By Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

ANKARA, Turkey — Following a failed military coup, the Turkish government has arrested thousands of officials across all levels of society for suspected involvement. Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, stated that reinstating the death sentence was possible for suspected “plotters.”

After the attempted coup was thwarted last Saturday morning, the Turkish government has arrested or detained more than 10,000 military personnel. A portion of those arrested were soldiers directly involved in the failed coup. This has also included 118 generals and admirals.

Along with the military more than 50,000 civil service officials have been arrested, detained, fired, or suspended. Directly following the coup, approximately 3,000 judges and prosecutors were detained or fired. Another 9,000 Ministry of Interior personnel have been suspended. This purge has also reached the education sector with 21,000 teachers having their licenses revoked and 1,500 deans being asked to resign. Multiple broadcasting stations have also had their licenses revoked.

President Erdogan has vowed to punish all responsible for the failed military coup and wouldn’t rule out the death penalty. The death penalty was abolished in 2004 as Turkey made a bid to join the European Union. President Erdogan said if the people wanted the death penalty to return and the Turkish Parliament passed the legislation, then he would uphold the will of the people.

President Erdogan also imposed a three month state of emergency. He said the purpose of the state of emergency was to restore order and capture and punish all involved in the coup. Under the Turkish Constitution, Erdogan would gain the powers to suspend fundamental rights of freedom so long as it doesn’t violate international law. The Turkish government is also going to suspend its participation in the European Convention of Human Rights.

Many within Turkey and around the world have expressed concern with the purge arguing that Erdogan is using the coup as a way to eliminate opposition and consolidate power. A local chef at a restaurant in Istanbul, said Erodgan is setting a trap and will use the coup as a way to gain more power. The United States of America has expressed concern with the expansiveness of the purge particularly against non-military officials. America called on Turkey to preserve the rule of law and democracy. The European Union has stated that if the death penalty were to return, then Turkey would not be allowed to join the European Union.

Erdogan was elected to President in 2014. After winning 52 percent of the vote many argued election fraud. Shortly after the election, Erdogan attempted controversial constitutional amendments to give more powers to the president. Some have argued the purge of the judicial officials after the coup was to replace them with supporters of his constitutional changes.

The attempted coup occurred early last Saturday morning with a faction of the military blocking bridges leading to Istanbul. President Erdogan called on the people to fight off the coup. Later Saturday morning the coup had been defeated with the soldiers involved laying down arms and surrendering. The coup left 300 people dead and more than 1,000 wounded.

Turkey has had multiple military coups it it’s brief history as a country. There were successful military coups occurring in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. The political divide within Turkey pits the secular and western military class against an increasingly conservative and popularly elected Islamist political parties in the country such as President Erdogan’s party, Justice and Development Party.

For more information, please see:

BBC — Turkey coup attempt: Erdogan signals death penalty return — 19 July 2016

CNN — Turkey declares three-month state of emergency — 20 July 2016

CBS News — Thousands jailed after failed Turkey coup — 20 July 2016

NBC News — Turkey’s Parliament to Give Erdogan Sweeping New Powers as Crackdown Widens — 21 July 2016

Reuters — Turkey says no return to past repression despite state of emergency — 21 July 2016

Washington Post — Turkey rounds up thousands of suspected participants in coup attempt — 16 July 2016

By Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt — A new report from Amnesty International has documented hundreds of people disappearing since early 2015. The enforced disappearances are being carried out by the Egypt’s National Security Agency (NSA) and torturing some of those that are taken.

Amnesty International has documented over 630 instances of people disappearing since early 2015 by NSA. This amounts to three to four people everyday being taken by Egyptian security forces. The main targets of the disappearances are political activists, protesters, students, and other opponents to the regime. Those targeted include both Islamists that support the ousted political party, the Muslim Brotherhood, and secular activists. People as young as 14 have been victims to these enforced disappearances. Amnesty International says enforced disappearances are a “key instrument of state policy.”

Amnesty International’s report describes that some people, including children, are taken from their home in the night and sometimes blindfolded and handcuffed as they are transported to detention facilities. They are detained for months without access to a lawyer or their family with no formal charges brought against them and they do not stand trial.

The report also lists numerous instances of torture to those that were captured. Some of the examples of torture have ranged from long instances of interrogation to use of electric shocks to force confessions.

One example of torture was the enforced disappearance of Aser Mohamed, a 14 year old. Aser was arrested and held for 34 days in NSA offices in Cairo. While there, Aser suffered electric shocks and beatings to force a confession. Aser was later brought before a prosecutor that warned him more electric shocks would occur if he retracted his confession. When he returned to his family, he had wounds from electric shocks on his lips, head, arms, chest, and genitalia. Aser is currently awaiting his trial before an Egyptian court.

The disappearances and torture may have also extended to foreign activists. An Italian PHD candidate at Cambridge University, Giulio Regeni, was found dead on the outskirts of Cairo with visible signs of torture. The Egyptian government denied any responsibility for his death, but Amnesty International says his case matches the other documented instances.

Enforced disappearances are illegal under Egyptian law. Authorities are required to refer arrested persons to the Public Prosecution within 24 hours of detention. Enforced disappearances are not a new tactic in Egypt but are on the rise recently according to Mohamed Lotfy, Executive Director of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedom. Most of those that forcibly disappear are later charged with terrorism related charges.

The Egyptian government has denied the information that was released in the report and accused Amnesty International of being a “non-neutral organisation motivated by political stances aimed at tarnishing the image of Egypt.” Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid told CNN that torture is illegal in Egypt and all suspected cases are prosecuted. Zeid also said that a committee was being formed to investigate the allegations in the report. The United States State Department issued a statement calling the report “deeply troubling.”

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International — Egypt: Hundreds disappeared and tortured amid wave of brutal repression — 13 July 2016

BBC — Hundreds forcibly disappeared in Egypt crackdown, says Amnesty — 13 July 2016

CNN — Amnesty: Hundreds ‘disappeared’ by Egyptian forces — 13 July 2016

NPR — Amnesty International Report Documents Activist Disappearances In Egypt — 13 July 2016

by Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel — The Israeli government approved the construction of hundreds of new homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem areas. The settlement expansion comes days after an Israeli teenager was stabbed to death by a Palestinian teenager.

The Israeli government announced that 560 housing units will be built in Ma’ale Adumim, one of the largest settlement areas in the West Bank. Another 240 units will be built in neighborhoods in Eastern Jerusalem. Israel claims these neighborhoods are Jewish, but Palestinians claim this is the future site of the Palestinian capital. Finally, another 600 homes would be built in Beit Safafa, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

The international community condemned the expansion of settlements in the West Bank area. United States State Department spokesman John Kirby said these actions are a “systematic process of land seizure.” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon stated these actions by Israel are a roadblock to peace and questioned Israel’s long term intentions. The European Union called the expansions illegal under international law. Last week, the Middle East “Quartet” comprised of the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations, published a report asking Israel to stop building settlements. Israel responded saying that the building of settlements is not a roadblock to peace.

The decision to build more settlement homes in the region comes after the death of an Israeli teenager. Last week Hallel Yafa Ariel, a 13-year old Israeli girl, was stabbed to death in her sleep when a Palestinian teenager broke into her home. The Palestinian teenager was shot to death as he tried to exit the neighborhood. Following the attack Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to expand settlements in the area.

Violence in the region has escalated since the stabbing death and Netanyahu’s announcement to expand settlements. An elderly Palestinian man died due excessive tear gas inhalation fired by Israeli troops who were clashing with Palestinian protesters at the Qalandia checkpoing. In the West Bank City of Hebron, a Palestinian woman was shot to death after an alleged stabbing incident. In Otniel, an Israeli man was killed and three of his relatives were injured following an alleged attack from a Palestinian shooter.

Israel first captured East Jerusalem and regions in the West Bank in 1967 during the Six-Day War. Since the war Israel has had direct control over the territory and built housing units for Israelis to live in. The United Nations has passed resolutions telling Israel to withdraw from the territory and end the building of settlements. Many consider the annexation and building of settlements to be in violation of international law.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Israel vows more settlements amid West Bank violence — 2 July 2016

BBC — US criticises Israel over plans for new settlement homes — 6 July 2016

CNN — Israeli government approves new settlement housing — 6 July 2016

International Business Times — Israel’s West Bank, East Jerusalem Settlement Expansion Plans Roundly Condemned — 6 July 2016