By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – On November 20, Jordan voters went to the polls to elect a new parliament.  Only six of the 22 candidates from the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, won their contested seat.  In the previous election, 17 IAF candidates won and it was expected that a similar number would win again on Tuesday’s election.

The IAF accused the government of election fraud and vote-rigging, which resulted in the election of pro-government candidates.  Government officials admit that 17 individuals were arrested on suspicion of interfering with the election.  Of those, two were arrested on suspicion of vote-buying.  IAF alleged that the electoral monitoring system failed, which allowed election fraud to take place.  Also, the IAF accused the government of bussing in unregistered voters into various polling stations.

IAF’s spokesman, Jamil Abu Bak, stated, “this is an electoral massacre… violations by far exceeded even the last elections… it will have harmful repercussions on the country’s political progress.”  Bak claimed that according to IAF’s own pollings indicated that 16 of its candidates should have won and demanded that in the areas where IAF’s candidates won according to IAF results.  Bak points to Narqa, a strong hold for Islamist support, where the IAF’s candidate did not win.

In addition, the voter turnout was lower, particularly in Amman (about 29%).  In the rest of the country voting levels were about 55% of registered voters.  Higher percentages of voters in rural areas voted, than those from urban areas.  Jordan has a system of proportional representation – which results in people in rural areas being better represented that those in urban areas.  Most people voted according to tribal or family lines, rather than for a specific party.  In addition, some polling stations were kept open two hours longer than others, just so that more people could vote.

For more information, please see:

AFP – US praises Jordan election – 21 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Setback for Jordan’s Islamic Front – 21 November 2007

Associated Press – Allies of Jordan’s king win elections – 21 November 2007

BBC – Jordan Islamists claim poll fraud – 21 November 2007

Reuters – Islamists lose seats in Jordan elections – 21 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Jordan opposition cries foul – 20 November 2007

A 19 year old woman was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison in Saudi Arabia, because she was in a car with men who gang raped her.  She was initially given 90 lashes, but her penalty was increased.  The cause for the increase in her sentence was that she sought help from the media.  The extra 110 lashes were a direct penalty for questioning the judicial system.

The male who was kidnapped alongside the woman faced similar penalties.  The man had allegedly been trying to blackmail the woman with a photo of hers when the two were abducted and the woman was raped.

However, the appeal did increase the punishment of the men who committed the crime from two years to nine years.  The attackers could have faced the death penalty.

Concurrently her lawyer, Abdulrahman al-Lahim, had his license revoked by the judiciary for appealing the case and approaching the media.  The woman’s lawyer is seeking to have his license reinstated and also seeking a reprieve from King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to clear the woman of all punishments.

For more information, please see:

CNN- Saudi lawyer in rape victim plea- 20 November 2007

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

UNITED STATES- The U.S. military has recommended charges against an Iraqi photographer employed the Associated Press for being linked to insurgents.  Bilal Hussein was part of the AP photo group that won a Pulitzer prize in 2005.

Bilal Hussein has been held by the US military without charges for the last 19 months.  The military has refused to inform Hussein of his alleged conduct or present its for holding Hussein.

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell cited that “new evidence has come to light” regarding Hussein, which caused the government to formally bring charges now.  (AP)  However, the government has remained silent regarding the exact charge crimes.   Instead, Morrell stated that the military has “convincing and irrefutable evidence that Bilal Hussein is a threat to stability and security in Iraq as a link to insurgent activity” and asserted that Hussein was “a terrorist operative who infiltrated the AP.”  (AP)

However, the AP has rejected the Government’s assertions of convincing and irrefutable evidence.  The Associate General Counsel for the AP responded, “That’s what the military has been saying for 19 months, but whenever we ask to see what’s so convincing we get back something that isn’t convincing at all.”  (AP)

AP President and CEO Tom Curly asserted that Hussein should be immediately released, because Hussein has been denied due process of law.  “The steps the U.S. military is now taking continue to deny Bilal his right to due process and, in turn, may deny him a chance at a fair trial. The treatment of Bilal represents a miscarriage of the very justice and rule of law that the United States is claiming to help Iraq achieve.”  (Reuters)

Hussein’s defense lawyer has also raised the difficulty of creating a viable defense.  The classified evidence against Hussein is inaccessible for the defense lawyer until the trial, which handicaps the defense lawyer.  However, even if Hussein wins the case and is released it does not bar the defense military from further detaining Hussein as a security risk.

For more information, please see:

AP- US Plans Case Against AP photographer- 20 November 2007

Reuters- US seeks charges against AP photographer in Iraq- 19 November 2007

CNN- News photographer in Iraq accused of insurgent ties- 19 November 2007

BBC News- Iraq reporter faces terror charge- 20 November 2007

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

NABLUS, West Bank – In the beginning of November, Palestinian Authority began to take steps to consolidate control over security in the West Bank.  The Palestinian president, Abbas, is cracking down on militant organizations within the West Bank to demonstrate that he will be able to enforce a future peace agreement made with Israel.  This effort, while occurring across the West Bank, has focused on Nablus, a city notorious for its lawlessness.

Nablus, which is the West Bank’s second largest city, and several surrounding refugee camps are strongholds for militant groups such as Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade.  With Israel’s approval, Abbas deployed more than 300 members of the Palestinian National Security Forces, along with guns, ammunition, and cars, to the city.  Since the beginning of November, the bolstered police force in Nablus have been making near daily arrests.

During the course of the past few weeks, the Palestinian National Security Forces have arrested members of Hamas, Abu Mustafa Brigades (the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)), and al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (the militant wing of Fatah).  On November 18, Palestinian police forces entered el-Ain refugee camp near Nablus and arrested several members of the Abu Mustafa Brigades, thought to be responsible for several attacks against Israeli military.

In addition to an increase in Palestinian security operations, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continues to carry out near daily operations in the West Bank.  In recent weeks, IOF operations occurred through out the West Bank resulting in several arrests.  Conflicting reports exists as to whether the Palestinian and Israeli forces are working together or separately.  However, Palestinian officials report that these operations are separate from the actions of the IOF and that the IOF operations are detrimental to Palestinian interests.

For more information, please see:

International Middle East Media Center – Israeli army kidnaps five civilians across West Bank – 19 November 2007

International Middle East Media Center – Seven Hamas members arrested across West Bank – 19 November 2007

WAFA – IOF arrests 10 citizens allover West Bank – 19 November 2007

International Middle East Media Center – PFLP’s armed brigades warn of PA crackdown – 18 November 2007

Yedioth – PA security forces carry out mass arrests in Nablus – 18 November 2007

Yedioth – Fayyad threatens al-Aqsa it must cooperate with PA security plan – 14 November 2007

AFP – Security returns to post-gangland Nablus – 13 November 2007

International Middle East Media Center – Security forces kidnap 10 Hamas members – 12 November 2007

Reuters – Palestinian PM vows crack down on outlaws – 11 November 2007

New York Times – Volatile city tests Palestinian police – 8 November 2007

Associated Press – Palestinian police seal refugee camp – 5 November 2007

New York Times – Palestinians clash in West Bank – 5 November 2007

Reuters – Palestinians force enters Nablus in security drive – 2 November 2007

Associated Press – Chaotic Nablus: Testing ground for Abbas – 25 October 2007

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – Homosexuals deserve torture and execution, an Iranian leader told British MPs during a private meeting at a peace conference. (Times Online)

Mohsen Yahyavi is the highest-ranking official to admit that Iran believes in the death penalty for homosexuality. When the British MPs during the meeting raised questions about public hanging of two boys in Mashhad, Iran widely reported back in 2005, the leader of the Iranian delegation said, “if homosexual activity is in private there is no problem, but those in overt activity should be executed.” (Times Online) He argued that “homosexuality is against human nature and that humans are here to reproduce. Homosexuals do not reproduce.” (Times Online)

Rights groups in Britain regularly challenge Iran about its gay hangings, stoning and executions of adulterers and perceived moral criminals. Furthermore, rights group such as Outrage! accuses Iran of cloaking executions for homosexuality with bogus charges for more serious crimes.

This policy is especially troublesome in light of the fact that an Iranian man accused of raping three boys were almost executed this week despite of retractions from his accusers. Fortunately, a court stepped in this time and a judge stopped the execution because he believed, without further elaboration, it was against Iran’s Islamic Sharia law. The 20-year-old Makwan Mouloudzadeh was 13 when the alleged rape happened.

Other countries that apply the death penalty for homosexuality include Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Nigeria, according to the International Lesbian and Gay Association.

Sharia “lawbreakers”

— Homosexuals Farbod Mostaar and Ahmad Chooka sentenced to death. Iran said Chooka had kidnapped, knifed and raped a student.

— A woman called Soghra was sentenced to stoning for adultery and being an accomplice to her husband’s murder.

— Two men executed in public after being found guilty of a homosexual relationship. A newspaper said they were convicted of sodomy, rape and kidnapping.

— Zhila Izadi, 13, sentenced to stoning after becoming pregnant with her brother’s child.

— Malek Ghorbany sentenced to stoning for adultery.

— Leila Qomi sentenced to stoning for adultery and assisting a man who killed her husband. He received 100 lashes.

— Jafar Kiana stoned for adultery. His female lover Mokarrameh Ebrahimi sentenced to the same fate.

Source: Foreign and Commonwealth Office documents released under Freedom of Information Act

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Iran reviews execution for accused teenage rapist – 17 November 2007

Gulf News – Iran reviews execution for accused teenage rapist – 17 November 2007

Times Online- Gays should be hanged, says Iranian minister – 13 November 2007

Fox News – Gays deserve torture, death penalty, Iranian minister says – 13 November 2007