by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain — Nabeel Rajab, a prominent Bahraini human rights activist, was arrested in June 2016 on charges of spreading “false or malicious news, statements, or rumors.” Human rights organizations worldwide are now urging the government of Bahrain to release Mr. Rajab due to deteriorating health and detention conditions.

Prior to Mr. Rajab’s arrest, Bahraini authorities raided his house and seized all electronic devices. He was then arrested on June 13^th at his home. At the time, his spouse claimed that security officers searched their house and detained him without providing any reason. The human rights abuse group, Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, believes that Mr. Rajab was arrested as part of a “synchronized series of moves to silence civil society in Bahrain.”

In July 2016, a Bahraini court denied bail for Mr. Rajab. He is being charged with “insulting a state institution and neighboring Saudi Arabia, and disseminating false rumors in time of war.” The accusations against Mr. Rajab refer to tweets posted on his Twitter account in 2015, referring to “allegations of torture” at Bahrain’s Jaw prison, and the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen.

Since his detention, Mr. Rajab has been experiencing recurring health problems. He was rushed to the coronary care unit on June 28^th with an irregular heartbeat. His family stated that he has lost over seven kilos (approximately fifteen pounds) since his arrest, and developed high blood pressure and yellow skin. Upon his release, Mr. Rajab was returned to the West Riffa Police Station in Bahrain, where he is currently being held. The Bahraini court ordered that he remain in custody throughout the trial. The next court date for Mr. Rajab is scheduled for September 5, 2016.

The arrests of several human rights activists in Bahrain, such as Mr. Rajab, have drawn protests from the United Nations and key allies, including the United States. On September 2^nd, over 30 human rights organizations worldwide penned an urgent plea letter to the King of Bahrain expressing their concerns over the continued detention of Mr. Rajab. The organizations urged the Bahraini government to “immediately and unconditionally” release Mr. Rajab. His detention is cited as an “act of reprisal for his work to promote fundamental human rights in Bahrain.” The organizations state that his cell does not meet the requirements for long-term detention and report on the unhygienic sanitary facilities. They indicate that he is suffering from chronic inflammation in his lower back, which requires urgent surgery. It is stated that his surgery has been pushed back to early September by Bahraini authorities. Similar to the concerns expressed by Mr. Rajab’s family, the letter expresses that he is experiencing an irregular heartbeat, as well as chest pains. The letter continues on to note that prison authorities are not providing him with sufficient medical assistance, and that he is dependent on his family for painkillers and bandages for a bleeding ulcer. The organizations express concern over Bahrain’s unwillingness to guarantee the right of freedom of expression, despite being a signatory to international human rights conventions.

For more information, please see:

AhlulBayt News Agency — Bahrain Center for Human Rights holds “Opinions Are Not Crimes” in Copenhagen — 2 September 2016

World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) — Bahrain: Urgent Appeal for the Release of Human Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab — 2 September 2016

World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) — Bahrain: Systematic pattern of obstacles to freedom of movement against human rights defenders — 2 September 2016

Daily Mail — Bahrain court denies rights activist bail — 13 July 2016

Middle East Eye — Leading Bahraini activist returned to jail as eight stripped of citizenship — 29 June 2016

International Business Times — Prominent human rights activist Nabeel Rajab arrested in Bahrain — 13 June 2016

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq —  In June 2014, Islamic State (ISIS) forces took over Camp Speicher, located just north of Tikrit. Upon assuming control, ISIS militants executed approximately 1,700 Shia army recruits who had fled the Camp. The families of those lost have been demanding justice since these killings.

In July 2015, the Iraqi government held a group trial for the individuals accused of taking part in the executions. The defendants alleged that they were tortured into confessing their role in the killings, and that these confessions were the basis upon which the cases against them were built. The militants were ultimately convicted and sentenced to death at the close of the proceedings. Despite the higher court’s overturning of the verdict, the lower court still convicted several men in a group hearing that lasted only one day. The defendants were denied a second appeal, and several death sentences were issued.

On August 17, 2016, Iraq’s President approved the execution of 36 individuals who were convicted of taking part in the Speicher massacre. These soldiers were hanged on Sunday, August 21 by the Iraqi government.

Several international organizations, such as the United Nations and Amnesty International, have issued statements raising concerns about the hearings and subsequent executions.

The United Nations issued a report in April 2016 stating it found the hearings to lack “international fair trial standards.” The report further noted that the defendants were not provided effective means for a defense at trial and that the Iraqi government failed to fully investigate the allegations of coerced confessions. Amnesty International’s senior crisis response advisor stated that the execution of the 36 militants resulted from an erroneous judicial process that did not meet the standards of international law.

Amnesty International reported that the Iraqi government had received threats of retaliation from militia leaders if the executions were not carried out. Subsequently, in August 2016, the United Nations expressed concern over Iraq’s efforts to speed up militant executions, which could potentially lead to the death of innocent individuals.

Iraq’s Justice Minister dismissed all of these concerns on the grounds that each case “was reviewed in detail” before being delivered to the President for approval of the death sentence.

For more information, please see:

Middle East Monitor — Iraq executions are part of political and sectarian agenda, claim human rights groups — 23 August 2016

Los Angeles Times — Iraq executes 36 men convicted in massacre carried out by Islamic State — 21 August 2016

Reuters — Iraq hangs 36 people sentenced to death for killing of troops in 2014 — 22 August 2016

Human Rights Watch — Executions in Iraq Not Real Justice for Speicher Massacre — 23 August 2016

Al Arabiya English — Rights groups condemn executions over Iraq massacre — 24 August 2016

by Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — Following the Islamic State’s (IS) ouster from the city of Manbij, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have discovered thousands of land mines and improvised explosive devices (IED) scattered around the city.

SDF, a United States backed rebel group in Syria, liberated the city of Manbij a couple of weeks earlier. Following reports that IS left the city with a couple thousand civilian hostages and using them as human shields, the SDF discovered thousands of land mines and IEDs in the city. The SDF released a statement saying there goal is to “identify and remove improvised explosive devices.” The SDF also stated the sheer amount of explosives still poses a significant threat to civilians.

The explosives are a mixture of Russian explosives, land mines, and various handmade IEDs. Approximately 13,000 to 15,000 land mines and IEDs have been discovered and disarmed according to the SDF.

Reports have revealed that not only did IS leave land mines and IED’s on known battle areas, but around areas where civilians were more likely to go or in objects civilians were likely to use. Ahmed Mohammed, an activist from Manbij who now lives in Turkey, said “Mines were found inside a garlic and onion basket, a staircase, and even normal-looking rocks across the fields.”

Pictures provided by the SDF appear to show explosives underneath rocks, on top of doorways, and even in soda cans. Sherfan Darwish, the Syrian Democratic Forces’s spokesman, stated the goal of IS was to slow down SDF progress and main and kill civilians. SDF officials say the mines have already claimed the lives of 100 civilians.

The use of mines in Syria has been extensive by all parties involved. The United Nations’ Mine Action Gateway reported that 5.1 million people live in areas where land mines are thought to have been placed. This number includes over 2 million children.

For more information, please see:

ARA News — Western-backed Syrian rebels dismantling ISIS explosives in liberated town — 23 August 2016

Daily Mail — ISIS laid at least 13,000 landmines as it fled Syrian town of Manbij – packing fridges, fruit baskets and even KETTLES with explosives  — 26 August 2016

Global Voices — ISIS Left Thousands of Mines in Manbij Before Fleeing. It Hid Them Inside Everything — 25 August 2016

Wall Street Journal — U.S.-Backed Force Steps Up Efforts to Secure Syria’s Manbij After Ousting ISIS — 14 August 2016

by Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — After retaking the city of Manbij, rebel forces accused Islamic State (IS) forces of covering their retreat with a caravan of vehicles filled with civilians. Rebel forces stated they didn’t fire at IS due to the presence of civilians.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a United States backed rebel group in Syria, reported that IS forces covered their retreat with approximately 2,000 civilians. SDF, which is an alliance of Kurdish and Arabic fighters, stated they had regained control of most of Manbij, a city in the Aleppo governorate. An SDF spokesperson said that after IS forces had been defeated they abducted approximately 2,000 civilians from the town and took them in vehicles out of the city to Jarabulus.

The SDF claims that the civilians were taken with IS to prevent the SDF from firing at IS vehicles as they retreated. The SDF stated they treated everyone in the vehicles as non-combatants and didn’t fire out of fear of hitting civilians. US led airstrikes also didn’t target the vehicles after receiving information that civilians were in them according to Baghdad-based US-led coalition spokesman Col Chris Garver. Following the incident, most of the hostages were freed and returned to the city.

The ouster of IS forces in Manbij comes after a ten-week offensive waged by the SDF with help from US led airstrikes against IS. Manbij had been in IS control since 2014. Following the liberation of Manbij, citizens celebrated in the streets. Citizens celebrated by doing things that weren’t allowed under IS authority such as cutting off beards and smoking. According to the Syrian Observatory on Human Rights, the ten-week battle for Manbij claimed the lives of over 400 civilians and 1,200 SDF and IS fighters.

The use of human shields is illegal under international law under the Geneva Convention and its Protocols along with the Rome Statute. IS has been accused of using human shields in previous incidents. After IS forces were pushed out of Fallujah in later June, on ground forces claimed that IS took civilians with them to protect their retreat. There was confusion concerning this situation which led to the IS convoy being fired upon. In May and June of this year, IS forces attempted to slow down Iraqi forces in Fallujah by positioning themselves near civilians trapped in the crossfire.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Syria war: ISIL flees Manbij with ‘human shields’ — 13 August 2016

BBC — Photos show IS militants fleeing Manbij with ‘human shields’ — 19 August 2016

CNN — Jubilation in Syria’s Manbij as ISIS loses control of key city — 14 August 2016

Guardian — Isis appears to use civilians as human shields to flee Syrian town — 19 August 2016