Speaking to 10,000 of his fellow protesters of the Georgian Opposition party, Levan Gachechiladze, vowed to engage in a hunger strike, if the governing party does not comply with more of his party’s demands.

The disgruntlement of Gachechiladze’s party with the government arose from the presidential elections on January 5, 2008.  The presidential incumbent, Mikheil Saakashvili, was reelected amidst allegations of possible voting irregularities.  The results indicated that Saakashvili won 53.47% of the vote.  However, the opposition contested whether Saakashvili actually won the majority vote, but instead believed that Saakashvili should have only won a plurality.  Because if Saakashvili had only won a plurality, then he would have had a runoff election with the second place contestant, which was Levan Gachechiladze.

Thus, the opposition has fiercely contested the results and promised their supporters that they will not stop their movement until the government complies with many of their 17 demands.  Initially, the opposition reported that the government would comply with 15 of the 17 demands.

However, the official response from the governing party has shocked the opposition. “‘Even those who are less radical within the opposition [coalition] were shocked by this response,’ Kakha Kukava, Conservative Party MP, Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). ‘This response means that we have received a No to 16 of our 17 demands and on one demand – concerning how majoritarian MPs are elected – there is only a tentative readiness from them to compromise. This document is cynical.’” (Civil Georgia- ‘We are Shocked by Ruling Party Response’ – Opposition Leader)

The opposition stated that they may begin a hunger strike and turn would Georgia into a place of tents.

For more information, please see:

AFP- 10,000 protest against Georgia government- 15 February 2008

Civil Georgia- Opposition Sets Ultimatum, Warns of ‘Town of Tents’- 15 February 2008

Civil Georgia- Chart: Opposition Demands/Ruling Party’s Response- 16 February 2008

Civil Georgia- New Rights Call for Opposition Unity to ‘Defeat Authorities’- 15 February 2008

Civil Georgia- Opposition Rejects Ruling Party’s Response, Calls for Protests- 14 February 2008

Civil Georgia- ‘We are Shocked by Ruling Party Response’ – Opposition Leader-14 February 2008

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – Tel Aviv District Court has ordered the Israeli Finance Ministry to compensate Tunisian-born Israeli Jews who suffered under Nazi occupation during World War II. After five years of litigation, 19 claimants have finally prevailed over the ministry who has refused to pay Tunisian Jews the same Israeli government stipends as European survivors of the Holocaust. Approximately 20,000 Tunisian Jews are now entitled to claim the monthly benefits of roughly $330.

German troops occupied Tunisia between November 1942 and May 1943. During the six month occupation, around 5,000 Jews were rounded up and were subjected to forced labor, and at least 20 Jewish activists were sent to extermination camps in Europe. Jews were also forced to wear infamous “yellow star” on their clothing, and were often harassed and forced to pay fines.

By 1960s, the vast majority of around 100,000 Jews who lived under the Nazi occupation left Tunisia. Most emigrated to Israel, but some moved to France, the former colonial ruler of Tunisia. Many of those who moved left everything behind. Today, only 1,500 Jews remain in Tunisia.

Up until the court’s decision, the Israeli government has maintained that Tunisian Jews did not qualify for payments from a fund set up from German reparations for Nazi victims because they were not forced to flee their homeland. The claimants, however, argued that they deserve equal standing to the European counterparts who received reparations under a German law, which provided compensation for those who were unable to flee Nazi persecution to a country of refuge.

The court agreed with the claimants, and said “no justification was found for denying the eligibility of the Jews of Tunisia for compensation.” David Etzion, an attorney for the claimants, said, “For more than five years our Finance Misnistry has rejected claims by the Jews of Tunisia. Now the Finance Ministry has to pay.”

For more information please see:

Associated Press – Tunisian Jews win Holocaust claim – 11 February 2008

Ynetnews – Tunisian Jews eligible for reparations – 9 February 2008

Infolive – Jews who lived in Tunisia to receive benefits given to Shoah survivors– 9 February 2008

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – On February 13, Hezbollah announced that Imad Mughniyeh, an influential leader, was killed in Syria when a car bomb exploded.  Syrian state television stated that one person died in the explosion and Hezbollah identified that victim as Mughniyeh.  In the announcement, Hezbollah stated “With all pride we declare a great jihadist leader of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon joining the martyrs… the brother commander hajj Imad Mughniyeh.”  Residents report that an explosion took place in a residential area in Damascus on evening of February 12.

Prior to 9/11, Mughniyeh was on top of the FBI’s Most Wanted List for his alleged involvement in numerous terrorist attacks against Israel and the US.  He is said to be the mastermind behind the 1983 bombing of US Marine barracks in Lebanon, which killed 241 American.  He is also linked to two bombings of the US embassy in Beirut.  He was indicted for his suspected involvement in the planning of the 1985 TWA hijacking that resulted in the death of an American Navy diver.  It is also suspected that he was involved in the planning of the two bombings in Buenos Aires, Argentina; one of the Israeli embassy and another of a Jewish center.

Also, Mughniyeh is thought to be the mastermind behind the wave of kidnapping Westerners in the 1980s and 1990s.  Two famous incidences are the kidnapping, torture and execution of CIA station chief William Buckley and the kidnapping of Terry Andersen, a former Associated Press correspondent.  Andersen was held as a hostage in Lebanon for six years and was released in 1991.  Andersen told the Associate Press that he was neither surprised nor sad to hear of Mughnuyeh’s death and that it was appropriate that he “goes up in a car bomb.”

Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran all accuse Israel of involvement in Mughniyeh’s death.  Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran’s official state news organization, said that Israel and the US are the number one suspects in Mughniyeh’s death and called the action an example of “US and Israeli state terrorism.”

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office released a short statement; “Israel rejects the attempts of terror elements to attribute to Israel any involvement in this incident.”  US State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, also stated that the US does not know who carried out the bombing.  However, both governments hailed Mughniyeh’s death as a victory against terrorism.  Sean McCormack said that “the world is a better place without this man in it,” and that Mughniyeh was “a cold-blooded killer, a mass murderer and a terrorist responsible for countless innocent lives lost.”

Both US and Israeli governments were interested in the whereabouts of Mughniyeh, who has been in hiding since the late 1980s.  After indicting Mughniyeh in the 1985 TWA hijacking, the US offered a $5 million dollar reward for information that would lead to his arrest.  In addition, Mughniyeh’s brother was killed in a bombing in Beirut in 1994 and reports suggest that Mughniyeh was the actual target.

Mughniyeh’s funeral will be held on February 14 in southern neighborhoods in Beirut.  Also, on February 14, the anti-Syrian majority leader Hariri will be leading a demonstration honoring his father, who was assassinated three years ago.  There are concerns that violence may result between individuals who attend the events.

For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Israel Blamed for Hezbollah Killing – 14 February 2008

Arab News – Hezbollah No. 2 Assassinated – 14 February 2008

Associated Press – Top Hezbollah Militant Killed in Syria – 13 February 2008

BBC – Hezbollah’s Most Secretive Operative – 13 February 2008

BBC – US Hails Hezbollah Leader’s Death – 13 February 2008

International Herald Tribune – Top Hezbollah Terrorist Killed in Car Bomb – 13 February 2008

Islamic Republic News Agency – Mughniyeh Assassination, Example of Israeli State Terrorism – 13 February 2008

Middle East Online – Senior Hezbollah commander killed in Syria – 13 February 2008

Middle East Times – Top Hezbollah Commander Assassinated – 13 February 2008

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BASRA, Iraq- A reporter and his translator were kidnapped at gunpoint in the Qasr al- Sultan Palace Hotel Sunday morning in Basra.  Two SUVs took the men to an unknown place. The men worked for the American television broadcasting channel, CBS.  CBS issued a statement that “[a]ll efforts are under way to find them” and for safety and privacy reasons CBS requested that no one would “speculate on the identity of those involved.” (New York Times)

However, a police source told an independent Iraqi news agency, Voices of Iraq, that the man kidnapped is Richard Butler. The British reporter is a free lance photographer who followed stories throughout the Middle East and Africa, according to his personal website.  He was one of the few photojournalists that covered the Baath party’s fall in early 2003.

The executive director of Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon, expressed his concern for the journalist.  “We are deeply concerned for the safety of our colleagues, and hope they are located swiftly and able to resume their important work covering this critical story.”

“Iraq is the most dangerous country in the world for journalists and the deadliest conflict for the press in recent history. Journalists face incalculable risks in order to bring us the news about what is happening on the ground there.” (AFP- Two CBS journalists missing in Iraq)

The protection of the press is very important.  The media’s presence can prevent some atrocities from possibly happening, because of the media’s immediate accountability.  Thus, it is essential for these men to be returned safely to their families in order to ensure that they and other reporters can safely continue their missions to prevent future unnecessary tragedies from happening.

For more information, please see:

ADNkronos International- Iraq:British Photographer kidnapped in Basra- 11 February 2008

AFP- Iraq launches hunt for kidnapped journalists- 12 February 2008

AFP- Two CBS journalists missing in Iraq- 12 February 2008

Aswat Aliraq (Voices of Iraq)-  British journalist, interpreter kidnapped in Basra-12 February 2008

Guardian Unlimited- British reporter kidnapped in Basra- 12 February 2008

Los Angeles Times- CBS News journalist, Iraqi translator abducted in Basra- 12 February 2008

New York Times- CBS Reports 2 Journalists Missing in Iraq- 12 February 2008

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Egypt’s highest civil court ruled on Saturday that 12 Coptic Christians who had converted to Islam could reconvert to Christianity. The decision was a happy ending to a bitter yearlong battle over the Egyptian government’s policy of discrimination against religious converts. Rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), however, believe the government should take further steps to cement religious freedom in Egypt.

The court overturned an April 2007 lower court decision that forbade the 12 Muslims from returning to Christianity because leaving Islam is considered apostasy in the predominantly Muslim state. Although there is no Egyptian law against converting from Islam to Christianity, conservative sentiment in recent years has led the government to forbid converts to return to Christianity. Interestingly, lower courts have ruled in favor of conversions in the past, but Saturday’s ruling was the first in a high court.

With its decision, the Coptic Christians are going to receive their ID cards – which all adults are required to carry in Egypt – properly identifying them as Christians. However, the court left the group vulnerable to discrimination by mandating their former religion be noted on official documents. Human Rights Watch and the EIPR warned the government that any such public reference could subject converts to social stigma and discrimination.

Also, Saturday’s ruling may not have widespread effect many are hoping for. Judge Mohammed el-Husseini said that the 12 should not be considered apostates since they were born Christian. Many interpret this ruling as the court’s attempt to limit its ruling on those converts who were born Christian and not lifelong Muslims. Therefore, the ruling will not necessarily bring change for other Muslims who wish to convert.

Still, Mamdouh Nakhlah, a lawyer who represented the 12, described the ruling as “victory for human rights and freedom of religion in Egypt.” “This will open the door for many others to return to Christianity,” he said.

Coptic Christians represent up to 10 percent of Egypt’s 76 million population. They are known to convert to bypass the strict rules of their church, which bans divorce or to marry a Muslim woman. Without the official ID cards, they cannot apply for jobs, buy property, open bank accounts or register their children in schools.

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Egyptian court allows return to Christianity – 11 February 2008

Compass Direct News – Converts win case but may face discrimination – 11 February 2008

Human Rights Watch – “Re-Conversion” decision is a welcome step – 11 February 2008

AFP – Egypt allows converts to revert to Christianity on ID – 9 February 2008

Associated Press – Egypt court upholds Christian conversion – 9 February 2008