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

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The United Nations demanded that Saudi Arabia end “severe” discrimination against girls and abolish laws which allow the stoning, amputation, flogging and execution of children.

On Friday, October 7^th, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child issued its review of Saudi Arabia’s record of compliance with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. The report declared that in Saudi Arabia, children over fifteen years old are tried as adults and can be executed after “trials falling short of guarantees of due process and fair trial.” The U.N. Convention, however, defines “children” as individuals under eighteen. The report further stated that Saudi Arabia continues to “sentence to death, and execute, persons for offenses that they allegedly committed when they were under the age of eighteen.”

The Committee consists of eighteen independent experts who monitor the implementation of the U.N. Convention. It highlighted several cases where minors had been sentenced to death, including at least four of the 47 people executed in January 2016, who were under eighteen when they were sentenced to death. It determined that a major problem in the country is that the decision of whether an individual will be treated as an adult is left to judges.

Mr. Jorge Cardona, who is a Committee member, stated that the possibility of imposing the death penalty on children as well as the possibility of sanctions and mistreatment, including harsh punishments such as torture and being flogged, are very serious concerns. The Committee Chair, Mr. Benyam Mezmur, indicated that it had consistently received reports of the death penalty being applied to offenses committed by individuals under the age of eighteen. Mr. Mezmur noted that there are only five countries in the world, including Saudi Arabia, that the U.N. engages on this issue with. He identified the other countries as Iran, Pakistan, China and the Maldives.

Mr. Bandar Bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, who is the Head of the Saudi delegate to the Committee and Chairman of the U.N. Human Rights Commission, indicated that Islamic law is above all laws and treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. He insisted, however, that the kingdom had the political will to protect children’s rights. The Saudi Arabian government has not issued a statement in response to the conclusions set forth in the U.N. report.

For more information, please see:

Daily Mail—UN watchdog demands Saudis stop child executions—7 October 2016

Reuters—U.N. body calls on Saudi Arabia to end laws allowing executions of children—7 October 2016

International Business Times—UN hits out at Saudi Arabia over stoning, amputation and execution of children—7 October 2016

Middle East Monitor—UN, Saudi disagree over abuse of children—7 October 2016

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt — A member of the Egyptian parliament’s Human Rights Committee, Ilhami Agina, declared that females seeking to attend university should be required to undergo a mandatory “virginity test” before being admitted.

In an interview with an Egyptian newspaper, Mr. Agina stated the parliament has to check the medical examination of “any girl who enters university” in order to “prove that she is a Miss.” He further commented that each female must present an “official document” upon university admission, which states that “she is a Miss.”

Mr. Agina defended his comments by stating that the virginity tests would help reduce the number of Urfi marriages in the country, and further commented that “no one should be upset by this decision.” Urfi marriages, also known as customary marriages, are viewed as a religiously sanctioned way of having premarital sex, which is a taboo in the conservative country. In Egypt, a young woman’s virginity is widely seen as a matter of family honor, and its loss could prevent her from getting married. Accordingly, Mr. Agina indicated that a woman who fails the virginity test will have her parents notified immediately in an attempt to prevent couples from entering into pre-marital relations.

National outrage broke out after Mr. Agina’s use of “Miss” was interpreted by Egyptians as referring to a woman who is a virgin. Egypt’s National Council for Women is set to file a report with the country’s top attorney over Mr. Agina’s “offensive remarks about women in Egypt and abroad.” The Council will also be submitting a complaint to the speaker of parliament, demanding Mr. Agina’s expulsion from parliament and seeking a criminal investigation into his actions and comments. In addition to his statements about medical exams for university admission, the council is also referencing previous remarks in which Mr. Agina stated that the practice of female genital mutilation was needed in Egypt to restrict women’s sexuality and counterbalance male impotence.

Ms. Amna Nosseir, an Egyptian female parliament member and Islamic Law professor, stated that “Agina’s remarks represent an insult to women and public manners in Egypt.” Mr. Agina, however, has stated that his remarks had been misinterpreted and that he only made a “suggestion,” not a “demand” in response to a question regarding the government’s role in ending customary marriages.

For more information, please see:

AhramOnline—Egypt’s women’s council to file complaint against MP who called for college virginity tests—1 October 2016

Al Arabiya—Egyptian lawmaker’s call for virginity tests draws fire—2 October 2016

Washington Post—Egyptian lawmaker says women should prove they are virgins to go to college—01 October 2016

Daily Mail—Egyptian MP calls for universities to perform virginity tests on female students – and tell their parents if they fail—30 September 2016

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday, September 28^th that he is recommending the country’s three-month state of emergency be extended.

Under President Erdogan’s direction, the National Security Council convened for an approximately six-hour meeting on September 28^th in Ankara. It recommended that the country’s state of emergency be extended beyond its initial three-month period for an additional period of at least ninety days.

The statement issued after the meeting indicated “it has been agreed to recommend an extension of the state of emergency in order to ensure the continuity of the effective implementation of the measures aiming at protecting our democracy, the rule of law and the rights and freedoms of our citizens.”

President Erdogan declared that the country’s fight with terrorism requires more time because it is so “deep” as to not be capable of resolution within three months. He further noted that the country is competing against time and “needs time to be cleared of these terror organizations’ extensions.”

The Turkish Constitution holds that a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum period of six months. To enact a state of emergency, the government must see serious indications of widespread violence that could interfere with Turkey’s democratic environment or its citizens’ basic rights and freedoms as established by the constitution.

The opposition Nationalist Movement Party expressed its support for an extension of the state of emergency. It declared that the fight against those behind the coup attempt was continuing at all levels and that this was “natural and right.” The Party’s leader, Mr. Devlet Bahceli, stated that the “deep cleaning” was continuing and that it would be “overly optimistic to expect it to end in short period.”

Turkish authorities also ordered the closure of at least twelve television states and eleven radio stations which were owned, operated or linked to Kurdish individuals or members of the Alevi religious minority. The stations were shuttered on charges of spreading “terrorist propaganda.”

The Turkish government had declared a three-month state of emergency on July 20^th following the failed coup attempt, which led to the deaths of over 240 individuals and injured approximately 2,200. At the time, President Erdogan had announced that the three-month state of emergency would enable authorities to act quickly against those responsible for the coup.

The aftermath of the coup attempt and state of emergency has attracted international criticism from international and human rights organizations due to the dismissal of thousands of teachers and court officials, as well as the detention of thousands of police officers and chiefs, journalists and opposition leaders. U.S. State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau had urged “Turkey to abide by its constitutional commitment to fundamental principles such as freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, due process, judicial independence.” She further went on to declare “these are key parts of any healthy democracy and a key part of Turkey’s own constitution of any healthy democracy.” and a key part of Turkey’s own constitution.”

For more information, please see:

International Press Institute— Turkey shutters at least 20 more TV, radio stations—30 September 2016

NPR—Turkey’s President Recommends Extending State Of Emergency—29 September 2016

Anadolu Agency—Turkey’s security council recommends extending emergency—29 September 2016

Washington Post—To no one’s surprise, Erdogan backs extending Turkey’s state of emergency—29 September 2016

Reuters—Turkey security council to recommend extending state of emergency—28 September 2016

Hurriyet Daily News—State of emergency to be extended by the government—01 October 2016