The Middle East

Syria Continues Suppression of Dissenters in Defiance of World Leaders

By Zach Waksman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – The international community escalated its pressure on embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday.  Numerous countries, including the United States, and the European Union issued statements calling for him to relinquish his post after his use of violence against protesters drew worldwide scorn.  But even in the face of such opposition, Syria continued its efforts to suppress opposition.  Armed forces opened fire on a demonstration in the southern Dara’a Province Friday; at least 18 were killed, including soldiers who refused to fire.

A tank roams the streets of a Syrian city. At least 2,000 people are believed to have been killed since March. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)
A tank roams the streets of a Syrian city. At least 2,000 people are believed to have been killed since protests against Assad's regime began in March. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

This new insistence from world leaders comes on the heels of a United Nations report on Assad’s use of force against dissenters that was released on Thursday.  While the investigators were not allowed into the country, they were able to obtain witness accounts of incidents that have taken place in Syria since March of this year.  In addition to descriptions of individual events, the report takes note of the security forces’ modus operendi in crushing opposition to Assad’s government.  Though Syria has repeatedly called the protesters “terrorist armed groups” and similar phrases, the report indicates that participators in the rallies made a point of indicating that they were unarmed.  Despite this, the forces indiscriminately shot to kill civilians, including women and children.  Torture was also used.

U.S. President Barack Obama was one of several world leaders to issue a statement calling for Assad to resign.  “The future of Syria must be determined by its people, but President Bashar al-Assad is standing in their way. His calls for dialogue and reform have rung hollow while he is imprisoning, torturing, and slaughtering his own people,” Obama said.  “We have consistently said that President Assad must lead a democratic transition or get out of the way.  He has not led.  For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside.”

Obama also announced that he and the European Union had imposed new sanctions against the Syria, including the freezing of assets and a ban on importation of Syrian petroleum.

France, Germany and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on the matter.  “We urge the Syrian regime to stop all violence immediately, to release all prisoners of conscience and to allow free access to the United Nations for an independent assessment of the situation,” their statement said.

Later Thursday, the UN announced that it would send a humanitarian team to Syria to investigate, having been promised full access.  The country’s UN ambassador and President Assad both promised that military operations had stopped.  But Friday, a new rally was snuffed out, as armed forces again fired at demonstrators.  Gunfire was reported in several provinces.  Today, CNN reported that the Syrian government took steps to clean up evidence of violence at one of the crackdown sites the humanitarian team was to visit.

SANA, Syria’s official news agency, issued a press release today that reiterated Assad’s stance that the Western world, with particular emphasis on the United States, was interfering in the country’s internal affairs.  The release, which cited several legal scholars within the country, considered these actions to be in violation of the UN charter.  With regards to President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, it called these conspiratorial efforts to take control of Syria a “return to the colonial mentality to save themselves,” making reference to the two politicians’ declining approval ratings.

For more information, please see:

CNN — Source: Syria ‘whitewashing’ bloody crackdown before U.N. team arrives — 21 August 2011

SANA — Intellectuals and Jurists: Foreign Interference in Syria’s Affairs Disrupt Reform, Show Failure of Conspirators — 21 August 2011

Al Jazeera — UN report slams Syria’s use of force — 19 August 2011

New York Times — Syria Said to Fire on Protest in Defiance of Global Rebuke — 19 August 2011

BBC News — Syria unrest: UN to send humanitarian mission — 18 August 2011

BBC News — Syria unrest: World leaders call for Assad to step down — 18 August 2011

British Prime Minister’s Office — Joint UK, French and German statement on Syria — 18 August 2011

White House — President Obama’s statement calling for Syrian President Assad to step down — 18 August 2011

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights — Report of the Fact-Finding Mission on Syria pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution S-16/1 — 17 August 2011

UN TRIBUNAL IN LEBANON LIFTS CONFIDENTIALITY BAN ON HARIRI INDICTMENT

By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon–In its investigation of the killing of former President Rafiq al-Hariri involving a car bomb in 2005, The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has removed confidentiality restrictions on an indictment issued against four individuals.

Photos of the four suspects. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)
Photos of the four suspects. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)


The four individuals are: Mustafa Amine Badreddine, Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hussein Hassan Oneissi, and Assad Hassan Sabra. All are members of Hezbollah.

The lift on the confidentiality restrictions means that details of the cases against these four men named as suspects by the tribunal in June 2011 and subject to arrest warrants can be revealed for the first time.

The focal point of the documents is a network of phones that were allegedly used by the suspects in coordinating and executing the attack that claimed the lives of 21 people.  The indictment contains details that an assassination team consisting of Ayyah and others positioned themselves in several different locations where they were able to observe and track Hariri’s movements. The team had done this on several occasions leading up to the attack.

The 47-page indictment provides a timeline of Hariri’s movement up until 12:55 local time, “when a male suicide bomber detonated a large quantity of explosives concealed in the cargo area of a van, killing Hariri and 21 other victims and injuring a total of 231.”

Investigators on the case conceded that the evidence gathered is chiefly circumstantial because it is based on phone networks. Kamel Wazni, a political analyst in Beirut, admitted that the evidence released does not possess any real independent clout.

“This is based entirely on phone networks. This doesn’t prove those people are behind it. Hezbollah sees these claims as a fabrication, and there is no concrete evidence that links them to the assassination.”

The indictment also detailed how after the explosion rocked the nation, Oneissi and Sabra called Reuters and Al-Jazeera, informing Al-Jazeera on the location of a videotape placed in a tree near ESCWA in Beirut. The video aired on television and showed Ahmad Abu Adass, a man who claimed to be the suicide bomber on behalf of a fictitious extremist group.

It is further revealed that Ayyash and Badreddine are related to each other and also to Imad Mughniyeh, a member of Hezbollah who was assassinated in Syria during 2008. This revelation is the first official documentation to show a concrete connection between the suspects here and other members of Hezbollah.

Tribunal prosecutor Daniel Bellemare shared these sentiments concerning the details of the indictment.

“Oneissi and Sabra, in addition to being conspirators, prepared and delivered the false claim of responsibility video, which sought to blame the wrong people, in order to shield the conspirators from justice. This order will finally inform the public and the victims about the facts alleged in the indictment regarding the commission of the crime that led to charging the four accused.”

The STL, established in 2007, has had a rather polarizing effect on Lebanese politics. One school of thought believes the STL is pushing forward a plan to bring down Hezbollah and the other believes the court is the only institution that will be able to objectively rule on Hariri’s killing.

For more information, please see:

Ahram-UN-backed tribunal publishes Lebanon’s Hariri indictment-17 August 2011

Al-Jazeera-UN tribunal releases Hariri indictment-17 August 2011

BBC-Hezbollah suspects to be tried over Rafik Hariri-17 August 2011

The Telegraph-Lebanon indictment: Rafiq Hariri tracked for three months with elaborate phone network-17 August 2011

Mubarak Trial Poses Legitimacy Questions

By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt — On August 3, in what has been called a defining moment of the Arab Spring, Hosni Mubarak, the former president of Egypt, was placed on trial for charges of financial corruption and for ordering the shooting of unarmed protesters.

The sight of Mubarak being tried is certainly a welcome, if not nearly unbelievable, image for the Middle East and world alike, but some doubt the forthcoming results.  Most Egyptians believe that Mubarak is guilty without question, however the case that has been brought against him has been called weak by many including some independent analysts.

Mubarak in his trial cage (Photo courtesy of the New Yorker).
Mubarak in his trial cage (Photo courtesy of the New Yorker).

As it stands today, the prosecutors have yet to present the court enough concrete evidence to convict Mubarak, and thus far, he has been tried separately from his minister of Interior (who directed the killings) and the police officers (who actually committed the violence).  This could lead to an issue of scapegoating the offenses.

Further, many feel that the prosecution made a mistake by rushing the case into court to dispel public outcries.  There simply was not enough time to put together a solid case with the type of evidence necessary to convict.

Others in the country feel the entire trial is illegitimate, and possibly a violation of the principles of basic human rights.  They see the imagery of Mubarak in a cage as nothing more than proof of a show trial, being for the benefit of the people with a verdict having already been decided.

A big issue with the trial is the lack of credibility of the prosecution.  Most of the prosecutors were appointed by Mubarak himself, and are part of the regime the trial is attempting to vanquish.

Still, regardless of the trial’s outcome, many feel that it is important that it is happening at all.   They see the trial as proof that no matter what happens in the future Egypt will never be the way it used to be.  This is the start of something brand new.

One thing all sides appear to be concerned with is the issue of justice.   It is only the order of the issue’s importance that differs.  As international law scholar and United Nations human rights export Richard Falk said:

“We have to question whether the procedural side of justice is or really can be the most important part of justice in a revolutionary or post-revolutionary situation, where other considerations may be equally or more important. It’s part of the liberal imagination to focus on procedural justice, often at the expense of substantive justice. In the Mubarak case, there is substantive justice inherent in bringing him to trial given his notorious public record of abuse and oppression, which necessarily makes the outcome a foregone conclusion.”

Mubarak’s trial is playing a big role on the international scene.  It may set the stage for the future actions of other threatened dictators like Qaddafi and Assad, who may now think twice before negotiating with the popular uprisings seeking their removal.  No matter the outcome this trial will usher in something different, and there is no going back.

For more information, please see:

The Nation — Mubarak behind bars: Human rights and justice — 16 Aug 2011

Ahram Online — The tables have turned: Human rights lawyer once jailed by Mubarak gets his chance to press the pharaoh in court — 15 Aug 2011

Al Jazeera — Mubarak behind bars: Human rights and justice — 15 Aug 2011

The Telegraph — Hosni Mubarak trial: swift justice v human rights — 15 Aug 2011

New Alliances, Tensions Develop in Middle East as Iraq Offers Support to Syria

By Zach Waksman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Even as the United States and much of the Arab world condemn President Bashar al-Assad’s use of violence in cracking down on dissidents, Syria retains a small cadre of backers.  Since late July, Iran has been vocal in its support for the embattled Middle Eastern nation.  Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki spoke out in favor of more peaceful means of action by the demonstrators, blaming the protesters for the present situation.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki voiced his support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Thursday. (Photo courtesy of the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office)

Iran and Syria have been longtime allies in the Middle East.  On July 24, Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Rahimi said that his country would stand strongly alongside Syria during a meeting with Syrian Oil Minister Sufian Allaw.  Rahimi declared Iran and Syria to be “…two inseparable countries and allies,” adding that “…Iran will stand by its friend under all conditions.”

Since then, both countries have strengthened their rhetoric, particularly against the United States and the Western world.  This has been especially noticeable over the past week.  On August 7, Hamed Hassan, the Syrian Ambassador to Tehran, said that he considered the present state of his country to be the result of a foreign conspiracy.

“Americans are pushing for hegemony over the region and the disintegration of regional governments is in line with the interest of the Zionist regime,” Hassan told a press roundtable on Syrian unrest at the Iran Cultural and Press Institute (ICPI).  “Syria does not pay heed to foreign hegemony and the Zionist policies in the region.”

Three days later, senior Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi accused the United States of doing the same thing.  “Having lost Egypt [following the Egyptian revolution], the US is now targeting Syria,” Boroujerdi said during a meeting with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi.  “The US aims to defeat the resistance in order to achieve its objectives and the [objectives of the] Zionist regime [of Israel]. [Therefore] Syria must be helped to end the unrest in the country.”

Unlike Iran, Iraq has not historically been an ally of Syria’s.  When sectarian violence was rampant in Iraq following the American invasion of 2003, Syria was blamed for not doing enough to keep militants and suicide bombers out of the country.  The shift in relations began with Maliki’s rise to power in Iraq, which was due in large part to support from Iran, who urged Assad to support him.  Maliki has since won a second term as Prime Minister.

“Maliki is very reliant on Iran for his power and Iran is backing Syria all the way,” Joost Hiltermann, the International Crisis Group’s deputy program director for the Middle East, told the New York Times.  “The Iranians and the Syrians were all critical to bringing him to power a year ago and keeping him in power so he finds himself in a difficult position.”

Since then, Iraq and Syria have been working to strengthen their relations.  On July 25, the three countries signed an agreement to build a pipeline that would supply Iranian natural gas to Iraq and Syria.  The project is expected to cost an estimated $10 billion over the next three to five years.

But within Iraq, the alliance has reignited sectarian divides in Iraq and jeopardizes the government’s recently restored functionality.  Maliki’s Shiite regime claims that the Syrian protesters were Al Qaeda operatives, who would be in position to use the country as a base to launch attacks if Assad were to fall.  Within the Sunni-dominated Iraqiya bloc of the Iraqi government, the assessment is very different.

“What is happening in Syria is not because of a terrorist group, as some say, that is not accurate,” said Jaber al-Jabri, a member of the Iraquiya. “There are whole towns rising up to demonstrate against the regime. We call on the Syrian government to listen to the people’s demands and to stop violence against their people.”

The new alliance between Iraq and Syria also creates a potentially dangerous situation for Israel.  According to Hossein Ebrahimi, the deputy chairman of the Majlis (Iranian Parliament) Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, the Jewish state is now bordered by at least three countries (Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria) that are presently in a state of revolution.  “The Zionist regime is collapsing,” he said.

For more information, please see:

New York Times — Iraqi Leader Backs Syria, With a Nudge From Iran — 12 August 2011

PressTV — Iran MP urges Pro-Syria front against US — 11 August 2011

PressTV — Defend Syria from US meddling: Iran MP — 10 August 2011

Iran Daily — Syria Envoy Blames Foreign Powers for Turmoil — 8 August 2011

Iran Daily — Iran, Iraq, Syria Sign Gas Deal — 26 July 2011

Iran Daily — Rahimi Voices Support for Assad’s Syria — 26 July 2011

PressTV — Iran Vows Support for Syria — 24 July 2011

IN SPREADING TOWARDS THE TURKISH BORDER, AL-ASSAD’S REGIME EXTENDS ITS DESTRUCTION AND DISREGARD FOR THE VALUE OF CIVILIAN LIVES

By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria–Deciding that expanding to Deir el-Zour was not satisfactory, the Syrian government ignored Turkish pressure to cease its activities and continued to pummel through towns further east. As recently as today, 11 August 2011, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the Syrian army entered the town of Saraqeb in northwestern Idlib province, detaining as many as 100 individuals.

Damaged vehicles and buildings in Hama. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)
Damaged vehicles and buildings in Hama. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria, activists whom help organize and catalog the protests, reported explosions and gunfire were heard after the army descended upon the area. A resident of Saraqeb who fled the area relayed these remarks to an Al-Jazeera correspondent.

“Around 14 tanks and armored vehicles entered Saraqeb this morning, accompanied by 50 buses, pick-ups and security cars. They started firing randomly and storming houses.”

On Wednesday 10 August 2011, SOHR reported that the government assault on civilians also had extended to the towns of Taftanaz and Sermin, when 12 tanks and armored vehicles entered both towns. During this expansion, SOHR reported that at least one woman was killed and 13 were injured.

Taftanaz and Sermin are located approximately 30 kilometers (18.64 miles) east from Syria’s border with Turkey. Saraqeb is located approximately 50 kilometers (31.07 miles) southeast of Turkey’s Iskenderun province.

Further in the south of the county, rolling government crackdowns also victimized the central province of Homs. The town of Qusayr saw columns of tanks enter its borders and many activists reported that individuals were desperately trying to escape while communications with the city have been severed.

“Residents fled into the fields and all communications have been cut with the town.”

BBC reported that seven civilians were killed during the invasion, as Syrian security forces carried out mass arrests.

Syrian army units reportedly left central Hama today on 11 August 2011, as the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) conveyed these remarks on the situation.

“The military departed after restoring the security and stability to the city that have been through tough times due to the acts of killing, terrorizing, and sabotage that were done by the armed terrorists groups.”

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported that clusters of individuals were killed during a siege that lined up with last week’s start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. After evening prayers on Wednesday 10 August, opposition activists claimed that demonstrators poured into the streets in the southern part of the city. Also, activists claimed that security forces opened fire and killed two people.

Reports of this incident could not be confirmed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday 10 August, Turkey’s envoy to Syria, Omer Onhon, journeyed to Hama and was able to confirm that the tanks and heavy weaponry had withdrawn from the city.

The international community continues its efforts to compel al-Assad’s regime to cease its actions. On Wednesday 10 August 2011, the UN Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco briefed the 15 members of the Security Council behind closed doors about the situation. Last week, the UNSC called for an “immediate” halt to the violence, a call that apparently did not reach or did not matter to al-Assad.

Bashar Jaafari, Syria’s ambassador to the UN, said the sovereignty of his country must never be challenged.

“Our sovereignty is a red line that must not be crossed. We know our commitments, our obligations but at the same time we know what are our rights. And our rights do not stem from any political pressure. They stem from our own political will.”

The U.S Treasury Department, taking its own measures, on Wednesday 10 August announced a block of the mobile phone operator Syriatel, the Commercial Bank of Syria, and the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank. Also, it declared that Americans are “generally prohibited from engaging in commercial or financial transactions with the companies. It is expected that U.S. President Barack Obama will formally call for al-Assad to step down in the next few days.

Other countries such as Saudia Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait have recalled their ambassadors from Damascus.

The nation-wide crackdowns have claimed some 2,000 lives since the protests began in mid-March, according to various rights groups. But with the restriction on international journalists in Syria, these reports cannot be independently confirmed.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera-Syrian forces ‘storm border town’-11 August 2011

BBC-Syrian security forces ‘kill seven in Homs province’-11 August 2011

CNN-Syrian forces push into Saraqib, death toll escalates, group says-11 August 2011

New York Times-Support for Assad Government Shows Signs of Weakening-10 August 2011

The Guardian-Obama to toughen stance on Syria with call for Assad’s departure-10 August 2011