Dead in Custody – 7 November 2012

Sahamnews – Sattar Beheshti Tortured to Death – 7 November 2012

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East 

MANAMA, Bahrain — State news agencies reported last Wednesday that Bahraini authorities revoked the citizenships of 31 people, two of them being former members of parliament, for having “undermined state security.”

Among the names are London-based dissidents Saeed Al-Shehabi and Ali Mushaima, the son of the jailed opposition leader Hassan Mushaima. Mushaima is known for having scaled the roof of the Bahraini embassy in London to publicize opposition demands for democratic change.  Also among them are clerics, human rights lawyers, and activists.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) said that they had “grave concern over the systematic targeting of prominent political activists, former members of parliament, clerics and others.”  They say that the government failed to provide sufficient evidence for justifying the revocation of the individuals’ citizenships.  “The BYSHR and the BCHR express grave concern over the systematic targeting of prominent political activists, former members of parliament, clerics and others,” said in a joint statement by the two activist groups.  The decision, they said, “is intended to punish them for expressing peaceful dissent and thereby intimidate others from exercising their right to freedom of expression.”

The ministry’s report that was released with the names of the individuals whose citizenships were revoked  says that all those affected will have a right to challenge the decision in court.  The revocations were applied under Article 10 of the Nationality Law, granting the “withdrawal of nationality of any Bahraini citizen who causes damage to state security.”

The two MPs whose citizenships were revoked, brothers Jawad and Jalal Fairouz, are leading figures from the Shia majority Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.  A former MP who is also affiliated with Al-Wefaq, Matar Matar, informed AFP that some of those named on the list were acquitted by the military court while others were not actually charged with “undermining state security.”  “They want to replace us as a pro-democracy movement via nationalization of mercenaries and revoking our nationality,” said Matar.  Matar claims that Bahrain’s decision “is a reflection of a complex persecution policy against race, sect, and political orientation.  It is against Bahrain’s Persian minority, Shi’ites and the pro-democracy movement in general.”

Amnesty International believes that Bahrain made the decision to withdraw citizenships on the basis of their political views.  “Most worryingly, the authorities are making some in the group stateless.  This, as well ass any arbitrary deprivation of nationality is prohibited under international law,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s director for the Middle East and North Africa.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Bahrain Revokes Citizenships of 31 People — 7 November 2012

Foreign Policy — Bahrain Revokes Citizenship of 31 Opposition Activists — 7 November 2012

Khaleej Times — Bahrain Revokes Citizenship of 31 Nationals — 8 November 2012

Reuters — Bahrain Revokes Nationality of 31 over National Security — 7 November 2012