By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A recent string of violent attacks in Iraq have targeted so-called unconventional youths who call themselves “emos.”  Members of the subculture have reportedly been threatened or killed throughout the country, where some see their long hair and alternative style as gay.

While “emo” is a specific subculture in Western culture, it serves as a catchall phrase for nonconformists in Iraq. Gay and effeminate men have been grouped into the category.

The Iraqi government has dismissed the problem, characterizing emos as “Satanists,” and calling the reports of violence fabricated.  In the same report, the Iraqi government gave police “official approval to eliminate [the emo threat] as soon as possible, because the effects of it on society …[are] now threatening a danger.”

Most, if not all, of the attacks have gone unsolved, and no widespread inquiry has been made by the Iraqi police into the targeted killings.

“Our youth are feeling really horrible,” Shi’ite lawmaker Safia al-Souhail said on Friday. “The security forces need to acknowledge this is happening to be able to carry out an investigation.”

Al-Souhail believes that individuals within the Iraqi security forces, who want to stop the spread of democracy and turn the country into an Islamic state, are aiding the campaign against the emos. However, she does not believe that the campaign is supported by the overall government.

It is unclear how many such attacks have taken place, but at least 58 emos – identified by their Western clothing and hairstyles – have been killed in the last two months, according to local officials and security forces in Baghdad.  Iraq is currently engulfed in violence to the point where it has become difficult to determine why many killings have taken place. Fear also prevents people from reporting the slayings to authorities.

A sign in Baghdad’s Sadr City, decorated with two handguns, became a source of controversy recently by threatening 33 accused emos by name, warning them to stop their “dirty deeds” or face the “wrath of God.” The sign warned: “If you do not stop this dirty act within four days, then the punishment of God will fall on you at the hands of Mujahideen.”

Several clerics, including Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most revered Shi’ite, have denounced the killing of emos. However, they have been careful not to endorse the lifestyle, warning of the dangers of imitating Western culture.

Youth across Iraq have rushed to cut their hair and shed their Westernesque clothing.  Anyone who wears something unusual is being labeled an emo, and risks violence.

A coalition of international organizations is pushing for Iraq to address the problem, and launch an investigation to bring the killers to justice.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch: Iraq: Investigate ‘Emo’ Attacks — 16 Mar. 2012

Los Angeles Time — Iraq killings target ’emos’ for nonconformist style — 16 Mar. 2012

Seattle PI — Advocates demand protection for Iraqi Emos — 16 Mar. 2012

San Francisco Chronicle — Iraqi ’emo’ subculture target of antigay attacks — 12 Mar. 2012

By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On Wednesday, 7 March, Ayatollah Ali Kahamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, created the Supreme Council of Virtual Space to oversee the domestic and international internet usage.  Iran’s state television reported Ayatollah Khamenei declared he was “establishing a center of national virtual space to define policy and co-ordinate and make decisions regarding virtual space.”

Reporters Without Borders, a free-speech lobby group, noted that Iran has blocked websites and filtered keywords to censor the internet.  However, the formation of this council is Iran’s strongest initiative to regulate the internet.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will head the council composed the president of the parliament, the head of Iran’s judiciary, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, the director of Iran’s broadcasting organization, the minister of information, and the commander of the Revolutionary Guard.

Ayatollah Khamenei’s degree stated the council will protect the country from “harm” resulting from “the increasing spread of information and communication technologies, particularly that of the global internet network and its important role in personal and social life.”  The council is also “responsible for safeguarding national and cultural values,” ensuring “safety of the internet,” and taking “measures to deal with challenges facing the national security and cultural values.”

Iran has previously tackled two particular cyber threats: computer viruses and “cultural invasion”.

Ayatollah Khamenei stated Iran will develop internet tools like Google to protect national security interests and so Iranians would not need to visit websites managed outside Iran.  In January, Esmail Ahmadi Moghadam, Iran’s police chief, described Google as an “instrument of espionage.”  In June, Iran plans to release its own search engine called “Yahaq” (meaning “Oh Lord”).

In 2010, the Revolutionary Guards created a “cyber army” to fight “destructive” networks.  The “cyber army” arrested hundreds of internet users.  The courts sentenced some of these users to death.  Iran also relies on special teams to execute “soft-war” counter-measures against the West.

Iranian authorities have blocked telephone lines and inducted internet slowdowns or disconnections during their recent increase of their surveillance and restrictions on the internet.  The authorities intensify their internet control specifically during times of political unrest.

Now, people must give their full names and show their identification to use an internet café monitored by the Iranian authorities.

This week, 30 million Iranians could not log into their Facebook, Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail accounts.  An Iranian news agency credited Iran’s actions to prevent opposition against the upcoming celebration of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

For further information, please see:

Sydney Morning Herald – Iran’s Leader Sets Up Internet Control Group – 8 Mar 2012

BBC – Iran’s Supreme Leader Sets Up Body To Oversee Internet – 7 Mar 2012

Haartetz – Ahmadinejad Heads New Council To ‘ Safeguard’ Iranian Internet Values – 7 Mar 2012

Iran Focus – Iran Considers Cyberspace Council – 7 Mar 2012

By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BENGHAZI, Libya – On Monday, 5 March, thousands of Libyans gathered in the former rebel capital of Benghazi to bury the bodies of 157 civilians and rebel fighters government officials discovered in a mass grave on Friday.  The officials unearthed the largest grave yet in the desert town of Bin Jawwad, a major battleground for the country’s 2011 civil war.

Omar al-Obeidi, head of the new government-run missing person’s office, reported that officials began excavating bodies on Friday and completed the excavation on Sunday.  So far, officials have identified 80 bodies.  He added that all the bodies are from eastern Libya, and the youngest victim was a 17-year-old boy.

Most of the victims died between February and March 2011 from gunshot wounds and rocket strikes.  Some people died via execution, and rocket attacks severely disfigured others.

Al-Obeidi noted that before his office opened the graves to identify the bodies, it obtained a fatwa from the Mufti, Sheikh al-Sadiq al-Gharyani, and permission from Attorney General Abdelaziz al-Hassadi.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Martyrs, Wounded and Missing Persons Osama Swail stated the government would return the identified bodies to their families for proper funerals.  Mr. Swali commented that two of his brothers were identified in the mass grave.

Presently, a forensic team is collecting DNA samples and photographs from the unidentified bodies in an attempt to match this information with DNA samples the ministry holds for missing persons throughout the country.

Libyans mourned for the deceased by holding a “Martyrs’ Parade” on Monday.  The procession began in Bin Jawwad, passed through the city of Ajdabiya, and ended in Benghazi.  Government officials escorted a caravan of 23 trucks carrying wooden coffins, each draped in a tri-colored Libyan flag, through the country’s eastern cities.  Libyans held a traditional Islamic prayer service in honor of their fallen “martyrs” in Benghazi’s Tahrir Square after the delivery of coffins ended.

Mohammed al-Darnaway came to Tahrir Square to bury his two brothers.  He asserted, “The revolutionaries of Zintan must hand over Seif al-Islam [Gaddafi’s son] immediately for trial.”  Al-Islam remains in custody of a militia composed of former rebel fighters.

Benghazi resident Mahar al-Maghrabi also expressed anger at his new government for taking almost three months to recover the bodies, including the body of his brother, a 23-year-old rebel fighter.  He said, “They knew about this grave, and they should have worked quicker to excavate the bodies…This is unacceptable.”

For further information, please see:

IOL News – Libyans Mourn Dozens Found In Mass Grave – 6 Mar 2012

Newsday – World Briefs – 6 Mar 2012

The Miami Herald – Libya Buries 170 Bodies Found In Mass Grave – 5 Mar 2012

Boston Globe – Mass Grave of 157 Bodies Unearthed in Libyan Town – 4 Mar 2012

By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain– The UN human rights office in Geneva, Switzerland stated that on Thursday 01 March 2012, the Bahraini government had formally requested that the visit of the special rapporteur on torture be delayed until mid-July. The investigator, Juan Mendex, had originally been scheduled the visit the Gulf island nation from 8 March to 17 March. The Bahraini government has also imposed restrictions on groups attempting to monitor reforms inside the nation, clearly desiring to keep all foreign influence away from its citizens.

While the protests and violence continues, three international human rights groups were informed last week by the Bahraini government of new restrictions on visiting the nation. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International stated that Bahrain’s Human Rights and Social Development Ministry told them that new rules limited them to five-day trips and those trips must be arranged through a Bahraini sponsor.

Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, a regional Amnesty deputy director, shared these words in a statement concerning the situation.

“Regrettably, we have cancelled the fact-finding visit to Bahrain as the new five days limit imposed by the Bahraini authorities for visits by international human rights organizations is a serious impediment. The Bahraini authorities have repeatedly stated their commitment to undertake human rights reform and to cooperate with human rights organizations. These new restrictions contradict such commitment.”

The UN also released a statement concerning the inability to enter and inspect the nation. A spokesman for the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Xabier Celaya, stated that Mendez would express his regrets to Bahraini representatives in meetings this week concerning the “last minute postponement.”

“Mr. Mendez will seek to secure new dates as he remains very committed to undertaking this important visit. Bahrain is still undergoing major reforms and wants some important steps, critical to the special rapporteur’s mandate, to be in place before he visits so he can assess the progress that Bahrain has made to date.”

Bahrain is ruled by the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family and has been under tremendous pressure to institute political and rights reforms since the violent crackdown on the uprising. Bahrain’s Minister for Social Development, Fatima al-Balooshi, told the UN Human Rights Council this week that the kingdom had learned important lessons from the demonstrations and protests against the government.

“Mistakes were made. Serious wrongs were committed. We believe we are on the right track.”

The road leading up the delay of Mendez’s visit is rather peculiar one. In January, Bahraini officials told a number of human rights organizations that they should delay trips to the country until after 22 February 2012, the date that the government had set for a review of the changes in the way the country functioned as a whole. This included changes for the police, the judiciary, the educational system, and the media. Also, as recommended by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), a body of international legal experts, the reforms included the payment of compensation to torture victims and a process of national reconciliation. The recommendation from the BICI came in November 2011.

On Thursday 01 March 2012, the Bahraini government said that it needed as many as 20 more days to complete its plans for implementing the recommendations of the BICI. The BICI reported that demonstrators and protesters, who come primarily from the majority, non-ruling Shia population, had suffered from systematic torture to elicit confessions that were subsequently used in military trials.

The ruling, minority Sunni Muslim community in Bahrain has been under pressure from the non-ruling, majority Shia Muslim community to change the rules on the appointment of government officials. The Shia community believes that if they had more officials, more policies would better serve their interests. The Sunni ruling party has been very reluctant to allow this to occur. Thus, demonstrations and protests have occurred across the Gulf island nation.

The Bahraini government has moved swiftly to control any widespread, anti-regime movement. It has even strengthened its tourist visa restrictions, after some Western activists took part in anti-government demonstrations last month that marked the first anniversary of the uprising on 14 February 2012. Bahraini police officers allowed the main parties, led by the al-Wefaq group, to hold a rally inside the nation’s capital of Manama last week.

On Thursday 01 March 2012, Wefaq released a statement concerning the situation.

“Many villages were repressed brutally by security forces, leaving at least two people seriously injured. One of the injured had been hit in the head by a tear gas canister, while another had sustained injuries from shotgun pellets.”

Inspired youth protesters and activists have regularly held demonstrations in Shia districts, although Bahraini police usually quell any momentum using armored vehicles, teargas, and stun grenades. The Bahraini government has repeatedly reported that the youth protests are rioters simply causing chaos with no aim of political objectives. Until the voices of the majority are genuinely heard and addressed, it seems that the suffering and violence will continue. The continued denial of human rights groups into the country projects the message that the rights of those not in power do not matter.

For more information, please see: 

Al-Jazeera – Bahrain Delays UN Investigator Visit – 02 March 2012

AllVoices – Bahrain: Government Delays Visit by UN Torture Investigator – 02 March 2012

Chicago Tribune – Bahrain Delays U.N. Investigator, Limit Rights Group Visits – 01 March 2012

Reuters – Bahrain Delays U.N. Investigator, Limits Rights Group Visits – 01 March 2012