by Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TRIPOLI, Libya–After a visit to the Nafusa Mountains, Human Rights Watch officials claim that the Libyan government forces have placed more than 150 antipersonnel landmines in at least one location. Nafusa Mountains, which lie to the south of Tripoli, have been the site of rebel advances against the government’s troops.

Human Rights Watch reported on six total locations in Libya where regime forces had lain five different types of landmines. Steve Goose, arms director for the advocacy group, shared these sentiments concerning the landmines:

“These antipersonnel landmines pose a huge threat to civilians. More than 150 countries have banned landmines, but Libya continues to defy this global trend. We hope the rebels will respect their promise not to use landmines and will destroy all mines in their possession. The use of antipersonnel mines in the Libya conflict is endangering civilians and will continue to do so after the fighting has stopped.”

The type of landmines found in the Nafusa Mountains are a Brazilian-manufactured antipersonnel mine, known as the T-AB-1. These mines were placed about 10 miles north of the town of Zintan in a location called Khusha, apparently to defend government positions resting further north. The T-AB-1 has a low metal content and is very difficult to detect once placed, especially by civilians who may just be passing through the mountains.

When the Libyan government placed these landmines has yet to be confirmed. Rebels discovered the mines around 1 June 2011 and removed 169 of them, with Human Rights Watch inspecting the disassembled mines.

Civilians in the Nafusa Mountains have reported that they have been driven from their homes, their livestock killed, and their wells poisoned by the regime. Unfortunately, civilians have not just been feeling the heat from the Qadhafi regime. On 18 June 2011, NATO mistakenly destroyed a house in the Libyan capital, killing several residents, and acknowledged responsibility for the deaths. This marked this first time that NATO has admitted to causing multiple civilian casualties.

Italy’s foreign minister, Franco Frattini, expressed these thoughts about the NATO strike that took Libyan civilian lives.

“NATO is endangering its credibility; we cannot risk killing civilians. We cannot continue our shortcomings in the way we communicate with the public, which does not keep up with the daily propaganda of Qadhafi.”

It is blatantly evident that the ongoing conflict in Libya is costing its civilians their homes, access to basic resources, and even their lives. While NATO attempts to get control of the situation through its bombings, the civilians of Libya seem to be the only ones paying the price. It is a classic case of escalation: Qadhafi attacks his own population; NATO bombs to get Qadhafi’s attention; Qadhafi regime places landmines.

But those primarily affected have absolutely nothing to do with the escalating. They are simply trying to live their lives in peace.

For more information, please see:

The Guardian-Libya: Gaddafi regime accused of laying landmines-21 June 2011

Human Rights Watch-Libya: Government Using Landmines in Nafusa Mountains-21 June 2011

News24-Army laying mines near Tripoli-21 June 2011

Al-Jazeera-Libyan civilian deaths ‘sap NATO credibility’-20 June 2011

New York Times-NATO Admits Missile Hit a Civilian Home in Tripoli-19 June 2011

By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — For over two months the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been holding five political activists in “preventative custody” without trial or official charges.

On June 14 a closed-door trial was finally begun in the Abu Dhabi Supreme Court for charges of undermining the public order and endangering national security.  There was virtually no pronouncement in the local press.   The trial is scheduled to resume in July.

The accused include Ahmad Mansoor, a well-known political blogger who runs the online forum Al-Hiwar al-Emarati,  Nasser bin Ghaith, a financial analyst, writer, and economics lecturer, as well as activists Fahid Salim Dalk, Hassan Ali Khamis, and Ahmed Abdul Khaleq.  They have all been detained without bail since April.

The main commonality between the five men is that they are all signers of a petition that circulated in March, calling for constitutional and parliamentary changes.

The petition contains two main propositions – to expand the right to vote in the Federal National Council (FNC) and to create within the FNC a right to legislate.

In the last election only 7,000 of the confederation’s 800,000 people were allowed to vote.  In the upcoming election this number is expected to grow to around 80,000, but that is still only ten percent of the population.  Currently, the power of the FNC is restricted to advising the UAE hereditary rulers.

The UAE is a confederation of seven Middle Eastern states, each ruled by an emir.  It is best known internationally for its skylines and its economic and cultural ambitions.  It is home to the world’s largest skyscraper, and many famous universities.

None of the emirates is ruled democratically, and the UAE has been ranked, by human rights watchdog agency Freedom House, among the world’s “not free” countries.   Freedom House’s 2011 report notes, among other things, that the UAE have banned political parties, that public meetings can only be held with governmental permission, and that journalists routinely censor their stories.  Such actions have led organizations like Human Rights Watch to question UAE citizen’s abilities to peacefully dissent.

Unlike most Middle Eastern countries the UAE have avoided much of the activism and opposition incited by the Arab Spring.  The countries are prosperous and well run, with most of the population remaining loyal to their traditional leaders.

Examples of instability in the Middle East brought on by the Arab Spring revolutions have proved ample reason for tighter crackdowns on subversive activity.  The UAE is attempting to stop the problem before it starts.  It is sending the message to any activists operating within its borders that anti-government actions will not be tolerated.

For more information, please see:

The Jerusalem Post – In Arab Spring chill, UAE tries bloggers – 20 June 2011

Agence France-Presse – Blogger tried for criticizing UAE government – 15 June 2011

Agence France-Presse – UAE urged to release 5 activists on trial – 15 June 2011

Committee to Protect Journalists – Beyond the Amina hoax: Real cases in the Middle East – 15 June 2011

Committee to Protect Journalists – UAE intent on punishing online dissent – 14 June 2011

by Zach Waksman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – On Friday, between 30 and 40 women in Saudi Arabia took to the streets of the kingdom’s major cities as drivers in protest against a long-standing prohibition against women drivers, the only one of its kind in the world.  No arrests were made, though some women received threats of beatings or damage to their cars.  This was the first time such an action had taken place since November 1990, when 47 women drove around Riyadh.

The issue of permitting women to drive is a controversial one that cuts across all strata of Saudi society.  It returned to prominence following the late May arrest of Manal al-Sharif, who was also jailed for nine days, force to sign a pledge not to drive again, and banned from talking to the media as punishment for the infraction.  Prior to her arrest, she had posted footage of herself driving on YouTube and started a Facebook page calling for the protest.  The campaign, titled “Women2Drive,” calls for continued action “until a royal decree allowing women to drive is issued.”

But the possibility of obtaining that decree is unclear.  The issue is considered a religious one, with no written law in place.  Clerics claim the ban prevents vice by preventing public socialization between the sexes.  According to Dr. Mishal al-Ali, Director of the Saudi Arabian Shura Council’s Commission for Human Rights, no legal or religious impediment exists.  Wajeha al-Huwaider, a noted Saudi feminist who filmed Sharif’s video, agreed with Dr. al-Ali.  “Driving is a basic simple right,” she said.  “Denying it is hurting the image of the country.  Even if the ban has nothing to do with religion, it is also hurting the image of Islam.”

Because they cannot drive, women must instead hire drivers to take them where they need to go or rely on a male chaperone, which would make the clerics’ claim hypocritical.  Additionally, a driver costs approximately $600 per month plus expenses for their coming to and remaining in Saudi Arabia.  Such a price is as significant drain on monthly wages.

Despite this situation, the future seems bright for this small, but shocking protest.  Prince Talal bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud, a more liberal member of the royal family, supported the protest.  “Bravo to the women!  Why should women drive in the countryside and not in the cities?” Waleed Abu Alkhair’s wife was one of the women who drove in the protest.  He supported the cause, saying “We want women to keep fighting this fight and to be free.  It will help to liberate the entire society.”  The cause was also closely followed on Women2Drive’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The Twitter page was at one point trending at a rate of 100 tweets per minute.

But for now, the situation remains unchanged.  King Abdullah has promised reform, but he has been reluctant to act due to the political consequences he will likely face for doing so.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera — Saudi women defy ban to take driver’s seat — 17 June 2011

Arab News — Saudi women drive home a point, again — 17 June 2011

The Guardian — Saudi Arabia women test driving ban — 17 June 2011

New York Times — In a scattered protest, Saudi women take the wheel — 17 June 2011

Dar Al Hayat — A renewed file and a partially opened door — 6 June 2011

Asharq Alawsat — Saudi Arabia: Arrest of female driver sparks debate — 24 May 2011

By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain–A special military court has begun trial of some 48 medical professionals, accused by the local government of supporting weeks of pro-democracy protests throughout the country. The Court of National Safety held its initial sessions in politically motivated cases against opposition members of parliament and a well-known defense lawyer. The proceedings took at Salmaniya Medical Complex, without notifying the lawyers or the families of those on trial.

Most of the convictions against the individuals on trial were charges such as “participating in unauthorized demonstrations and incitement of hatred against the regime.” These charges yielded prison sentences from one to five years. One of the lawyers for the doctors said they had been tortured, forced to confess, and denied access to counsel during the initial hearings. Bahraini officials denied any allegations of systematic torture and asserted that any incidents of abuse would be properly investigated and prosecuted.

Human Rights Watch reports that it is aware of at least 82 individuals for whom verdicts had been delivered in the Court of National Safety as of June 13, while several dozen more cases are pending. Out of the 82 cases, 77 were convicted on some charges and only five were completely acquitted. There is evidence that most of the charges are originating from hospital staff choosing to treat hundreds of wounded protesters. Bahraini officials have accused the doctors from stealing medicines from the hospitals and stockpiling arms to support the protesters.

Many international human rights groups have expressed serious concern with hauling civilians in front of a military court, especially when wounded civilians are the catalyst of the investigation. David Michalski, of Medecins Sans Frontiers, shared these sentiments with an Al-Jazeera correspondent:

“The net effect of this, including the detention of the doctors and the medical personnel, the net effect for the patient is some patients are very fearful, and they don’t know where to go when sick and injured, [or] if they are injured in these protests. Medical personnel should be allowed to deliver treatment in an impartial manner.”

The preliminary sessions of the Court of National Safety against these individuals came just days after the Crown Prince, Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, met with US President Barack Obama in Washington, DC, to garner support for a “national dialogue” with opposition forces.

Bahrain is host to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and has called on its fellow Sunni-led Gulf neighbor Saudi Arabia to help disrupt the pro-democracy protests that began in March. The ruling royal family consists of Sunni Muslims while the majority of the nation is made up of Shiite Muslims. Its leaders have placed the onus for the protests on sectarianism and Iran’s involvement.

For more information, please see:

CNN-Rights group urges Bahrain to stop military tribunals-14 June 2011

Human Rights Watch-Bahrain: Stop Military Court of Travesty Justice-14 June 2011

Al-Jazeera-Bahrain medics on trial over protests-13 June 2011

The Guardian-Bahrain doctors deny stealing medicines or stockpiling arms-13 June 2011

New York Times-Bahrain-Doctors Seized in Crackdown Say They Were Tortured in Custody-13 June 2011

by Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAKU, Azerbaijan – A government led “beautification” project in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, has resulted in forced evictions, house demolitions, and illegal expropriations.

The project was begun in 2009 to address what President Ilham Aliyev has called an “issue…of biggest concern to people,” the growing disrepair of the capital city and its suburbs.

The long-term plan began with the laying of roads and the building of new infrastructure.  Water and sanitation are to be improved, as are the condition of schools and cultural monuments.

Ilham Aliyev cited the renovations as a necessary step in familiarizing the rest of the world with Azerbaijan, and bettering their position internationally.

In the continuation of the project, the government has begun to expropriate and demolish the homes of many of its private citizens living in the city center.  Human Rights Watch puts the number of displaced homeowners and residents somewhere from in the hundreds to possibly the thousands, creating widespread violations of private property rights.

The “so-called ‘beautification’ project…isn’t just destroying homes in Baku, it’s destroying people’s lives,” said Jane Buchanan, Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.  “The Azerbaijani authorities need to put an immediate halt to forced expropriations, evictions, and demolitions in Baku.”

On 13 June 2011 police were called to a building slated for demolition after the owners and tenants of the building painted a message on the interior walls: “This is private property and the destruction of this house violates the Constitution, and the European Convention on Human Rights.”

The house is owned by Leyla Yunus, a leading human rights defender in Azerbaijan, and it offices numerous human rights groups that provide crucial legal and other support to victims of human rights abuses in Azerbaijan.  Its destruction would be a huge blow to Azerbaijani human rights.

There have been reports from other Azerbaijani homeowners that demolition crews have begun demolishing some homes with the residents still inside.  Other residents have been forced out by police and detained only to come home to a pile of rubble with most of their possessions destroyed and valuables missing.

Compensation in many of the cases has been far below market value for property in Central Baku.  Authorities have designated a price of 1,500 manat (US $1,900) per square meter, regardless of the land’s use, age, or condition.  Independent appraisals have found the land to be worth around 4,000 manat (US $5,605) per square meter.  Compensation does not include the destruction of possessions.

There is no basis for the expropriations in Azerbaijani law, which guarantees the rights to private property, and allows expropriations only in limited cases with a court order.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – Azerbaijan: Halt Illegal House Demolitions, Forced Evictions – 13 June 2011

Human Rights Watch – Open Letter to President Aliyev Regarding House Demolition and Expropriation – 13 June 2011

News.AZ – All social and economic issues to be settled in Baku suburb – 25 May 2011

News.AZ – President inspects development work in Baku villages – 20 May 2011