By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – On November 7, Peace Now, an Israeli NGO, released a report on development of illegal settlements in Occupied Palestinians Territories (OPT).  The report stated that, according to government statistics, the settler population is now 267,500; showing an annual growth of 5.8%.  This is more than three times the annual growth of Israel (1.8%).

The settlements are viewed as a violation of international law, which prohibits occupiers from populating occupied land.  Expansion of settlements is underway, despite Israel’s claims of a “settlement freeze” and its obligations under the US-backed “road-map” to dismantle unauthorized outposts built since March 2001.  According to the report, in 34 unauthorized outposts permanent structures are being built and construction is underway in 88 authorized settlements.  Most of the large projects are being built in settlements located in the West Bank, but on the Israeli side of the Separation Barrier, especially in settlements near East Jerusalem, the Ma’ale Adumim bloc, the Gush Etzion bloc, and Giv’at Ze’ev bloc

The report on the continued settlement expansions has several implications regarding the upcoming peace conference scheduled for later this month.  The settlements are a key issue for Palestinians, who want their future state to include all of the West Bank.  The settlements threaten the continuity of the West Bank, breaking it up into two portions, and will cut it off from East Jerusalem.  Peace Now’s director, Yariv Oppenheimer, said that “if you want to have a two-state solution then you can’t continue to expand settlements.”  The continued expansion of settlements makes an already difficult discussion of borders more difficult.

The report:
Peace Now – Construction in settlements continues – 7 November 2007

For more information, please see:
Telegraph – Israeli settlers increasing in West Bank – 8 November 2008

Al Jazeera – Jewish settler outposts “expanding” – 7 November 2007

Associated Press – Israeli watchdog: Settlements growing – 7 November 2007

BBC – West Bank settlements “expanding” – 7 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Israel talks peace, but expanding settlement hurts prospects for Palestinian state – 7 November 2007

Jerusalem Post – Peace Now: settlements are expanding – 7 November 2007

International Middle East Media Center – Report: Illegal Israeli settlements rapidly expanding – 7 November 2007

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Torture is endemic in Egypt. In less than a week, two separate incidents of Egyptian torture have surfaced on media, raising concerns over the country’s current human rights condition.

On Monday, an Egyptian court jailed two police officers for three years each for torturing a bus driver during police custody. Although a trial featuring police officers accused of torture was nothing new in Egypt, it was the first case involving a video that was circulated on the Internet.

In January 2006, Emad el-Kebir was detained for trying to stop an argument between his cousin and a policeman. Following his release, he was arrested again and was jailed for three months after a judge found him guilty of resisting arrest. El-Kabir later filed a complaint about his mistreatment during detention.

In November 2006, several Egyptian bloggers posted a video, which also later appeared on the popular video-sharing site YouTube, showing el-Kebir naked from the waist down being sodomized with a stick. As he screamed in pain, the officers ridiculed him. He was also hit with shoes, a whip, and a gun. The video was apparently filmed by the assailants on a mobile phone, and was circulated in order to intimidate others.

El-Kabir, who was in court to hear the verdicts against officers Islam Nabih and Reda Fathi, rejoiced the ruling. “God is great! Thank God!” he shouted. “I regained my right. I don’t want anything more than that.”

Torture is widespread in Egypt because suspects are often held in incommunicado for long time and police interrogations take place without restraint. A few days after el-Kebir’s victory, a man’s body was found on the street in Giza. He had been tortured by police for three days, and eventually died.

The Egyptian authorities deny all allegations of systematic torture in the country and insist that these cases are isolated incidents.

For More information, please see:

BBC News – Egyptian man dies ‘after torture’ – 7 November 2007

News 24 – Man dies after police torture – 7 November 2007

Human Rights Watch – Police officer get three years for beating, raping detainee – 7 November 2007

Associated Press – 2 cops sentenced for torture – 5 November 2007

BBC News – Egypt police jailed for torture – 5 November 2007

Egyptian Ahmed Saber Saad died Tuesday in a Giza hospital.  Saad was admitted to the hospital because of wounds he incurred during the police’€™s three day interrogation of him.  After the police’€™s interrogation, the police dumped Saad off near the Pyramids.

An official at the scene reported that Saad €œwas unconscious with wounds and bruises all over his body when some locals found him and took him to a hospital.€  (International Herald Tribune)   Egypt’€™s prosecutor general has ordered an immediate investigation into interrogation of Saad.

For more information, please see:

International Herald Tribune- Officials: Egyptian feared tortured by police, found near Giza Pyramids, dies- 6 November 2007

New York Times (AP)- Egypt: Police Officers Guilty of Torture- 6 November 2007

Two mass grave sites were found through a joint effort by Iraqi soldiers and American forces.  The larger grave site had “22 partially decomposed corpses.”  (Gulf News)   The bodies were probably buried at different periods throughout the year since some of the corpses had on summer clothing, while others wore winter clothing.  Another grave site was found nearby containing eight people, including at least two Iraqi soldiers.  The corpses were found in the Lake Tharthar region, which is northwest of Baghdad.  The Iraqi military responded to the discovery by detaining 30 suspects in the region, which had been a former Al-Qaida stronghold.

For more information, please see:

Gulf News- 30 bodies found in mass graves near Baghdad- 6 November 2007

Albawaba- Maliki tours Baghdad as 22 bodies found- 6 November 2007

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – On October 31, Saudi authorities beheaded 5 men convicted of rape and murder, and on November 1, Saudi authorities beheaded 3 men convicted of three separate murders.  Also, on November 2, an Egyptian man convicted of “sorcery” was beheaded.  These executions followed King Abdullah’s visit to the UK which was met by protest.  Individuals and human rights groups protested the king’s visit to the UK because of the numerous human rights violations that occur in Saudi Arabia – specifically the state’s oppression of women, political activists, and religious minorities; treatment of foreign workers; and the state’s implementation of the death penalty (especially against minors).

In Saudi Arabia, those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape, and armed robbery are executed in public with a sword.  However, according to Amnesty International, these convictions are often based on confessions which result from “torture, duress, and deception.”  According to human rights groups, nearly 130 executions have occurred in 2007; more than three times the amount in all of 2006.  Also, in many cases, even capital ones, the defendants do not have formal representation by a lawyer.  Arrests and detentions are often arbitrary and the court proceeding kept secret.  Also, according to official Saudi records, over 3,000 political detainees are being held without being charged.

On October 24, New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark, made a failed appeal to the Saudi Government to pardon Hadi Ali Suliaman al-yami, a brother of Saudi studying in New Zealand.  Meshel Ali Suliaman, made an appeal to Amnesty International at 3pm, after finding out that his brother was to be executed at 6pm.  Hadi Ali Suliaman al-yami was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for helping a friend escape from jail.  His sentence was changed to death a few days before his execution.  No reason for the change has been discovered.

Protestors called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to pressure King Abdullah to make reforms.  However, according to the king, reforms are being made.  Last month, King Abdullah announced that the penal code would be put in writing.  Human rights groups hold that such a reform will only be constructive if it puts in writing what acts the Sharia (religious law) and Saudi government deem criminal and sets out clear sentencing guidelines, instead of relying on the judge’s discretion.

For more information, please see:
AHN – Saudi Authorities behead 8 convicted men in two days – 2 November 2007

Reuters – Saudi executes Egyptian for practicing “witchcraft” – 2 November 2007

BBC – Saudis behead three more convicts – 1 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Saudi beheads 2 Saudis, Yemeni for murders – 1 November 2007

Associated Press – Britons protest visiting Saudi king – 31 October 2007

Guardian Unlimited – Brown set for talks with Saudi king – 31 October 2007 l

International Herald Tribune – Saudi beheads 5 nationals for murder, rape of teenager – 31 October 2007

Amnesty International – Saudi Arabia: human rights briefing 30 October 2007 – 30 October 2007

Amnesty International – Saudi Arabia : paying the price for raising human rights– 30 October 2007

International Herald Tribune – Saudi authorities behead Saudi man for killing a compatriot – 28 October 2007

International Herald Tribune – Saudi authorities behead 3 Bangladeshi men – 26 October 2007

New Zealand Herald – Clark appeal fails to halt beheading – 25 October 2007

Human Rights Watch – Time for Britain to speak up – 23 October 2007