By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

Sanaa, Yemen – Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference has agreed on a document that will become the basis for the State’s new Constitution. This document is the final product of months of discussions between national factions in Yemen. President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi reported that all factions taking part in the dialogue have “made painful concessions.”

The agreement is expected to lead to the creation of several semi-autonomous regions within Yemen essentially creating a new era of Yemini federalism in the hopes of granting representation to disenfranchised fractions within the country.

Last night, Ahmed Mohammed al-Jarwan, the President of the Arab Parliament, congratulated the Yemeni people for the creation of the dialogue document which represented ten months of discussion and debate by members of the National Dialogue Conference. He said, “the Yemeni people has proved through their delegates from all spectra in the NDC that the national will is stronger than all wills, and has given a successful example of the constructive national dialogue.”

He called on all Yemeni people to continue to work according to the spirit of the national dialogue represented by this document  by putting the necessary mechanisms into action in order to create a final document in order to lead the Yemeni people though a successful transfusion to a new Yemeni state.

While the agreement represents a major step towards continued dialog and cooperation in Yemen the agreement has not come without costs. On January 21^st, the day the conference conducted ten months of dialog, gunmen assassinated Ahmed Sharaf el-Din, a lawyer for a group representing the Houthis, a group in Northern Yemen. Shortly after the assassination a car belonging to, Abdulwahab al-Ansi, secretary-general of the Islah party, and the main Islamist group in Yemen was blown up. Thankfully Abdulwahab al-Ansi was not in his car.

The Houthis are a group of Zaidi Shia Muslims located in the northern regions of the country. The group is named for its late leader and launched a six-year rebellion against the central government in 2004. The conflict left thousands of people dead in the country’s northern region. Ahmed Sharaf al-Din, a law professor, was assassinated as he drove from his home in the capital to the hotel where the Dialogue was held. He was the second represented of the Houthi envoy to be killed.

The Houthis have controlled the province of Saada since the uprising of 2011. Since gaining control of the region, they have faced conflicts with thousands of Sunni Islamist tribesmen.

Despite the apparent success of the Dialogue process human rights organizations have remained critical of the progress made in Yemen, a country where widespread abuses of Human Rights, including cases of forced marriages of young children made famous by a viral video created by a young Yemini girl last year.

Human Rights Watch called on Yemen’s government to create a commission of inquiry into serious human rights violations by the previous government which it argues should lead to the prosecution of human rights abuses. In 2012 the country’s parliament granted impunity from prosecution to Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former President who had enjoyed power for 33 years, and several of his top aides.

In a statement Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director for Human Rights Watch said “The government needs to address the past, both to provide justice for the victims and to make sure the abuses stop once and for all. For two years the Hadi administration has ignored the demands for justice from people harmed by the Saleh government.”

For More Information please see:

Human Rights Watch – Yemen: Two Years On, No Accountability – 27 January 2014

Al Jazeera – Yemeni Factions Hold National Dialogue – 26 January 2014

Yemen News Agency – President of Arab Parliament Congratulates Yemenis on NDC’s Document – 27 January 2014

The Economist – Yemen’s Conference: No Proper End – 25 January 2014

United States Department Of State – Conclusion of National Dialogue In Yemen – 25 January 2014

BBC News – Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference Concludes With Agreement – 21 January 2014

By Darrin Simmons   
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt-On the third anniversary of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, at least 29 people have been killed throughout Egypt during nationwide protests.  The worse violence has been directed at supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

Photos that showed at least nine dead bodies wrapped in shrouds were taken by two witnesses in the Al Maskan.  There are reports of multiple deaths in this area, which is a neighborhood in eastern Cairo.

Other reports by witness tell of deadly clashes in Minya, Giza, Alexandria, and several other governorates.  The Egyptian health ministry has reported that along with the 29 daeths, more than 170 were wounded by 8:30pm local time on Saturday.

Two explosions hit Cairo on early Saturday morning and a third followed in Suez, targeting police base.  Armed groups also stage three attacks on security forces with the most notable bringing down a military helicopter in north Sinai.

Around noon, activists who opposed both the army and the Brotherhood, tried to take the streets during a rally in Cairo’s Mohandiseen district.  They were eventually chased off only to reorganize several hours later downtown where security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition.

Fortunately, the main pro-military event in Cairo’s Tahrir Square was conducted peacefully.  The event was protected by a heavy deployment of soldiers and police.  The crowds gather in the square to celebrate General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the military chief who deposed Morsi in July.

During the gathering in Tahrir Square, army helicopters circled overhead and dropped Egyptian flags and coupons for free blankets.  Crowds continued to arrive throughout the afternoon, many of them chanting “the people demand the execution of the Brotherhood.”

“We want to show that we won’t go back to the Brotherhood, and we won’t be scared by their terrorism.  This is about correcting the path of the revolution,” stated one protesting arriving at the Square with a group of about 20 people.

“We aren’t sacred.  All of the people of Port Said, of Egypt, we are down in the streets today,” reported another protester.

No claims of responsibility for Saturday’s attacks where received.  These attacks followed a series of four bombings across the capital on Friday.  The deadliest, a car bomb, tore through security forces, killing four people and injuring more than 70.

For more information, please see the following: 

Al Jazeera-Dozens killed on Egypt uprising anniversary-26 January 2014

Euro News-Egypt: over two dozen dead in clashes on third anniversary of anti-Mubarak uprising-26 January 2014

Guardian-Egypt: protesters killed on anniversary of anti-Mubarak revolt-26 January 2014

National-At least 29 killed in clashes on Egyptian uprising anniversary-26 January 2014

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

Tehran, Iran – Iran began the process of suspending high levels of uranium enrichment Monday as part of the interim deal, known as the Joint Plan of Action, made between Iran and Six world powers (The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany and the European Union) which officially went into effect on Monday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran has stopped its most sensitive nuclear activity in compliance with the deal the state struck with World powers last November. The IAEA report to member states said: “The Agency confirms that, as of 20 January 2014, Iran … has ceased enriching uranium above 5 percent U-235 at the two cascades at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) and four cascades at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) previously used for this purpose.” The report referred to actions taken at Iran’s two enrichment plants in Natanz and Fordow.

Iranian State-run media quoted Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization as saying “the suspension of 20 percent enrichment has started at the Natanz plant and the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors are going to the Fordow plant.”

As part of the deal Iran stopped the enrichment of uranium to the 20% purity level and disconnected cascades of centrifuges enriching uranium at Natanz. Mohammad Amiri, a director in the Iran’s nuclear agency, said “from now on, the centrifuges which were used for producing 20% enriched uranium will be used for enriching uranium to the 5% purity level.”  Iran has been enriching uranium at 20 percent concentration since early 2010, compliance to the interim deal, reducing the increment of Uranium, signifies a major step away from the nuclear weapons capabilities feared by western powers.

Nuclear power is a common sources of electricity, Nuclear power plants use uranium that is enriched to 5% for the generation of electricity. The Iranian government insists that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes, namely the generations of energy for civilian uses, despite the concerns of many members of the international community who fear the program could lead the state towards the development of nuclear weapons capabilities.

According to the United States Department of State the parties involved in the negations with Iran are reviewing a report prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.M Watchdog Group which oversees nuclear programs. IAEA inspectors were present in Iran when the deal went into effect and have provided details of the nuclear activities in Iran today in its report.

Tero Varjoranta, deputy director general of the I.A.E.A., told the press at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna that Iran has provided “good cooperation” so far and that “we have a very robust system in place with Iran” to ensure that the Iranians will continue to comply with the agreement.

In response to Iran’s actions the European Union and the United States have suspended some of the restrictions placed on the Iran as part of though sanctions placed on the state. These restrictions include the petrochemicals, automotive and precious metals industries. The EU and the United States also began the release of $4.2 billion in Iranian frozen assets frozen.

The temporary deal will expire on July 20, the interim deal is intended to lead to a permanent accord after the parties once again enter into negotiations later this year.

For more information please see:

The Jerusalem Post – Iran Halts Higher-Grade Uranium Enrichment, IAEA Report Shows – 20 January 2014

CNN International – Iran Says It’s Implementing Interim Nuclear Deal – 20 January 2014

The New York Times – Temporary Nuclear Deal with Iran Takes Effect – 20 January 2014

USA Today – The Clock Starts On Iran Nuclear Deal – 20 January 2014

CNN International – 20 Questions about the Iran Nuclear Deal: What It Says, What’s At Stake, What’s Next – 25 November 2013