CAIRO, Egypt – Human Rights Watch on Tuesday accused the Egyptian government of using torture and false confessions in a high-profile terrorism case in 2006.

In 74-page report “Anatomy of a State Security Case: The ‘Victorious Sect’ Arrests,” the rights group examines how 22 young Egyptians were tortured into making false confessions about their plan to carry out attacks on tourists and other civilian targets in Cairo. According to the report, there are indications that even the name of the group “Victorious Sect” was created by security agents who arrested them back in February and March 2006.

Although government prosecutors eventually dismissed all charges against the 22 detainees, 10 of them still remain in custody. The rights groups said those who were released are afraid to speak publicly for fear of exposing themselves or their co-defendants to further harassment by state intelligence agency. One of the 22 detainees who did speak out told Human Rights Watch that they were “beaten up with fists and sticks, and kicked around” and the authorities used electricity on different parts of the body, “including sensitive areas.”

For more information, please see:

New York Times – Rights group says Egypt used torture in terror case – 12 December 2007

Human Rights Watch – Torture and Coerced Confessions Used in High-Profile Terrorism Investigation – 11 December 2007

Unted Press International – Rights group Faults Egypt over arrests – 11 December 2007

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On the morning of December 12, a car bomb exploded and killed General Francois al-Hajj.  He had left his home in Baabda, a suburb of Beirut, minute earlier and was on his way to the Ministry of Defense when a parked car, filled with explosives, was triggered.  The Explosion left a crater two meters across and a meter deep and set fire to several cars nearby.  Hajj, his bodyguard, and his driver were killed in an explosion, which left a crater two meters across.

Hajj is the eighth assassination in Lebanon since former Prime Minister Hariri was killed in 2005.  However, this is the first attack on a high ranking member of the military.  The military is seen as neutral and as the only institution capable of maintaining peace and stability in Lebanon.  The attack has caused outrage amongst both pro-government and the Pro-Syrian opposition and both sides have condemned the attack.  So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack; however, one suspect has been detained.

Hajj was the chief of operations during this summer’s fifteen week battle against the Islamist militants in Nahr al-Bared refugee camp.  If General Suleiman is elected president, it was thought that Hajj would succeed Suleiman as the army’s chief of staff.

For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Lebanon Blast Kills Army General – 12 December 2007

The Associated Press – Car Bomb Kills General in Lebanon – 12 December 2007

BBC – Blast Kills Lebanon Army General – 12 December 2007

The Daily Star – General Among Four Killed in Lebanon Car Bomb – 12 December 2007

The Guardian – Lebanon Bomb Kills Senior General – 12 December 2007

Middle East Times – Bomb Strikes at Core of Lebanon Army – 12 December 2007

The New York Times – General Killed in Bomb Attack in Lebanon – 12 December 2007

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza – On December 11, Israeli tanks, accompanied by military aircraft and bulldozers, moved into southern Gaza.  Residents and Hamas members state that 30 tanks participated in the operation near the Sufa crossing.  According witnesses, the tanks pushed about 2 miles into Gaza and engaged Palestinian gunmen.  However, an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) spokesperson stated that only 10 tanks were involved.

As a result, an estimated four to six militants were killed in the operation; including members from the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees.  Palestinian medics report that twelve others were injured; three were injured critically and five seriously.  Also, four Israeli soldiers were “lightly” injured when their tanks was hit by an antitank missiles.  During the operation, the IDF went house-to-house and detained 60 Palestinians for questioning about Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

The Israeli government has down played the operation as a normal response to the constant rocket attacks launched from Gaza.  Israeli government spokesman, Mark Regev, claims that over 4,000 rockets have been launched from Gaza in the past few months.  Israel argues that the rocket attacks justify this “surgical incursion” into Gaza to destroy terrorist infrastructure.

Also, last week, Israel announced plans to build over 300 housing units in East Jerusalem.  In 2003, Israel promised to freeze development on occupied Palestinian territory.  However, Israel claims that they annexed East Jerusalem and thus the building is not contrary to international law.  Palestinians responded to the operation and the housing announcement with outrage. President Abbas’ spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdeneh, stated “the Israeli policy of escalation aims to sabotage and place obstacles before the negotiations even before they start.”

One result of the Annapolis conference was that Olmert and Abbas agreed to meet in the future and to negotiate a final peace agreement by 2008.  The first meeting between the two leaders is scheduled for December 12.

In addition to this operation in southern Gaza, an airstrike was carried out in northern Gaza.  It killed one member of the Islamic Jihad.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Israel Launches Gaza Incursion – 11 December 2007

BBC – Israeli Tanks Push Deep into Gaza – 11 December 2007

CNN – Six Dead in Israeli Attacks – 11 December 2007

International Herald Tribune – Israeli Army Attacks Southern Gaza Ahead of Talks – 11 December 2007

New York Times – Israeli Bulldozers Move into Gaza – 11 December 2007

Reuters – Israeli Ground Troop Kill Five in Gaza Strip – 11 December 2007

Times – Israeli Tanks in Gaza Threaten Peace Talks – 11 December 2007

Yedioth – Gaza Operation: 6 Militants Killed, 40 Interrogated – 11 December 2007

Bilal Hussein was arrested on April 12, 2006 by the U.S. military.  The military did not release the reason for his arrest, only citing that he had been linked to insurgent activities. Today, he was given a hearing at the Central Criminal Court of Iraq.  His lawyers were finally allowed to see some of the materials that the U.S. military used to arrest Hussein 20 months ago.

Although, Hussein was not formally charged with a crime, the military has stated their belief that he has been involved in multiple activities with terrorists.  The AP has released a statement stating that the allegations are untrue.  The case will be difficult for the defense because the court has ordered that none of the information used for the indictment can be removed from the courtroom, which will limit the defense team’s ability for discovery of the facts behind the allegations.

For more information, please see:

Washington Post- AP Photographer Gets First Hearing- 9 December 2007

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – An Iranian man has been hanged despite judicial order to stay the execution pending review of the case.

Makwan Mouloudzadeh, 20, was hanged for allegedly raping three teenage boys when he was 13 years old. The hanging took place on Wednesday morning at the prison in the western city of Kermanshah. Mouloudzadeh’s family was later told to come and pick up his body.

“On 11 November the head of the justice administration of Kermanshah received an order from the judiciary head, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, to stop the verdict being carried out,” said his lawyer, “but the case, which was supposed to be reviewed in Tehran, was sent back from there to Kermanshah, and the execution was carried out quickly.”

On May 2007, a Kermanshah court ordered Mouloudzadeh’s execution despite “a trial filled with irregularities.” During trial, all of his accusers withdrew their accusations against him and Mouloudzadeh himself testified that his confession to the crime was coerced by the police. The judge, however, did not accept their testimonies and tried Mouloudzadeh under the “crimes of chastity.”

“Crimes of chastity” such as rape is a capital offence in Iran, which also include murder, armed robbery, serious drug trafficking, apostasy, adultery and homosexual acts between men. Under Iranian law, judgments against rape are not subject to the regular appellate process, and are instead directly reviewed by the country’s Supreme Court.

Iran is notorious for executing juvenile offenders – persons under 18 at the time of the crime. Even though Iran is party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which bar the imposition of the death penalty to juvenile offenders, the Iranian government has already executed two others this year. So far, Iran has executed 27 minors since 1990.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Arbour rebukes Iran for hanging juvenile offender – 7 December 2007

BBC News – Iranian hanged after verdict stay – 6 December 2007

AFP – Young Iranian hanged despite judiciary order – 6 December 2007

Human Rights Watch – Prevent execution of juvenile offender – 5 December 2007

Human Rights Watch – Revoke death sentence in juvenile case – 3 November 2007