By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – A recent report jointly issued by Human Rights Watch and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights has raised concerns over Egyptian violation of freedom of religion. In “Prohibited Identities: State Interference with Religious Freedom,” they document the Egyptian government’s discriminatory practice of restricting identity to three religions when citizens are required to identify their faith on government documents. Such requirement causes violation of many rights and immense hardship to members of minority faiths such as Bahai as well as converts from Islam by forcing them to lie about their true belief.

In Egypt, all Egyptians over 16 must carry Identification card showing religious affiliation. But the Civil Status Department of the Interior Ministry has limited the choice of affiliation to one of the three recognized religions – Islam, Christianity, or Judaism. Even though no Egyptian law gives the officials the power to authorize such requirement, they had acted on their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.

Without the Identification card, minorities and converts face enormous problems in everyday life including education and employment. For example, it would deny a person’s ability to conduct transactions as basic as opening a bank account, getting a driver’s license, entering a university, getting a job, or collecting a pension. In addition, it may also affect one’s ability to educate children.

Consequently, the 98-page report highlights many who complained that they have been designated as Muslims against their will. While some just get their identification cards listing them as Muslims, others are intimidated or bribed by Interior Ministry officials to identify themselves as Muslims against their express wishes.

“Ministry of Interior officials apparently believe they have the right to choose someone’s religion when they don’t like the religion that person chooses,” said Human Rights Watch’s Joe Stork. “The Interior Ministry’s policy essentially says: ‘If you lie we’ll give you the documents you need, but if you tell the truth about your religion we’ll make your life miserable by withholding them’,” he said.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Egypt ID cards sentence minorities to non-life – 12 November 2007

Human Rights Watch – Allow citizens to list actual religion on ID cards – 12 November 2007

Reuters – Egypt denies ID papers to Baha’is, converts – 12 November 2007

BBC News – Egypt ‘denies minority beliefs’ – 12 November 2007

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi courts doubled the punishment of a rape victim in a verdict delivered on November 14.  The Saudi court in Qatif sentenced the young woman to 200 lashes and six months in prison for violating a segregation law, which forbids unrelated men and women from associating with each other.  She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes, but the punishment was increased on appeal for what the court termed, “her attempt to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media.”

The court also banned the woman’s lawyer, Abdul Rahman al-Lahem  a famous human rights lawyer in Saudi Arabia, from defending her.  Lahem had his license to practice law confiscated and is required to report to a disciplinary hearing later this month.  Lahem had publicly criticized the previous verdict – claiming that the woman’s sentence was too harsh and that her attackers’ sentences were too lenient.

Following an appeal, the Saudi court increased the sentences against her attackers to two to nine years in prison – for an offense that carries the possible punishment of death.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Saudi gang rape sentence “unjust” – 16 November 2007

New York Times – Ruling jolts even Saudis: 200 Lashes for Rape Victim – 16 November 2007

Reuters – Saudi court orders lashes, prison for rape victim – 16 November 2007

AFP – Saudi punishes gang rape victim with 200 lashes – 15 November 2007

AHN – 19-year old rape victim in Saudi Arabia sentenced to 200 lashes – 15 November 2007

Arab News – Qatif Court convicts rape victim – 15 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Report: court hands jail term, doubles lashes for woman victim of gang rape – 15 November 2007

By Nykoel Dinardo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

NEW YORK, New York – The Coalition for the International Criminal Court, CICC, has named Kuwait as its target country for October 2008.  CICC is urging Kuwait to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the treaty which created the first international court capable of trying individuals for crimes such as genocide and crimes against humanity.  In a letter to Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait on October 1, CICC asked that ratification is made a priority.

According to the CICC, Kuwait has a growing number of human rights organizations; ratifying the Rome Statute would solidify Kuwait’s dedication to international justice.  There are currently over 300 active Coalition member organizations throughout the Gulf region.

There is also a movement within Kuwait.  The Kuwaiti Coalition for the International Criminal Court has made a draft ratification proposal to submit to the Kuwaiti legislature.  Last year, the Kuwait Bar Association (KBA) hosted a meeting about the ICC and the Gulf States.   At the meeting, members of the International Criminal Bar came to give lectures and encourage members of the KBA to become more involved.

Currently, 108 countries have ratified the Rome Statute.  However, in the CICC’s Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA), there are only 3 member states, Jordan, Djibouti, and the Comoros Islands.  Eleven MENA countries have signed the treaty and the CICC hopes to encourage each of these countries to become full ratifying members.

In a statement to the KBA, Hussain Al-Hereti, the Secretary of the National Assembly, encouraged Kuwait to become a member of the ICC.  However, he explained that at least one Kuwaiti parliament member is worried that ratifying will open Kuwaiti Amir to trial in the ICC.  Al-Hereti said that this should not be a concern as the Amir will never commit a war crime so would not be tried.

For more information, please see:

Kuwait Times – Kuwait Urged to Ratify ICC Treaty – 9 October 2008

Coalition for the International Criminal Court – Global Coalition Urges Kuwait to Ratify ICC Treaty – 12 November 2007

Kuwait Times – Lawyers Urge Kuwait to Become ICC Member – 26 March 2007

Coalition for the International Criminal Court –  Issues and Campaigns: Kuwait

Coalition for the International Criminal Court – List of Ratifying Parties

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA CITY, Gaza – Hamas policemen in Gaza, arrested dozens of Fatah members following an outbreak of violence during a rally organized by Fatah.  Over 200,000 Palestinians participated in the rally, the largest show of public support for Fatah since the Hamas take over in June.  The rally ended in violence, when Hamas policemen opened fire and killed at least 6 people, all civilians.  Hamas claims that Fatah gunmen fired on members of Hamas’ Executive Force and the police were just returning fire.  However, in an unusually critical statement by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), the organization reported that members of Hamas provoked the violence by driving their car into groups of demonstrators.  This action caused the demonstrators to throw stones at the police and to shout “Shia, Shia”, a derogatory reference to Hamas’ support from Iran.

Even, the Islamic Jihad criticized the excessive use of force.  Nafez Azzam, leader of the Islamic Jihad, stated that “despite all the political differences, it is forbidden and taboo to open fire randomly on a mass popular demonstration.

Fatah and most news sources report that over 400 Fatah loyalists were arrested later on Monday.  However, Hamas reports that 50 individuals were detained and dozens more asked to come in for questioning.  Hamas’ spokesperson stated that the individuals were not detained for their political affiliation, but rather because they were the one who organized the rally and are “suspected of being responsible for the chaos that took place.”

PCHR also criticized Hamas’ actions following the outbreak of violence at the rally.  For instance, it reported that members of the Hamas’ police force chased and beat rally participants with batons; members of the media were attacked and had their cameras confiscated; and the use of force against a funeral procession later on November 12, injuring three.

In addition to the arrests, Hamas is also enacting harsh restriction on the members of the media, detaining those without an official Hamas-issued press card.  However, in order to acquire a Hamas-issued press card, the news organization must consent to vague bans on which stories may be reported on.  Hamas justified the restrictions by stating that during the violence following the rally, journalists were seen using their cameras not to report the news, but for the benefit of political parties.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Hamas round up Fatah members – 14 November 2007

Chicago Tribune – Activists for Fatah detained – 14 November 2007

Guardian – Fatah loyalists held by Hamas after rally – 14 November 2007

Independent – Mourning families in Gaza blame Hamasfor deaths at rally – 14 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Hamas widens crackdown with new press restrictions – 14 November 2007

Associated Press – Hamas cracks down after deadly violence – 13 November 2007

BBC – Fatah members rounded up in Gaza – 13 November 2007

London Times – Hamas carries out mass arrests and puts down Gaza schoolgirl demo – 13 November 2007

New York Times – Hamas arrests Fatah supporters – 13 November 2007

Palestinian Center for Human Rights – PCHR condemns excessive and lethal use of force against civilians in Gaza – 13 November 2007

AFP – Hamas cracks down on Fatah after deadly rally – 12 November 2007

CNN – Fatah: mass arrests follow Gaza violence – 12 November 2007

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Senior Desk Officer Impunity Watch, Middle East

TBILSI, Georgia-  The city court has a suspended a local TV company’s broadcast license. The court stated that the company’s coverage of unrest in the city of Tsibili on November 7, 2007 was driven by the company’s desire to overthrow the government.

The television station, Imedi, decided to air a statement of Badri Patarkatsishvili, a co-owner of the station.  The court ruled that the statement included calls for the people of Georgia to overthrow the government inciting possible violence.

Insiders involved with News Corp., the Robert Murdoch group that controls Imedi TV, have called the allegations that Imedi TV is possibly involved in a coup of the government “ridiculous.”  (Civil Georgia)  Imedi TV has pledged to appeal ruling to higher courts to overturn the city court’s ruling.

Georgia is currently involved in a state of emergency following the riots that began November 2.  The protesters had four demands for the government  “(1) conduct parliamentary elections in spring 2008, instead of late 2008; (2) create new election administrations with representatives from political parties; (3) change the current majoritarian election system – a first-past-the-post, winner takes all system; and (4) release political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.”  (Transparency International)

On November 7, the crowd was dispersed by riot police with tear gas.  More than 500 people had to seek medical attention from injuries sustained through the tear gas.

The Georgian government has treated the protest as an attempted coup.  Thus it has placed the country in a state of an emergency for the last week.  The government has reported that it will lift the state of emergency Friday, November 15.

Although the situation seems to be calming down, the fact that the government has shut down the main opposition news network is disconcerting, because the news agency is a necessary check for the government.

For more information, please see:

Civil Georgia Online Magazine- Court Suspends Imedi’s TV Broadcast License-14 November 2007

Radio Free Europe- Criticism Mounting Over Georgia’s State Of Emergency- 8 November 2007

Russia Today- Tbilisi court suspends opposition TV license- 15 November 2007

Today’s Zaman- Georgia to lift emergency, TV stays off the air- 15 November 2007

Transparency International- Transparency International Georgia Comments on Events of November 7, 2007 in Tbilisi- 8 November 2007