By Brittani Howell

 Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

Damascus, Syria 

On Friday, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) stated that mustard gas has been used by insurgents in Syria. The use of mustard gas is alleged to be the cause of death of an infant in August.

“In this case, the team was able to confirm with the utmost confidence that at least two people were exposed to sulfur mustard, and that it is very likely that the effects of this chemical weapon resulted in the death of an infant,” stated the OPCW.

Mustard gas, or sulfur mustard, can cause severe damage, in the form of blisters, to the skin, eyes, respiratory system, and internal organs.  Sulfur mustard also can cause severe itching and wheezing.

On August 21, the town of Marea was hit by a mortar. According to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) a family of four had suffered difficulty breathing and developed blisters as a result of a mortar striking their home. The symptoms pointed to a mustard gas attack.

It is alleged that the Islamic State was responsible for the attack on Marea in August. Many fear that the Islamic State is using chemical weapons in Syria and in Iraq.

The OPCW also reported that toxic chemicals, including chlorine, were alleged to be used in an attack in the Idlib province in March. Human Rights Watch has alleged that Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president, dropped barrels full of chlorine in a rebel area in March.

According to Assad, 1,300 tons of chemical weapons were destroyed per the agreement with the United States and Russia. The United States, however, suspects that the Syrian government has concealed some of the original stock of weapons.

A spokeswoman for the National Security Council of the United States, stated that the United States is, “continuing to investigate these allegations very closely and to be proactive about the threat from chemical weapons or similar threats.”

Over 250,000 people have been killed since the start of Syria’s civil war. Millions more have been forced to flee. There is growing concern that the use of chemical weapons will greatly escalate the conflict further.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Syria Conflict: ‘Mustard Gas Used’ in Marea Attack – 6 November 2015

CNN – Mustard Gas Used in Syrian Town – 6 November 2015

The Guardian – UN Watchdog Confirms Mustard Gas Attack in Syria – 6 November 2015

The New York Times – Syria: Rebels Used Mustard Gas – 6 November 2015

The Washington Post – Weapons Inspectors Say Non-State Fighters in Syria Used Mustard Gas – 6 November 2015

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

On Sunday, an independent, investigative journalist was detained by Egyptian military intelligence. The journalist, Hossam Bahgat, is the founder of the human rights group, Egyptian Personal Rights.

Bahgat was summoned to the Military Intelligence, headquartered in Cairo, where he was interrogated from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. when he was finally allowed to call his lawyer. Bahgat is to be detained overnight and the prosecutors are to decide on Monday whether they will send Bahgat to trial.

Bahgat has not been formally charged, but he may be facing charges of “publishing inaccurate and false information that harms national interest,” stated Bahgat to the Mada Masr news chief editor. His lawyer also stated that Bahgat could also face charges for insulting the military.

Bahgat’s most recent report investigated the convictions of 26 officers accused of planning a coup against the government. In the report, Bahgat explored whether there was dissent in the ranks and if there would be retribution against officers who may have crossed the secret police.

According to the human rights lawyer who attended the interrogation to support Bahgat, the article Bahgat wrote was the focus of the interrogation.

Bahgat also allegedly mocked the news media, in a review, regarding the media’s conspiracy angle, blaming terrorism for the Russian jet crash. He wrote, “ the West is conspiring against Egypt and punishing Russia because it is fighting in Syria, and Egypt is the one who is paying the price.”

The Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International stated, “The arrest of Hossam Bahgat today is yet another nail in the coffin for the freedom of expression in Egypt.” He continued, “The Egyptian military cannot continue to consider itself above the law and immune from criticism.”

When a military spokesman was questioned regarding the charges Bahgat is facing he stated, “You can ask him yourself when he gets out.” New York Times then asked if Bahgat would et out, to which the general replied, “I have no idea.”

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Egypt Military Arrests Journalist in ‘Blow for Freedom’ – 8 November 2015

BBC News – Independent Egypt Journalist Hossam Bahgat ‘Arrested’ – 8 November 2015

The New York Times – The Egyptian Military Files Charges Against Investigative Journalist – 8 November 2015

The Washington Post – Egyptian Journalist Faces Accusations by Military – 8 November 2015

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

 

DAMASCUS, Syria –  According to Human Rights Watch, Russian airstrikes appear to be war crimes, as dozens of civilians have been killed. Since the beginning of Russia’s air campaign in September, more than 130 civilians, including 34 women and 36 children.

The deadliest attack occurred on October 15, 2015 in the village of Ghantou when a home was struck by what was believed to be Russian airstrikes. The attack killed 46 members of the same family, including 32 children and 12 women.

Russia allegedly was targeting Abu al-Abbas, the commander of al-Sumud Brigade of the Homs Liberation Movement. The Homs Liberation Movement is tied to the Free Syrian Army. Abu al-Abbas was not killed in the attack as he had been on the front line at the time.

Local residents believed that the airstrikes were caused by the Russians because of the distinct sound of the plane and because the plane was flying much higher than was is accustomed of Syrian planes.

Human Rights Watch is calling for Russia to investigate the alleged war crime. The report issued by Human Rights Watch states, “indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks are serious violations of the laws of war the Russia has an obligation to investigate.” In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the report was “another piece of disinformation” and nothing in the report confirmed that the Russian forces had been in the area at the time.

Russian airstrikes have also struck as many as nine hospitals in the month of October. Syrian Medical Society reported that early in October two hospitals in the southern Aleppo were forced to shut down as a result of Russian Airstrikes. This resulted in the depravation of medical access to thousands of people.

Russian airstrikes, in one incident, struck a hospital in the northwest province of Idlib which killed at least 12 people and injured 28 more. Rebels and activists in the area determine which country is responsible for the airstrikes based upon the sound the planes make and the height at which they fly. Syrian Medical Society has not released an official death toll over the month nor has it provided evidence in order to establish that the airstrikes were caused by the Russians.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Rights Group: Russian Airstrikes in Syria May Have Killed Dozens of Civilians – 25 October 2015

Human Rights Watch – Russia/Syria: Possibly Unlawful Russian Air Strikes – 25 October 2015

Al-Jazeera America – Scores Killed in Russian, Pro-Assad airstrikes in Northern Syrian Cities – 24 October 2015

The Wall Street Journal – Syrian Hospitals Hit by Russian Airstrikes, Says Medical Group – 23 October 2015

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – Last Sunday, an Eritrean migrant was shot and then brutally beaten by a mob. The Eritrean migrant, Habtom Zerhom, was mistaken as a second attacker in an incident at a bus station in Beersheba.

Zerhom took cover in the bus station amid the chaos. A security video shows Zerhom crawling in all fours around a kiosk when he was shot. A security guard, mistaking Zerhom as an additional attacker, ran at Zerhom and opened fire.

While Zerhom lay on the floor, a mob of people began to kick him and through things at him. The mob then rammed him with a bench, as Zerhom lay on the floor helpless. Israeli police officers and a few passers-by attempted to protect Zerhom from the mob.

Meir Saka, a passer-by who tried to protect Zerhom, told Channel 10 TV, “It doesn’t matter if it was a terrorist or not. It was a man lying on the ground that couldn’t move. I couldn’t sleep at night, from seeing him, his blood.”

According to doctors at Soroka Medical Center, Zerhom died from the bullet wound in combination with the injuries he sustained from being kicked repeatedly. One man who had participated in the mob attack told Israeli Army Radio that, “If I had known he wasn’t a terrorist, believe me, I would have protected him like I protect myself.” He continued, I didn’t sleep well at night. I feel disgusted.”

Israeli police announced that there will be an investigation to determine who was involved in the mob attack against Zerhom. Luba Samri, Israeli police spokeswoman, stated “It should be noted that the police see this in a very severe light and will not allow people to take the law into their own hands.”

The mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, in response to the bus station shooting, told all licensed gun owners to carry their weapons to assist an overstretched security force. This has drawn complaints from critics, who argue that this aids to an already charged atmosphere. A Palestinian official, Hanan Ashrawi, stated, “They are creating a mentality of lynch mobs and of course feeding the culture of hate and racism.”

Currently, there are as many as 34,000 Eritrean migrants in Israel. Israel has refused to give them refugee status, and instead classifies them as migrant workers but has not deported them because of the dangerous situation in Eritrean.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Netanyahu After Mob Beating: ‘No One Will Take Law into his Own Hands’ – 19 October 2015

Reuters – Eritrean Mistaken for Gunman Killed in Israel Bus Station Attack – 19 October 2015

The New York Times – Fatal Beating of Eritrean Prompts Soul-Searching in Israel – 19 October 2015

The Washington Post – Israel Probes Mob Assault on African Bystander Shot Amid Latest Violence – 19 October 2015

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israeli military air-strikes targeted a Hamas weapons facility on Sunday. A pregnant woman and her toddler, residing in a home nearby were killed.

Since the summer of 2014, the woman and her child are the first Palestinian civilian casualties of an Israeli airstrike.

Israel’s airstrike was in response to a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip territory. On Friday, a rocket from Gaza was also fired, which landed in a field resulting in no causalities.

Israeli military spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lener, stated, “The IDF holds Hamas responsible for any act of aggression from the Gaza Strip.” Hamas has not claimed responsibility for the two rockets.

Also on Sunday, a women allegedly detonated an explosive in her car, on a West Bank road, headed towards Jerusalem. According to a police officer the women shouted, “Allahu Akbar”, God is great, just prior to the explosion.

The officer was slightly hurts, as a result of the explosion. The woman sustained burns to 40% of her body. According to Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency, the woman was not linked to any militant group.

Shin Bet, also reported that the explosion was caused by a single gas canister that was ignited with flammable materials. The agency stated, “We are not taking about an explosive device.”

According to Palestine’s security, the explosion was caused by “a malfunction in her car, and there was no bombing.” Palestine’s news agency reported that an anonymous witness stated that there was an electric issue which caused a small fire inside the car.

Three Israeli’s were stabbed near Hadera, on Sunday. A thirteen-year-old boy was killed by Israeli forces in a clash in West Bank. Tensions have risen over the past week resulting in the deaths of 23 Palestinians and 4 Israelis in the past 12 days.

Part of the increase in tension is in part due to Palestine’s dear that Israel is trying to change the status quo of arrangements made concerning the al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, also known as the Temple Mount by Jews.

Jewish groups have increased their trips to the compound over the past year and many Muslims see this as a loss of control over the area. Another point of contention is a failure between Palestine and Israel to reach peace talks, as Israeli’s are continuing to build settlements in West Bank.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Palestinians Killed in Israel Gaza Airstrikes – 11 October 2015

Reuters – Israeli Airstrike Kills Two in Gaza; Israeli Police Say Stop Suspected Car Bomb – 11 October 2015

The New York Times – Israeli Retaliatory Strike in Gaza Kills Woman and Child, Palestinian Officials Say – 11 October 2015

The Wall Street Journal – Israeli Airstrikes into Gaza Strip Kill Palestinian Woman and Daughter  – 11 October 2015