By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Egyptian police forces have detained at least thirteen prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest opposition political party, ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.

Those arrested on February 8 include Mahmoud Ezzat, the Muslim Brotherhood’s deputy leader, and two members of the party’s Guidance Council, Dr. Essam el-Erian and Abdul Rahman el-Bir. A spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior confirmed the arrests, only saying the men had been detained for “illegal activities.”

The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned in Egypt since 1954, though government officials have allowed it to operate somewhat openly, yet members have been frequent target of government arrests. The party is part of the wider Muslim Brotherhood, which operates throughout the Middle East and advocates establishing Islamic states under the rule of Islamic law. The group’s aim has often been seen as a threat to Egypt’s secular, often authoritarian government. Arrests of Muslim Brotherhood members became more frequent in 2009 as they publically opposed the Egyptian government’s decision to keep its border with the Gaza Strip sealed, even as the Israeli blockade on Gaza tighetened.

Since parliamentary elections in 2005, Muslim Brotherhood representatives have held twenty percent of the Egyptian Parliament, under an “independent” party classification, making the group the largest opposition block in the Parliament. A statement on the Muslim Brotherhood’s website called for the leaders’ release, saying, “[s]uch arrests will not deter them from the way they have chosen for attaining the country’s welfare.”

On January16, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt appointed a new leader, Mohammed al-Badie, a 66-year-old veterinary professor. Prof. al-Badie has since expressed his wish for a peaceful relationship with the current Egyptian government, headed by President Hosni Mubarak: “We affirm that the Brotherhood is not for one day an adversary to the regime.”

After Prof. al-Badie was appointed, he emphasized the Muslim Brotherhood’s well-known public rejection of violence, saying his goal was to “show the world the true Islam, the Islam of moderation and forgiveness that respects pluralism in the whole world.”

After news of the February 8 arrests became known, Amnesty International called on Egyptian authorities “to stop their crackdown on peaceful political dissent and uphold the rights to freedoms of expression, association and assembly.”

For more information, please see:

Wall Street Journal – Egypt Arrests Opposition Leaders – 9 February 2010

Al Jazeera – Egypt Arrests Brotherhood Members – 8 February 2010

BBC News – Egypt Detains Muslim Brotherhood Leaders – 8 February 2010

Voice of America – Egyptian Police Arrest Top Muslim Brotherhood Figures – 8 February 2010

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A double car bombing on February 5 in the southern city of Karbala killed at least thirty two individuals. The attacks also left over one hundred people wounded. The dead and injured were among the hundreds of thousands of Shi’ite pilgrims who commemorated a major Shi’ite Muslim holy day in Karbala.

This bombing followed two other attacks against the pilgrims in the past week. The other attacks caused the deaths of over seventy pilgrims who were on their way to Karbala. The attack took place on the last and most important day of the Arbaeen. The holy day marks the fortieth day of mourning for the prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein. Imam Hussein was killed in a seventh century battle in Karbala.

The attack took place at the eastern entrance to the city, one of the three main entrances to Karbala. During this time pilgrims from around Iraq were leaving the commemorations that were taking place in the city center. The first explosion was caused by a car bomb that exploded near a hospitality tent. The tent had been erected to offer refreshments. Moments later a second explosion went off as a suicide bomber drove a vehicle through the carnage created by the first bombing. There were some reports that the car bomb attacks were followed up by mortar rounds.

Attacks on the Shi’ite pilgrims during Abaeen were not a surprise to the Iraqi government’ Major General Qassim al-Moussawi, Baghdad’s security spokesman, said in a statement that “the terrorist groups are gathering together all their capabilities to launch attacks during Arbaeen and after it.” Moussawi continue, saying that “the coming days will see these terrorist groups carrying out other attempts whenever they get a chance.”

Close to thirty thousand troops and police have been deployed to protect the Shi’ite pilgrims. Mohammed al-Moussawi, head of the provincial council, estimated that seven million pilgrims visited Karbala in the past ten days.

Overall there have been eight suicide bombings in Iraq in the last eleven days, targeting hotels and government buildings as well as pilgrims. Officials view this as a sign that the Sunni extremist insurgency appears to be regrouping in an attempt to destabilize Iraq ahead of the March 7 election.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Deadly Blast in Iraq’s Karbala City – 5 February 2010

BBC – Bombings Hit Iraq Shia Pilgrims in Karbala – 5 February 2010

Los Angeles Times – Double Bombing Kills 32 in Iraq – 5 February 2010

Washington Post – Iraqi police: Attacks Kill 28 Shiite Pilgrims – 5 February 2010

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

GAZA CITY, Gaza – Hamas submitted a formal response to the United Nations on February 3, rejecting allegations that it committed war crimes during the 2008-2009 Gaza War between Hamas and Israel. Hamas has been the governing party in the Gaza Strip since 2006.

 

Hamas’ fifty-two-page response said that the killing of three Israeli citizens was an accident and that Hamas only targeted military installations. During the twenty-two day war, as many as 1,387 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and thirteen Israelis were killed.

 

After the fighting ended, the U.N. commissioned an investigation and a report on the hostilities. The mission was headed by South African jurist and former war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone, and the mission’s final report accused both Israel and Hamas of targeting civilians and other war crimes during the Gaza War. The Goldstone Report also called for Israel and Hamas to conduct internal investigations about the war crimes allegations. The deadline for submitting internal findings to the U.N. is February 5.

 

Human Rights Watch, which has also condemned Israel’s actions, responded to Hamas’ response, saying the party’s “claim that its rocket attacks against Israel are not war crimes is factually and legally wrong.”

 

Israel submitted its forty-six page response earlier in the week, likewise denying any allegations of war crimes and stating that two of its top military officers had been reprimanded for shelling a U.N. building where hundreds of Palestinians had been staying. Palestinian and human rights groups rejected Israel’s account; Amnesty International called the Israeli response “totally inadequate.”

 

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said on February 4 that he could not determine whether Israel and Hamas had met the U.N. requirements for credible, independent internal investigations.

 

The Palestinian Authority said it would open its own internal investigation into Hamas’ actions during the war. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had announced in the week leading up to the investigation deadline that he would establish a committee to investigate the conduct of P.A. security officers during the Gaza War. Fatah is the ruling party of the P.A., and has been at odds with Hamas since Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah in 2006.

 

For more information, please see:

 

AFP – UN Chief Uncertain if “Credible” Gaza Probes Underway – 4 February 2010

 

Ha’aretz – PA to Probe Alleged Hamas Gaza War Crimes – 3 February 2010

 

New York Times – Hamas Gives U.N. Response to Gaza War Crimes Report – 3 February 2010

 

Human Rights Watch – Gaza: Hamas Report Whitewashes War Crimes – 28 January 2010

 

Washington Post – Human Rights Group: Hamas Targeted Civilians – 28 January 2010

By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 GAZA CITY, Gaza – Hamas submitted a formal response to the United Nations on February 3, rejecting allegations that it committed war crimes during the 2008-2009 Gaza War between Hamas and Israel.  Hamas has been the governing party in the Gaza Strip since 2006.

 Hamas’ fifty-two-page response said that the killing of three Israeli citizens was an accident and that Hamas only targeted military installations.  During the twenty-two day war, as many as 1,387 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and thirteen Israelis were killed. 

 After the fighting ended, the U.N. commissioned an investigation and a report on the hostilities.  The mission was headed by South African jurist and former war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone, and the mission’s final report accused both Israel and Hamas of targeting civilians and other war crimes during the Gaza War.  The Goldstone Report also called for Israel and Hamas to conduct internal investigations about the war crimes allegations.  The deadline for submitting internal findings to the U.N. is February 5.

 Human Rights Watch, which has also condemned Israel’s actions, responded to Hamas’ response, saying the party’s “claim that its rocket attacks against Israel are not war crimes is factually and legally wrong.”

 Israel submitted its forty-six page response earlier in the week, likewise denying any allegations of war crimes and stating that two of its top military officers had been reprimanded for shelling a U.N. building where hundreds of Palestinians had been staying.  Palestinian and human rights groups rejected Israel’s account; Amnesty International called the Israeli response “totally inadequate.”    

 U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said on February 4 that he could not determine whether Israel and Hamas had met the U.N. requirements for credible, independent internal investigations.

 

The Palestinian Authority said it would open its own internal investigation into Hamas’ actions during the war.  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had announced in the week leading up to the investigation deadline that he would establish a committee to investigate the conduct of P.A. security officers during the Gaza War.  Fatah is the ruling party of the P.A., and has been at odds with Hamas since Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah in 2006.

 For more information, please see:

 AFP – UN Chief Uncertain if “Credible” Gaza Probes Underway – 4 February 2010

 Ha’aretz – PA to Probe Alleged Hamas Gaza War Crimes – 3 February 2010

 New York Times – Hamas Gives U.N. Response to Gaza War Crimes Report – 3 February 2010

 Human Rights Watch – Gaza:  Hamas Report Whitewashes War Crimes – 28 January 2010

 Washington Post – Human Rights Group:  Hamas Targeted Civilians – 28 January 2010

By Brandon Kaufman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East