By Vivek Thiagarajan
Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran-  In May 2007, three pro-democratic student protesters were arrested regarding their actions protesting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech at the Amirkabir University.

In December, President Ahmadinejad launched scientific research to determine whether the Holocaust existed.  On the same day he came to the Amirkabir University to display his ability to silence his critics.  However, President Ahmadinejad’s speech to the Amirkabir student body was shortened because of the crowd’s disapproval with the president.  The pro-democratic student body was filled with protesters who chanted “Death to the Dictator” while hurling items at the Iranian president. The Iran security detail used flash grenades to ensure Ahmadinejad’s safe removal from the premises.  Allegedly during his removal, Ahamdinejad threatened student leaders of possible future retaliation.

Following the protest, three Amirkabir University students Ehsan Manouri, Ahmed Ghasaban, and Majid Tavakoli, were arrested as political prisoners.  However, reports show that the evidence used to indict the students may have been falsified by the police.

The Iranian government accused the students of being paid by the US government for beginning a velvet revolution to overthrow and destabilize the Iranian government.  A velvet revolution is also called a soft revolution, which indicates a bloodless revolution through the expansion of certain ideas rather than a revolution through force.  This may be a contributing reason to the new Iranian declaration that the CIA and the US military are terrorist organizations.  (International Herald Tribune)

The students were mistreated.  For example, reports show Mansouri was beaten so brutally that the prison guards would not initially accept Mansouri as a prisoner, unless he was taken to the hospital for immediate attention.

The students were taken to Evin, which is an Iranian prison for political prisoners where they were interrogated. They were placed in solitary confinement and supposedly beaten while in prison. The Guardian Observer reported that the college students “had undergone marathon interrogation sessions lasting up to 48 hours and frequently involving severe beatings. Interrogation teams of up to eight men have subjected the students to physical assaults interspersed with insults and psychological abuse. The students have been made to lie on the floor while interrogators stood on their backs. They are also said to have been beaten with electric cables. When they fainted from stress, the interrogators revived them by throwing cold water over them.”

The students have recently been released and reportedly did not have connections to the US government.

For more information, please see:

Guardian Observer- Tyranny in Tehran- 30 September 2007

International Herald Tribune- Iran government backs parliament’s ‘terrorist’ label for US army, CIA- 30 September 2007

Radio Free Europe- Iran: Former Inmates Shed Light On Secret Prison Ward- 27 September 2007

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CASABLANCA, Morocco – The Moroccan government canceled a 30 percent price hike of bread due to violent protests that left at least 50 people injured. The protest was reminiscent of bread riots in 1981 that resulted hundreds dead in Casablanca. Breads and pastries are widely consumed during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as families hold large feasts after daytime fasting. The government had authorized the price rise back on September 10.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Morocco rolls back bread price hike – 25 September 2007

Huston Chronicle – Moroccan unrest over bread price – 25 September 2007

CAIRO, Egypt – The White House raised “deep concern” about Egypt’s recent court cases against the independent press and the closure of a human rights organization.

This month alone, at least seven journalists were sentenced to imprisonment for exercising their right to freedom of expression. On September 13, a Cairo court sent four editors of independent newspapers to prison for publishing stories critical of President Hosni Mubarak and other officials. Less than two weeks later, three more journalists were sent to jail for “damaging the image of justice” by publishing an article calling 90 percent of Egyptian judges incompetent.

Elsewhere, a human rights group dedicated to torture victims was forced to shut down. Association for Human Rights Legal Aid (AHRLA) was one of the country’s leading human rights organizations that reported on human rights violations and provided legal assistance to its victims.

Faced with the rising prosecutions, editors from 15 independent and opposition newspapers plan not to publish on October 7 to protest the state’s “offensive against the press freedom.” Also, AHRLA has appealed the decree to a Cairo court to reverse the government’s order to shutdown the organization.

Some analysts say Egypt’s ruling party wants to quash dissent in anticipation of their transition of power from President Hosni Mubarak to his likely successor, his son Gamel. Analysts also blame waning U.S. pressure on Egypt to improve its human rights record as the reason why Egypt has been willing to contradict their stated commitment to democratic rights.

Nevertheless, U.S. criticized Egypt on Tuesday, and Egypt rejected the comments as “unacceptable interference” in the country’s internal affairs.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Temperature rises as Egypt presses in the dock – 27 September 2007

BBC News – Egypt angry at US rights comment – 26 September 2007

Al Jazeera – Three Egyptian journalists jailed – 24 September 2007

Reuters – Egypt court orders three journalists jailed – 24 September 2007

Human Rights Watch – Four editors get prison terms, fines – 15 September 2007

BAGHDAD, Iraq-  Lawyers representing Iraqi families of prisoners have accused the Iraqi government of wrongly concealing information, including the whereabouts of over 1,500 detainees.  (IRIN)  Government authorities have not revealed whether the detainees are dead or alive, according to the Iraqi’ Lawyers Association (ILA).  The fifteen hundred detainees have not been detained for indefinite periods of time.  Furthermore, the problem has been compounded because some of the families were not clearly told the reason for the arrested of the detainee.

The US military has stated that it will release up to 2,000 prisoners during Ramadan releasing around 50-80 detainees per day to celebrate the Islamic holy month.  (IRIN)  However, the Iraqi authorities have not yet followed through with the releases.

Also, the ILA has brought allegations of prisoner torture. The questioned techniques include “hooding, stressing, sleep deprivation, food deprivation and noise,” which the lawyers believe should be stopped.   (Guardian Unlimited)  The ILA also contends that two lawyers who have actively tried to obtain information from the Iraqi government regarding the conditions have been intimidated and two were killed.  (IRIN)  The government has denied these allegations and reported that the government has not illegally withheld any information but has vowed to investigate the allegations.

As the Iraqi government tries to establish itself as a new democratic entity, it is essential to convey the freedom of information, which is the strength of a democratic government.  This concealment of information by the government compounds a large issue of violating a person’s human rights through detainee torture.  The government will gain credibility as a democratic government, only through the government’s transparency.

For more information, please see:

IRIN- IRAQ: Lawyers accuse government of concealing information about detainees- 19 September 2007

Guardian Unlimited- Lawyers accuse MoD of retaining evidence on abused Iraqi detainees- 22 September 2007

On September 26, up to nine Palestinians were killed in two separate Israeli raids into Gaza.  Four or five members of the Army of Islam were killed during a strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force (IAF).  Palestinian medical authorities report that four men were killed, while the Army of Islam report that five were.  Witnesses report that a missile hit the vehicle the militants were driving at a crowded intersection in Gaza City.

IAF officials report that these men were in the process of transporting several Qassam rockets.  The group was responsible for the kidnapping of Alan Johnston and believed to be the group who kidnapped Gilad Shalit, an Israeli corporal.

The second raid, a ground operation in Beit Hanoun, resulted in the deaths of three civilians and one gunman.  Also, at least twenty other Palestinians were injured, several critically.  The deaths and many of these injuries resulted from tank fire.  IDF entered Beit Hanoun to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure” in the area.

These raids came a few hours after Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, stated that Israel was “getting closer to carrying out a widespread operation in Gaza.”  For several weeks, members of the security cabinet have been discussing how to combat the frequent rocket fire from Gaza.  On September 26, it is believed that 10 Qassam rockets and 20 mortar shells were fired into Israel from Gaza.  While no injuries occurred, Prime Minister Olmert and the Israeli government are receiving a lot of pressure to react to these frequent attacks.

However, Israeli media reports that Israel ruled out military operations last month, in favor of economic sanctions such as cutting off the delivery of fuel and electricity.  Reports on the probability of a full military operation, compared to limited raids such as the two on September 26, are conflicting.  While Barak reports that full military operations are near, some Israeli ministers, such as Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, a member of the inner security cabinet, claim that such an operation is the very last alternative there is.

Also, Israel has declared an indefinite closure of both Gaza and the West Bank in preparation of the Jewish holiday, Succot.  It is quite common for Israel to enforce a blanket travel restriction during Jewish holidays.

For more information, please see:
Independent- Barak says Israel is ‘close’ to Gaza Operation– 27 September 2007

Jerusalem Post- Nine Palestinians reported dead as Gaza violence intensifies– 27 September 2007

Associated Press- Israeli strikes kills 8 in Gaza, wound 25– 26 September 2007

BBC- ‘Eight die’ in Israeli Gaza raids– 26 September 2007

New York Times- Israeli strikes in Gaza kill up to 9 Palestinians– 26 September 2007

Reuters- Gaza operation is nearing-Israeli defense minister– 26 September 2007