by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

ANKARA, Turkey — Human Rights Watch published a 43-page report on Tuesday, in which it accuses Turkish police of beating, sexually abusing, and threatening to rape detainees.

The human rights group said that a “climate of fear” has prevailed since thousands of people were arrested after President Erdogan declared a state of emergency in response to July’s failed coup attempt. The state of emergency has allowed the government to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as it deems necessary. In September 2016, prison monitoring boards were dissolved under an emergency rule decree. The report noted that several new regulations, which infringe on detainees’ rights, have been enacted. These include the extension of the maximum length of police detention without judicial review from four to thirty days, denying detainees access to lawyers for up to five days, restricting detainees’ choice of lawyer, and restricting detainees’ right to confidential conversations with their lawyers.

Human Rights Watch indicated that thirteen alleged cases of abuse had been uncovered, in which the detainees claim abuse of power, sleep deprivation, severe beatings, sexual abuse and threat of rape. These cases were not limited only to alleged coup supporters, but also include detainees suspected of ties to Kurdish militant and leftist groups.

In one case, Human Rights Watch found that several detainees had been forced to undress and were left outside under a “baking sun” for several hours. The case further noted that these detainees were then severely beat by police officers and threatened with sodomy by a baton. In another case, a detainee noted he was blindfolded and then beaten by police. He stated that the police chief “began to slap me in the face and eyes. They beat me on the soles of my feet, on my stomach, then squeezed my testicles, saying things like they’d castrate me.” A further case quotes a detainee as stating that a police officer told him “because of the state of emergency, nobody will care if I kill you.” The report further states that many lawyers are reluctant to represent detainees held in connection with the coup attempt. Attorneys who do represent these individuals are noted as expressing fear that they would become the target of the ongoing crackdown. One lawyer stated that she tried to represent a detained soldier, only to see him repeatedly beaten in front of her. Although she attempted to stop the beating, she was unable to do so and had to turn away out of fear.

The Europe and Central Asia Director of Human Rights Watch stated that “by removing safeguards against torture, the Turkish government effectively wrote a blank check to law enforcement agencies to torture and mistreat detainees as they like.” The organization called on authorities to “immediately rescind” the provisions of the state of emergency decrees which “enable abuse.” Human Rights Watch also urged the Turkish government to permit the U.N. Special Investigator on Torture to visit Turkey.

Mr. Bekir Bozdag, Turkey’s Justice Minister, argued that the country is being unfairly accused of torture, while strongly denying ill-treatment of prisoners. He further stated that the Ministry has assembled a task force to investigate all claims.

For more information, please see:

Voice of America—Human Rights Watch Report Accuses Turkish Police of Torture—25 October 2016

Chicago Tribune—Human Rights Watch: Torture reports after failed coup in Turkey—25 October 2016

Independent—Detainees ‘beaten, sexually abused and threatened with rape’ after Turkey coup, Human Rights Watch claims—25 October 2016

Hurriyet Daily News—Human Rights Watch says state of emergency gives Turkey ‘blank check’ to mistreat suspects—25 October 2016

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — On Tuesday, October 18^th, Saudi Arabia executed a member of the royal family after he was convicted of shooting and killing another man during a brawl.

Saudi Prince Turki bin Saud bin Turki bin Saud al-Kabeer was executed in the capital, Riyadh, for killing a man during a group fight three years ago. Although details on the method of execution were not provided, most death penalties in Saudi Arabia are carried out by beheading in a public square.

The guilty verdict was supported by an appeals court, and later authorized by the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia. A royal order was then issued to carry out the Courts’ ruling. The Saudi Gazette reported that the prince’s family made several attempts to reach an agreement with the victim’s father prior to his execution. The victim’s family, however, refused offers of “blood money” and instead demanded justice.

This is the first execution carried out by Saudi Arabia in over four decades. The Interior Ministry stated that King Salman was keen on “enforcement of security, justice and God’s judgments.” The statement released by the Ministry further warned “that legitimate punishment would be the fate of whoever tries to assault innocent people and shed their blood.”

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchies, in which the members of the royal family enjoy perks not available to rest of the country’s citizens. The royal execution has been widely interpreted as a message from the monarch that “no one in the kingdom is above the law.” A prominent Saudi lawyer, Mr. Abdul-Rahman al-Lahim, stated “the greatest thing is that the citizen sees the law applied to everyone, and that there are not big people and other small people.” Other Saudis praised the monarch, King Salman, under an Arabic hashtag which translated to “Decisive Salman orders retribution for the prince.”

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Shariah law and is often criticized by human rights groups and Western governments for what they consider to be harsh and arbitrary punishments. Human Rights Watch stated that the country has executed 134 people as of January 2016. Amnesty International reported that at least 158 people were executed in Saudi Arabia in 2015.

For more information, please see:

CNN—Saudi Arabia executes member of royal family—20 October 2016

New York Times—Saudi Arabia Executes a Prince Convicted in a Fatal Shooting—18 October 2016

Al Arabiya—Saudi Arabia: Prince executed for murder—18 October 2016

Washington Post—Saudi Arabia executes member of the royal family for first time in four decades—19 October 2016

Khaleej Times—Saudi Arabian prince’s last hours before execution—21 October 2016

 

 

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian court sentenced an Iranian-American and his father to ten years in prison and also fined them $4.8 million.

Mr. Siamak Namazi, who is a businessman in his mid-40s, was arrested in October 2015 by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”) while visiting family in Tehran. In February 2016, the IRGC arrested his 80-year-old dual citizen father, Baquer Namazi, who is a former Iranian provincial governor and former UNICEF official.

Siamak and Baquer were each given a single court session lasting a few hours in duration, before the sentences were given. The court proceedings were kept in secrecy and details of the allegations against them have not been publicly released. They were not permitted to hire their own defense attorney due to an Iranian law which allows only government-approved lawyers to represent defendants in cases related to national security.

In a statement, Siamak’s brother, Mr. Babak Namazi, stated that the sentences are unjust. He indicated that his father has been “handed practically a death sentence.” Baquer Namazi’s wife indicated that he suffers from a serious heart condition, as well as other medical issues, which require special mediation.

Tehran prosecutor, Mr. Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, stated that the men were sentenced to prison for spying for the U.S. and “cooperating with the U.S. government.” Mr. Javad Karimi Qudossi, a member of the security and foreign policy committee in Iran’s parliament stated that Siamak was actively “recruiting spies for America and inserting cultural, military and political spies inside the country.” Iranian officials have not clarified who is responsible for paying the $4.8 million fine. It did, however, indicate that the amount is what Siamak and Baquer had received from the U.S. “for their mission in Iran.”

These are the latest sentences against dual citizens directed by powerful Iranian judiciary and security forces following the U.S.-Iranian nuclear deal. Security officials have arrested dozens of artists, journalists and businessmen, including Iranians with dual U.S., European or Canadian citizenship, as part of a “crackdown” on “western infiltration.” The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran (“Campaign”) stated that the country does not recognize dual citizenship, and that it routinely “harasses citizens and dual nationals with trumped up national security charges.” Since the country does not recognize dual nationality, detainees with dual citizenship are unable to obtain consular assistance.

The sentences have attracted international attention. The U.S. State Department’s deputy spokesman, Mr. Mark Toner, indicated that the father and son had been “unjustly detained” in Iran. He stated he was “deeply concerned” by the reports and called for their immediate release. On Tuesday, UNICEF called for the release of Baquer on “humanitarian grounds.”

For more information, please see:

Los Angeles Times—Iranian American father and son sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran, report says—18 October 2016

CNN—American father and son sentenced to 10 years in Iranian prison—19 October 2016

Reuters—Iran sentences two U.S. citizens to 10 years in prison—18 October 2016

NBC News—Iran Sentences Iranian-American, His Father to 10 Years Each in Prison—18 October 2016

 

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen — On October 8, 2016, Saudi Arabia-led coalition jets bombed a funeral hall in Yemen, killing over 100 people.

The Joint Incidents Assessment Team (“JIAT”), a 14-nation, Saudi-led inquiry, declared that it “wrongly” bombed the ceremony based on “bad information.” It stated that coalition aircraft were wrongly told by a party “affiliated” with the “Yemeni presidency of the general chief of staff” that the funeral hall was occupied by Houthi leaders. JIAT said the party “insisted that the location be targeted immediately as a legitimate military target.” However, the coalition’s air operations center ordered the attack “without obtaining approval from the Coalition command.” This precautionary measure, they state, was necessary to “ensure that the location is not a civilian one that may not be targeted.” JIAT subsequently blamed the attack on “noncompliance with coalition rules of engagement” and the “issuing of incorrect information.”

Mr. Mohammed Atbukhaiti, a senior Houthi official, welcomed the findings. However, he noted that it shows how the coalition is “disorganized and reckless” and treats “the lives of the Yemeni people in a careless and disrespectful manner.” He stated that this attack was not the first time the Saudi-led coalition targeted, killed and injured large numbers of civilians. Mr. Atbukhaiti subsequently urged the United Nations and the international community to investigate other human rights violations.

The attack was one of the deadliest single assaults in the two-year conflict. Houthi administration officials stated the number of casualties as 135, while the United Nations indicated the death toll as 140. In addition to those killed in the attack, an additional estimated 600 people were injured.

The attack has attracted international criticism. Human Rights Watch stated that the attack was “an apparent war crime,” and called it “unlawfully disproportionate.” The organization formerly had called on the United States to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch further urged an investigation into possible war crimes. The White House condemned the bombing, and stated that it had launched a review of its “already significantly reduced support” to the coalition. The United Nations Commissioner on Human Rights also condemned the attack, while characterizing it as “outrageous.”

The United Nations has identified that over 6,000 individuals have already been killed in the conflict, many of which are civilians. The organization further declared that millions more are suffering from hunger, illness and displacement. UNICEF stated that there are approximately 1.5 million children in Yemen who are malnourished due to the ongoing war.

For more information, please see:

CNN—Saudi-led coalition admits to airstrike on Yemen funeral—15 October 2016

NBC News—Yemen Funeral Bombing: Saudi-Led Coalition Blames ‘Erroneous Information’—16 October 2016

BBC News—Yemen conflict: Saudis blame funeral hall bombing on mistake—15 October 2016


Washington Post—Saudi-led coalition found responsible for Yemen funeral attack that killed more than 100—15 October 2016

 

 

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran — A 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman, Zeinab Sekaanvand, is set to be executed within days after an “unfair” trial for murdering her husband.

Ms. Sekaanvand was 17-years-old when she was arrested for the murder of her husband. She testified that she was held at the police station for 20 days while being repeatedly tortured by police officers. Amnesty International stated that during this time, Ms. Sekaanvand was denied access to a lawyer. She allegedly “confessed” to these officers that she stabbed her husband after he subjected her to months of physical and verbal abuse and repeatedly refused her requests for divorce.

Before her trial, Ms. Sekaanvand retracted her confession. She told the judge that her brother-in-law, whom she stated raped her several times, had killed her husband. She indicated that he had promised to pardon her if she confessed to killing her husband. Under Islamic law, a murder victim’s family can pardon the offender and accept financial compensation.

In a trial characterized as “grossly unfair” by Amnesty International, the court ignored Ms. Sekaanvand’s statement regarding her brother-in-law’s involvement in the murder. In reaching its verdict, the court relied heavily on “confessions” she had made without a lawyer present. Iranian law enables judges to spare the death penalty for individuals under 18 who do not understand the nature of their offense. Although Ms. Sekaanvand was found to be suffering from depression, characterized by insomnia and difficulty in making decisions, the option of sparing her from the death penalty was not considered. The court failed to apply juvenile sentencing guidelines which require a forensic report to assess “mental growth and maturity” at the time of the crime. The court further failed to inform Ms. Sekaanvand that she could submit an application for retrial. She was sentenced to death in October 2014.

In 2015, Ms. Sekaanvand married a fellow inmate at the prison in which she is awaiting her execution, and became pregnant shortly thereafter. Due to the Iranian law prohibiting the execution of pregnant women, her death penalty was pushed back until after she gave birth. She gave birth to a stillborn baby at the end of September.

The case has received international attention from human rights groups. Human Rights Watch declared that Iran is required to prohibit the execution of minors because it is a party to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Amnesty International has stated that the case is “extremely disturbing.” It states that Ms. Sekaanvand was “under 18 years of age at the time of the crime” and “denied access to a lawyer” during her entire pre-trial period. Amnesty International further noted that Ms. Sekaanvand “was tortured by male police officers after her arrest through beatings all over her body.” Amnesty International is calling for the Iranian government to “grant her a fair retrial without recourse to the death penalty, and in accordance with principles of juvenile justice.”

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International—Iran: 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman faces imminent execution after grossly unfair trial—11 October 2016

BBC News—Iran hanging: Fears for child bride Zeinab Sekaanvand—11 October 2016

The Guardian—Amnesty seeks mercy for Iranian bride, 17, who killed abusive husband—11 October 2016

New York Post—Child bride faces execution for killing her husband—11 October 2016