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

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On December 7 thousands of Iranian’s took to the streets and rallied against the government at universities throughout the country. The protests took place on Iran’s Student Day and were an effort coordinated by a number of opposition websites. The protests, which were focused on the controversial June presidential election, set off altercations between students and police around campuses. Protesters hurled rocks and set fires. Police officers and plain clothes Basij militia members were with tear gas, chains, truncheons and stun guns.

The Iranian government attempted to stop any chance of protests erupting on Student Day. The night before the protests government opponents shouted “Death to the Dictator” and “God is great” from their rooftops. Government officials attempted to kill off internet access on the eve of the protests. Additionally, authorities warned journalists working for foreign media to stay in their offices for three days. On the day of the protests Iranian authorities shut down the mobile phone network in the center of Tehran to stop opposition protesters from contacting each other.

Opposition leader, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s opponent in the disputed June presidential election, Mir-Hussein Moussavi announced his support for student demonstrations. He additionally stated on his website that the religious establishment couldn’t silence students and that they were losing legitimacy in the Iranian people’s minds. Former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has also thrown his support behind the opposition, accusing Iran’s hard-line rulers of silencing constructive criticism.

Clashes erupted during the Student Day protests as thousands of individuals filled the street. According to witnesses riot police fired tear gas and Basij militiamen charged the crowd as protesters chanted. The Basij beat protesters on the head and shoulders as the crowd scattered. The protesters also chanted against Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei has accused the opposition of creating opportunities for Iran’s enemies.

The protests mark the first major showing showing by the opposition in more than a month.  The BBC’s Jon Leyne claims that the main objective of the opposition is to keep their movement alive. Reports are that dozens of individuals have been arrested. The protests continued throughout the day. By nightfall a number of student groups held candlelight vigils for those arrested during the day.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Iran Police ‘Clash With Protesters’ – 7 December 2009

BBC – Iran Opposition Protesters Clash With Security Forces – 7 December 2009

Guardian – Iranian Police Use Tear Gas and Batons in Clash With Protesters – 7 December 2009

New York Times – Iranian Student Protesters Clash With Police – 7 December 2009

AP – Iran Chokes Off Internet on Eve of Student Rallies – 6 December 2009

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – On December 1, Dubai police arrested 247 people in a coordinated raid of 22 brothels.  Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim stated that 170 prostitutes, 12 pimps, and 65 people seeking to buy sexual services were arrested in the raid.  The operation was a joint effort between the Criminal Investigation Department and state security.  Investigation began after the Attorney General received reports of the ring running these brothels.  After he received final reports, the Attorney General ordered the raid.  The suspects will be referred to Public Prosecution for charges of prostitution.

The illegal sex industry is run mostly by foreigners who smuggle women from their own country.  Majority of these women are promised jobs as domestic workers, yet when they arrive, they are forced into the sex trade.  Tamim also encouraged women who are victims of human trafficking to contact the Al Ameen service (provided by the General Department of State Security).

In November 2006, the UAE passed a law prohibiting human trafficking.  The law established a state body to combat trafficking.  Under the law, human trafficking is punishable by life imprisonment, or, if the victim is less than 15 years of age, the death penalty.  In 2006, an estimated 4,300 victims of human trafficking were deported from the UAE and returned to their home country.  It is expected that most of the women arrested in the raids will not be charged, but rather deported.

For more information, please see:

Arab Times – Dubai police smash prostitution ring – 5 December 2007

Associated Press – Dubai police crack prostitution ring – 5 December 2007

BBC – Dubai authorities smash vice ring – 5 December 2007

Gulf News – Police smash huge prostitution ring – 5 December 2007

Reuters – Dubai police make biggest prostitution bust – 5 December 2007

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain- On March 30, 2006, 58 passengers died of the coast of Bahrain when the Al Dana boat sank.  The passengers were partying following the completion of the first level of the Bahrain World trade centers.

Allegedly, the owner and captain of the boat knew about the instability, because the boat rocked so much previous to the launch that day that some wine glasses had tipped.Some of the passengers disembarked before the launch.  The boat capsized an hour and a half later.  Some of the 150 passengers were saved.  It was also alleged that the crew when determining who to save typically chose the foreigners over the Bahrainis.

The captain and owner of the ship were initially charged with manslaughter regarding the deaths of the 50 people.  However, the defendants appealed the ruling that was supposed to come out on December 3, 2007.   The captain of the ship was given three years in prison for manslaughter and the owner was given 10 years of manslaughter.  The owner has claimed that he was made the scapegoat of the action when he appealed.  The court was responsive to his claim and reduced to five years.

The victims’ families complained, citing their confusion that the man held for manslaughter of 58 people could have his sentence reduced from ten years down to five years.  The owner has offered 20,000 dirhams ($2,582.52) to compensate the families.

The victims view on whether they will accept the money is varied.  A woman reported as being desperately waiting to receive the money because her husband who had provided her income had died on the tragedy.  A young woman orphaned by the tragedy had said that by accepting money she would be stating that she was acquiescing with the death of her parents.

Although, the families have differed whether they will accept the money, the family members agree that the amount of money that is being offered as a compensation for the death of their relative is insulting.

For more information, please see:

BBC News- Many die in Bahrain boat disaster- 31 March 2006

BBC News- Bahrain boat death was ‘unsteady’- 26 October 2006

Gulf Daily News- Victims relatives shocked- 4 December 2007

Gulf Daily News- I am a scapegoat says dhow owner- 5 December 2007

Gulf Daily News- Al Dana appeal ruling denied- 22 November 2007

Gulf Daily News- BD 1.5m insult!- 28 November 2007