By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – Tens of thousands of Iranians marched through the streets of Tehran in support of the Palestinians, while President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Israel’s continued existence was an “insult to human dignity.” The demonstration and Ahmadinejad’s remarks came as millions of others across the country protested on Al-Quds (Jerusalem) day, a day of protests against Israel’s occupation of the third holiest city in Islam after Mecca and Medina.

Since the Islamic revolution in 1979, the Iranian people observed the last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan as “Al-Quds Day” to support the Palestinians. On Friday, many poured into the streets as they chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” Some protestors also carried anti-Israeli banners and burned Israeli and American flags.

President Ahmadinejad is known for his controversial comment calling for Israel to be “wiped off the map” back in 2005. The hard-line president on Friday has vowed that Iran would continue to work until “all of Palestine is liberated.” He has once again reiterated that Iran does not recognize Israel and has described the Holocaust as a myth. The president said the “Zionists” should move out of the Middle East entirely, and “give these vast lands of Canada and Alaska to them to create a country for themselves.”

Ayatollah Mahould Hashemi Shahroudi, Iran’s judiciary chief, said Friday’s demonstration was “a good start for the destruction of the Zionist regime.”

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Iran defiant over nuclear issues – 5 October 2007

Al Jazeera – Iran marks Jerusalem day – 5 October 2007

Fox News – Millions of Iranians attend anti-Israel rallies called ‘Al-Quds Day’ – 5 October 2007

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – An Egyptian court has decreed the release of Essam el Erian, the political department chief of Brotherhood, and nine other members of the group. The members were detained during an escalating crackdown on political dissent in August, when Egyptian police broke up their Muslim Brotherhood meeting in Cairo.

The nonviolent organization is banned by the Egyptian government and its members are frequently detained without charge or trial. El Erian himself has been in and out of detention for more than 15 years because of his membership in the Brotherhood – the largest opposition group in Egypt.

Although the Brotherhood currently holds one fifth of the seats in lower house parliament, the group lacks legitimacy because of Egyptian laws banning all political parties based on religion. Many members believe that the crackdown began as a result of the government’s determination to harass and dissuade the formation of banned-but-openly-operating Brotherhood.

The Egyptian authorities have arrested more than 1,000 Brotherhood members since March of 2006. Though many of these detainees are now released, they expect further “unfair” detentions in the days to come.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Egypt Brotherhood chief to be freed – 4 October 2007

Al Jazeera – Egypt Brotherhood members arrested – 17 August 2007

Human Rights Watch – Police intensify crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood – 18 December 2006

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA CITY, Gaza – On October 2, an Israeli bus drove to the Erez border crossing and released 29 Palestinians who were, until recently, held in Israeli prisons.  These prisoners were the first to return to Gaza since Hamas took over in June.  These prisoners join 57 others who were released into the West Bank on October 1.

The release of the Gaza prisoners was scheduled for October 1 but was delayed.  The delay was blamed on a variety of reasons; the most frequently cited reason is that President Peres did not sign their pardons.  There are rumors of conflict between Prime Minister Olmert and various Israeli officials, including Israeli Defense Force Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi.  Ashkenazi allegedly sent a letter to Peres and other members of the Israeli government, stating that it was immoral to release the prisoners while Gaza militants refused to release Gilad Schalit, an Israeli soldier captured during a cross-border raid last year.

None of the prisoners released had “blood on their hands;” referring to the fact that none of the prisoners were convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis.  Prior to release, the prisoners had to sign an agreement not to engage in terrorists attacks against Israel.  On September 30, the Israeli Supreme Court decline to grant a request by the Almagor Terror Victims Association to delay the release.  According to Almagor, there are dozens of documented cases in which freed prisoners return to active terrorism.

A majority of those released were members of Abbas’ Fatah party; none were members of Hamas.  One individual scheduled for release was kept after Israeli officials discovered that he was a member of Hamas.  It is said that Israel’s purpose behind the release was to bolster support for Abbas and the Fatah party. Prisoner release is a central demand of Palestinian leaders in any future peace agreement with Israel.

Over 11,000 Palestinians are currently in Israeli prisons.  Many are minors (under 18 years old) and/or women.  Also, many are detained without formally being charged with any crime.  The UN estimates that Israeli troops detain an average of 101 new Palestinians per month.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Shooting mars Gaza prisoner release – 2 October 2007

Associated Press – Israel completes release of 86 prisoners – 2 October 2007

BCC – Israel frees Gaza Strip detainees – 2 October 2007

Ha’aretz – Olmert denies tension with Ashkenazi over prisoner release – 2 October 2007

New York Times – Israel completes prisoner release as it frees 29 – 2 October 2007

Yedoith News – Barak: Chief of Staff’s reservations over prisoner release legitimate – 2 October 2007

Arutz Sheva – 87 terrorists being released today – 1 October 2007

Guardian – Israel frees 57 Palestinians – 1 October 2007

Middle East Times – Israel releases 57 Palestinian prisoners – 1 October 2007

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

STRASBOURG, France- In his effort to make Turkey more attractive to the European Union, Turkish President Abdullah Gul announced his desire to change article 301 of the Turkish Legal Code.

Article 301 of the Turkish Legal Code was introduced in June 2005.  The purpose of the code is to protect “Turkishness.”  (Amnesty International)  The law prevents the “[p]ublic denigration of Turkishness, . . . the Government of the Republic of Turkey, the judicial institutions of the State, the military or security structures,” and violators of the law can be subject to up to three years of imprisonment.  (Amnesty International)

Article 301 has been used to prosecute many notable Turks for insulting “Turkishness”, including Nobel Laurerate Orhan Pamuk and Armenian news journalist Hrant Dink.  Orhan Pamuk was arrested because of his comment to a Swiss news source that 30,000 Kurds and 1,000,000 Armenians were killed and ignored by the Turkish government.  (AI)  Hrant Dink, editor in chief of the Turkish newspaper Agos, suffered six months of imprisonment and was murdered by a ultra nationalist.

Although President Gul stressed that although no one is currently being detained on article 301 charges, he still believes that the law should be modified. A less restrictive version of the law will encourage a more open critique Turkey’s history and its current conditions. The right of the freedom of expression is a necessary right to protect a state from future impunity and the reform of article 301 may create more public accountability for the government’s actions.  A revision of Article 301 of the Turkish Legal Code could be a major step in the right direction to protect the people of Turkey.

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International- Turkey: Article 301 is a threat to freedom of expression and must be repealed now!- 1 December 2005

New York Times (AP)- Turkey’s President Seeks to Change Law That Criminalizes Insults to Turkish Identity- 3 October 2007

International Herald Tribune (Reuters)- President of Turkey defends rights record- 3 October 2007

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – Prior to Jordan’s address to United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticized the country for the continued detention of Ahmed Al Oweidi Al Abbadi. Al Abbadi was arrested on May 3 for charges relating to an e-mail he allegedly sent to US Senate Majority leader Harry Reid.  HRW accuses Jordan of targeting Al Abbadi because his pro-democracy stance and for his criticism of the government.  It called for Jordan to halt its “politically motivated prosecution” against Al Abbadi.  Sarah Leah Whitson, director of HRW’s Middle East division, stated, “The only reason al-‘Abbadi languishes in jail waiting for his court verdict is that he’s a government opponent exercising his right to free speech.”

Al Abbadi is charged with several crimes by the Jordanian government: (1) harming Jordan’s reputation, (2) harming state dignity, (3) slandering officials, (4) violating laws of e-mail practices, (5) illegally distributing leaflets, and (6) being a member of an illegal organization.  Al Abbadi, a former member of parliament, is the head of the Jordanian National Movement, a small right-wing organization that calls itself pro-democratic.  Since the Jordanian National Movement is not licensed, under Jordanian law, it is illegal.

In the e-mail, Al Abbadi allegedly accused the Jordanian government of increasing corruption and human rights violations.  Such violations included clamping down on public freedoms, especially the media.  In the letter Al Abbadi allegedly blamed the declining levels of health care and education on government corruption.  His arrest in May followed a complaint by Interior Minister Eid Fayez whose name was mentioned in the letter.

Al Abbadi claims that he is innocent and calls the accusation “politically motivated and malicious.”  He is being tried by the military style State Security Court.  If he is convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

For more information, please see:
Gulf Times – Free ex-MP, rights group urges Jordan – 30 September 2007

AHN – HRW calls for release of Jordanian opposition leader – 28 September 2007

Human Rights Watch – Jordan: Free jailed dissident – 28 September 2007

International Herald Tribune – U.S-based human rights body urges Jordan to release government critic – 28 September 2007

AFP – Jordan ex-MP denies posting anti-regime letter on Internet – 20 September 2007