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

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Senior Desk Officer Impunity Watch, Middle East

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq- Turkey has decided to use air strikes to attack the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) in Iraq.  The PKK is a militia seeking an independent Kurdish state.  The attack followed the deterioration of diplomatic discussion between Turkey and Iraq, because the Turks believed that their interests regarding the PKK would not be fully represented through diplomacy.  However, the action by the Turks also shows its desire to avoid a full scale invasion of the northern Iraq, because a full scale invasion could be very damaging to Turkey.

Turkish helicopters raided suspected hideouts of the PKK.  The Kurds have stated that the raids have not affected the PKK militia but rather only hit abandoned houses and shacks.  The earliest reports also seem to indicate that no one was killed in the initial attacks.  The Turkish military must try to avoid to collateral casualties, because it must not allow the PKK to incite the 14 million Kurds in Turkey to join an independence movement.

Prime Minister Erdogan has been under constant Turkish pressure to respond to the PKK’s attacks on the Turkish military.  In the month of October, 48 Turkish soldiers were killed by PKK attacks.  As the death toll increased, the Turkish government has come under increased pressure by the Turks to take action to prove that the Turkish army can act independently to protect its soldiers.  The Turkish government seems to be somewhat reluctant about this aerial attack is a reluctant attack, because it understands that the destabilization of the region could undermine Turkey’s chances to enter the European Union.

The limited aerial strike seems to be a good solution for Turkey.  It will enable the Turkish government to show it citizens that it values its soldiers.  Also, assuming the number of Kurdish casualties are limited, the aerial strikes will not enable the PKK to garner the support that it needs to engage in a full secessionist movement.  Aerial strikes should not destabilize the region too much either, which will ensure that the number of casualties in the region will be very limited.  However, the strike will only be successful if it calms down the warmongers in Turkey and does not turn into a full scale invasion.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press- Turkish Helicopters Strike Inside Iraq- 13 November 2007

Economist- Back from the brink?- 22 October 2007

Economist- Iraq’s Kurdish leader in a bind- 8 November 2007

MSNBC News- Turkish air strikes inside Iraq- 13 November 2007

New York Times- Turkish Aircraft Attack Abandoned Iraqi Villages- 13 November 2007

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – On November 20, Jordanians will vote for a new Parliament.  This election was to be a show-case of the country’s dedication to become more democratic.  However, fear of Islamic movements, such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, and of secular liberal political parties, caused the government to drop many reforms planned for this election.  Fear of a growing Islamic movement caused the Jordanian government to delay some electoral reforms, to the disadvantage of liberal and moderate secular parties or those advocating greater Palestinian rights.

Many critics already allege that the government is interfering with the election or will use illegal tactics employed in past elections.  At the end of October, the government approved a list of more than 900 individuals who may run in the election.  The authorities banned Toujan al-Faisal from running for Parliament.  Al-Faisal is a former MP and an outspoken critic against government corruption.

Jordanian election laws prohibit an individual from being a candidate if they are committed a crime, unless it was political, and if they were sentenced to more than one year in prison.  This criminal record is erased after five years the sentence is completed.  In 2002, al-Faial was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in jail for “harming the state’s dignity” when she accused a former prime minister and his cabinet of financial corruption.  After serving 100 days of her sentenced, she was pardoned by King Abdullah II.  Since al-Faisal did not serve her entire sentence, the government claims that she is ineligible to run for Parliament.  Al-Faisal stated, “here, the head of a corrupt government decides who can and cannot run for office.  They want a Parliament that won’t hold the government accountable for corruption.”  She accused the government of “hand-picking” its opposition.

Another group that is unhappy about the current election regulation is the Muslim Brotherhood, which is represented in Jordanian politics by the Islamic Action Force (IAF).  The group finds most of its support in urban areas and among Jordan’s naturalized Palestinian population.  The IAF is the main opposition party and in the last parliamentary election, in 2003, it won 17 seats in the 110 seat parliament.

The IAF claims that current election laws and practice prevent a truly democratic result.  The districts are gerrymandered so that representatives in the urban areas, which are 50 to 60 percent Palestinian, represent around 95,000 people.  However, legislators of rural areas each represent about 2,000 individuals.  The IAF also claim that pro-government parties bus individuals, such as soldiers, to election districts where the race is tight and so that their candidate wins.

Ever since Hamas’ victory in the Palestinians elections and their violent take over of Gaza, Jordanian officials have expressed concerns over the degree of freedom granted.  IAF’s former secretary general, Hamza Mansour, uses language and ideas that are similar to those of Hamas. Officials fear similar sanctions or instability will occur in Jordan if Islamists win a majority, or even a substantial minority, in Parliament.  A supporter of a pro-government candidate, Ahmed Saffadi, stated “we have democracy, but we do not want it to go to the extent where radical people could rule the country.”  Another supporter claimed that the conditions would not allow for more freedom, but rather the wisest and safest move would be to encourage stability.

For more information, please see:
Jordan Times – Elections watch – 12 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Jordan backtracks on electoral law – 11 November 2007

New York Times – Jordan, fearing Islamists, tightens grip on elections – 11 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Jordan’s first woman MP ruled ineligible to contest upcoming elections – 23 October 2007

GAZA CITY, Gaza – On November 12, Palestinians celebrated the life of Yasser Arafat.  In Gaza City, several thousand Fatah supporters took part in the biggest rally organized by Fatah since Hamas took-over in June.  While public gatherings are banned by Hamas, they did not act to prevent the rally.  However, members of Hamas’€™ security force, the Executive Force, were positioned around the rally.

During the rally, weapons were fired.  The BBC reports that five people were killed and over a hundred wounded as members of Hamas’ Executive Force fired at the protesters.  According to the Associated Press, five people were killed and at least 31 injured; three critically.  Eyewitnesses report that members of the Executive Force detained protesters following the incident.

Hamas officials state that members of the Executive Force fired as a result of protesters throwing stones at them.  They also claim that militants affiliated with Fatah were on the rooftops and were firing at the crowd.

For more information, please see:

AFP -€“ Deadly gunfire at massive Arafat rally in Gaza -€“ 12 November 2007

Al Jazeera – Five dead in Gaza rally shootings – 12 November 2007

Associated Press – Hamas, Fatah supporters clash in Gaza – 12 November 2007

BBC – Five die at Arafat rally in Gaza -€“ 12 November 2007

Reuters – Five dead in gunfire at Fatah rally in Gaza – 12 November 2007