By Ann Flower Seyse
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt– On September 2, American citizen Travis Randall of Denver, Colorado was denied entry to Egypt after being told he was “on a list.” Randall was not given any reason for being denied entry, or for being detained, and he plans on remaining in London until he finds out the particular reason why Egypt denied his re-entry.

Randall, age 27, had been living and working in Cairo for the last two and a half years, working as an environmental consultant and a free lance writer. He was returning from a trip when he was detained for twelve hours in a holding cell, and forced to purchase a ticket to London, England, as he could not return to Egypt.

The only time that Randall has ever had any problems with the Egyptian authority, was after a small protest of the Egyptian and Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip in February. After the protest, Randall was briefly detained.  The officials at the airport would not give Randall any reasons for his detention beyond Randall’s name being on a list. Randall’s laptop and cell phone were taken from him during his detention, and returned to him only upon is departure.

Egyptian police have detained hundreds of members of the Muslim brotherhood, and some Egyptian Bloggers because of their protests and writings against the blockade of the Gaza strip. One airport security officer who spoke anonymously theorized that Randall must be on the list for his own “activism” over Egyptian involvement in the blockade of the Gaza strip.

Randall does not consider himself an activist or a blogger, as his last post before his detention was from 2007. He has not participated in many protests, and does not want to be labeled an activist, as he does not believe that he fits the title.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) commented on Randall’s detainment, stating that “[even] assuming that the authorities have the right to stop the blogger from entering Egypt even though he has not been accused of anything, they have absolutely no right to seize his laptop and prevent him from making phone calls. This is an intolerable abuse.”

For more information, please see:

BikyaMasr – Egyptian National Press Lies Over Travis Randall’s Deportation – 6 September 2009

LA Times – EGYPT: Authorities Detain and Deport American Blogger – 6 September 2009

AP- US Citizen Deported from Egypt – 4 September 2009

International Freedom of Expression Exchange – American Blogger detained at Cairo Airport, Barred from Entering Egypt – 3 September 2009

By Ann Flower Seyse
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt– On September 2, American citizen Travis Randall of Denver, Colorado was denied entry to Egypt after being told he was “on a list.” Randall was not given any reason for being denied entry, or for being detained, and he plans on remaining in London until he finds out the particular reason why Egypt denied his re-entry.

Randall, age 27, had been living and working in Cairo for the last two and a half years, working as an environmental consultant and a free lance writer. He was returning from a trip when he was detained for twelve hours in a holding cell, and forced to purchase a ticket to London, England, as he could not return to Egypt.

The only time that Randall has ever had any problems with the Egyptian authority, was after a small protest of the Egyptian and Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip in February. After the protest, Randall was briefly detained.  The officials at the airport would not give Randall any reasons for his detention beyond Randall’s name being on a list. Randall’s laptop and cell phone were taken from him during his detention, and returned to him only upon is departure.

Egyptian police have detained hundreds of members of the Muslim brotherhood, and some Egyptian Bloggers because of their protests and writings against the blockade of the Gaza strip. One airport security officer who spoke anonymously theorized that Randall must be on the list for his own “activism” over Egyptian involvement in the blockade of the Gaza strip.

Randall does not consider himself an activist or a blogger, as his last post before his detention was from 2007. He has not participated in many protests, and does not want to be labeled an activist, as he does not believe that he fits the title.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) commented on Randall’s detainment, stating that “[even] assuming that the authorities have the right to stop the blogger from entering Egypt even though he has not been accused of anything, they have absolutely no right to seize his laptop and prevent him from making phone calls. This is an intolerable abuse.”

For more information, please see:

BikyaMasr – Egyptian National Press Lies Over Travis Randall’s Deportation – 6 September 2009

LA Times – EGYPT: Authorities Detain and Deport American Blogger – 6 September 2009

AP- US Citizen Deported from Egypt – 4 September 2009

International Freedom of Expression Exchange – American Blogger detained at Cairo Airport, Barred from Entering Egypt – 3 September 2009

By Ann Flower Seyse
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt– The trial for twenty-six Egyptians accused of forming a terrorist cell in Egypt related to Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah has been adjourned until October. According to Nile TV, the delay will grant the defendants’ lawyers more time to review the cases.

The twenty-six men include nineteen Egyptians, two Lebanese, and five people from Palestinian territories. Some of the men appeared in court on August 23 to dispute claims that the defendants were smuggling weapons between Sinai and Gaza and plotting attacks against Israeli tourists in Egypt. 

Of the twenty-six accused, only twenty-two appeared in court. The remaining four are being tried in absentia, while they are still on the run. One man who appeared in court said that he had been tortured. He also added that he had been referred for medical check after the alleged torture.

The lawyer of the twenty-two men, Montaser al Zaiat has said that the charges are “absolutely not true,” and clarified that there was “never any question in this case of a plot for the assassination of figures in Egypt.”

Family members were not permitted to attend the hearing, many relatives braced high heat standing outside the courtroom to see their loved ones. The families are upset because they haven’t seen their loved-ones in months. One prisoner was arrested in December, and his family does not know the details of the charges that precipitated his arrest. The arrests of members of the alleged Hezbollah cell began in 2008.

Hezbollah is a Shiite backed group, which is at odds with Sunni dominated Egypt. Hezbollah believes that the charges are politically motivated, and based upon Egypt’s support for the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

For more information, please see:

AFP – ‘Hezbollah’ Accused Allege Torture in Egypt Jail’ – 23 August 2009

BBC – Egypt ‘Hezbollah Cell’ on Trial – 23 August 2009

LA Times – Egypt: How Guilty are Those in ‘Hezbollah Cell’ – 23 August 2009

Xinhua – Egyptian Court Postpones Trial of Hezbollah Cell to October 24 – 23 August 2009

By Ann Flower Seyse
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt– The trial for twenty-six Egyptians accused of forming a terrorist cell in Egypt related to Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah has been adjourned until October. According to Nile TV, the delay will grant the defendants’ lawyers more time to review the cases.

The twenty-six men include nineteen Egyptians, two Lebanese, and five people from Palestinian territories. Some of the men appeared in court on August 23 to dispute claims that the defendants were smuggling weapons between Sinai and Gaza and plotting attacks against Israeli tourists in Egypt. 

Of the twenty-six accused, only twenty-two appeared in court. The remaining four are being tried in absentia, while they are still on the run. One man who appeared in court said that he had been tortured. He also added that he had been referred for medical check after the alleged torture.

The lawyer of the twenty-two men, Montaser al Zaiat has said that the charges are “absolutely not true,” and clarified that there was “never any question in this case of a plot for the assassination of figures in Egypt.”

Family members were not permitted to attend the hearing, many relatives braced high heat standing outside the courtroom to see their loved ones. The families are upset because they haven’t seen their loved-ones in months. One prisoner was arrested in December, and his family does not know the details of the charges that precipitated his arrest. The arrests of members of the alleged Hezbollah cell began in 2008.

Hezbollah is a Shiite backed group, which is at odds with Sunni dominated Egypt. Hezbollah believes that the charges are politically motivated, and based upon Egypt’s support for the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

For more information, please see:

AFP – ‘Hezbollah’ Accused Allege Torture in Egypt Jail’ – 23 August 2009

BBC – Egypt ‘Hezbollah Cell’ on Trial – 23 August 2009

LA Times – Egypt: How Guilty are Those in ‘Hezbollah Cell’ – 23 August 2009

Xinhua – Egyptian Court Postpones Trial of Hezbollah Cell to October 24 – 23 August 2009

By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TBILISI, Georgia – The status of the two South Caucasus regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia remains uncertain as the region marked the one-year anniversary of Russia’s recognition of the breakaway regions’ independence on August 26.

Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence from Georgia on August 26, 2008, two weeks after intense fighting between Georgian military forces and separatists from the two regions, with support from the Russian military.  Abkhazia and South Ossetia have traditionally been ethnically mixed.  It is home both to those who claim Russian cultural identities as well as those who have cultural ties to Georgia.

International observers say that Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain in a legal gray zone:  Russia and Nicaragua remain the only two countries to recognize their independence.  They are a de facto part of Russia while remaining a de jure part of Georgia, though political power in the provinces is steadily slipping out of Georgia’s control and into that of Russia. 

Some experts speculate the situation may remain unresolved for the foreseeable future.  The situation is akin to situations in Cyprus and Taiwan.  On August 26, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said that Russia’s decision to recognize the breakaway provinces’ independence was “unavoidable” and “irreversible.”  It seems equally unlikely that policies of non-recognition by the European Union and the United States will shift.

The situation has caused uncertainty for those living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  Georgia has attempted to establish a naval blockade around the area, threatening to arrest anyone who enters either area without Georgian permission.  Russia has also staked an economic claim to the area, as the Russian state oil company set up a subsidiary in Abkhazia on August 25.  The Georgian government has accused Russia of exploiting its sovereign natural resources, as well as unlawfully continuing its occupation of Georgian soil.  For its part, Russia has pledged its support for the reconstruction in the breakaway regions.

For more information, please see:

Georgia Today – Kremlin’s Victory or Confession – 28 August 2009

China View – Putin Pledges Firm Support for South Ossetia, Abkhazia – 27 August 2009

The Messenger Online – Russia is Continuing its Occupation of Georgia – 27 August 2009

Anti War.com – South Ossetia, Abkhazia to Celebrate Independence Day – 25 August 2009

Radio Free Europe – One Year After ‘Independence,’ Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Legal Gray Zone – 25 August 2009

Sofia News Agency – Russia:  South Ossetia, Abkhazia Independence Irreversible 1 Year Later – 25 August 2009