By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Dozens of civilian protesters were killed across Egypt as security forces clashed with protesters. At least 95 people were killed and hundreds more injures in Cairo’s Ramses Square after Egyptian security forces opened fire on anti-coup protesters orchestrating a “Day of Rage” against the military-led government.

In Alexandria, at least 21 people were killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of the military coup. More people were reportedly killed across the country, with at least eight protesters being killed in Damietta and four in Ismailia.

The Muslim Brotherhood and other anti-coup groups, calling themselves the Anti-Coup Alliance, had called for the “Day of Rage” protests on Friday to protest the Egyptian military’s crackdown on sit-in demonstrations that left hundreds of civilians killed on Wednesday, August 14. The Muslim Brotherhood denied any involvement in these attacks.

Said Mohammed, an anti-government protester, reportedly witnessed snipers and men in helicopters gun down people in the crowds. “Helicopters started to shoot us as we were walking,” he said. “Not bombs this time, it was bullets. My friend took a shot in the neck and he died. This was the first time we saw helicopters shooting. There were people shooting from the windows.”

As Egyptian forces cracked down on protests camps organized by the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo, some Morsi supporters directed their anger at the nation’s Christian minority. Churches, houses, monasteries, orphanages, schools, businesses and other establishments belonging to Coptic Christians were attacked in nine provinces across the country. The Maspero Youth Union, a Coptic activist group, said Thursday that these attacks caused “panic, losses and destruction for no reason and no crimes they committed except being Christians.”

Bishop Angaelos, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, said that he was told by colleagues in Egypt that 52 churches, in addition to Christian owned homes and business, were attacked in a 24-hour time period beginning Wednesday. Ishak Ibrahim, from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, reported that he has confirmed at least 30 of these attacks.

Two days before Wednesday’s violence, Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II called on all Egyptians for peace in Egypt and for all Egyptians to prevent further bloodshed. He said, “With all compassion I urge everyone to conserve Egyptian blood and ask of every Egyptian to commit to self-restraint and avoid recklessness and assault on any person or property.”

Egypt’s violence has been condemned by the international community. U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the actions of Egypt’s Intern government and called for it to end the month long state of emergency that was put in place by the intern government following Wednesday’s violent crackdown on civil protests. In response to the violence in Egypt, President Obama cancelled a planned joint military exercise in protests of the state’s bloody clashes with civilians protesting the ouster of former President Morsi, suggesting a growing right between the historic allies.

For further information please see:

Al Jazeera – Scores Dead in Egypt’s ‘Day of Rage’ Clashes – 16 August 2013

NBCNews – Obama Condemns Egypt over Violence, Cancels Joint Military Exercise – 15 August 2013

USA Today – Egypt’s Christians under Attack Since Morsi’s Ouster – 15 August 2013

CNN International – ‘Horrible’: Christian Churches across Egypt Stormed, Torched – 1 August 2013

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have confirmed that late Wednesday night the two sides resumed peace talks during a secret meeting in Jerusalem. The peace talks are the first between the two sides in three years.

The general purpose of the talks is to negotiate a final end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The main solution that the parties have focused on is a two-state agreement that allows for the existence of Palestine and Israel side-by-side.

An anonymous Israel official described the talks as “long and serious,” but did not describe the substance of the talks. The specifics of the talks are expected to be kept private because both parties believe that it increases their chance of success.

The Palestinian side is represented by Saeb Erekat and Fatah official Muhammed Shtayyeh. Israeli is represented by Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni and prime ministerial aide Isaac Molcho.

Tzipi Livn posted on Facebook regarding the peace talks:

“Today, I will continue the important mission I began – to achieve a peace agreement that will keep the country Jewish and democratic and provide security … for Israel and its citizens.”

Leading up to the peace talks both parties have made gestures of good faith. Earlier on Wednesday, Israel freed twenty-six Palestinians, many of whom had been imprisoned for deadly attacks on Israelis. Additionally, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas dropped demands for an Israeli settlement freeze before talks resumed.

Although the news of peace talks generally breeds optimism, members of both side seemed to cast doubt over any chances of success.

“Israel will resort to feints and evasion and put up impossible demands in order to say that these negotiations are fruitless and to continue its policy of stealing land as it has done until this moment,” said Yasser Abed Rabbo. “The talks might collapse any time because of the Israeli practices.”

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said, “We’ve been trying for 20 years since Oslo, and for over 120 years of the conflict. The scepticism in the tone of my remarks is apparent, but we’ve decided to give it a chance.”

“Both for the Palestinians and for us, the hourglass is running out. We will not have many more opportunities to resolve this dispute,” said Israeli cabinet minister Yaakov Peri.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Israel-Palestinian peace talks resume – 15 August 2013

BBC – Israel-Palestinian peace talks resume in Jerusalem – 15 August 2013

Jerusalem Post – Abbas: First round of peace talks dealt with final-status issues  – 15 August 2013

Reuters – Analysis: Abbas chooses unpopular peace talks over bruising U.N. battles – 15 August 2013

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain – An American teacher has been deported from Bahrain for allegedly inciting “hatred” through her publications. The Ministry of Communications said the unnamed teacher was deported for her alleged tweets and publications made in online journals. According to a statement made by the Ministry of Communications the unnamed American teacher was deported as a result of “activities linked to radical opposition groups,” and for allegedly violating the terms of her work permit by working as an unaccredited journalist.

The ministry alleged that she published a number of articles under a penname for several journals, including the As-Safir newspaper, which has been linked to Hezbollah, as well as a human rights newsletter published by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, a group whose publications have been banned by the Bahraini government.

However, Maryam al-Khawaja, acting head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights denied that the teacher was writing for the organization, saying; “That was something made up by the government.” Al-Kahwaja also stated that a journalist at As-Safir had told her that the teacher had not written for their publication either.

Al-Khawaja, who was planning on entering Bahrain ahead of protest planned for this week, was recently stopped from boarding a British Airways plane heading from London to Bahrain because of a Bahraini government order preventing her from entering the country. She said the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights was attempting to contact the American teacher to determine if she has been subjected to human-rights violations while in the custody of Bahrain authorities.

The gulf state has seen massive waves of protests since the Arab Spring hit the region in 2011. The protests have been mostly led by members of the state’s Shia population calling for democratic reforms from the Sunni ruling family.

The state has responded to these calls for democratic reform by cracking down on dissent and free expression. The state has been accused of creating fake Twitter accounts and using these and other false evidence in order to convict its citizens of crimes against the state. The state has also raided the homes of protesters and activists.

Al-Khawaja said of the Bahraini states tactics that: “They have even increased house raids. It used to be one every other night. But since the Tamarod announcement, the raids are day and night – up to 100 or more per day.” She explained that security forces often break down doors during these raids on civilian citizens, enter with guns drawn and vandalize homes during the raid. She also explained that these tactics are intended to spread fear of the state.

The state response to calls for democratic reform has been to attempt to create an atmosphere of fear in the country in order to demonstrate the state’s power. However, the Bahraini government’s attempts to squash calls for democratization have remained unsuccessful. The Bahraini anti-government and opposition activists have called for anti-government rallies to be held on Wednesday, August 14, the anniversary of the gulf state gaining independence from the British Empire.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Bahrain Bans US Teacher for ‘Radical’ Writing – 12 August 2013

CNN International – Bahrain Expels U.S. Teacher, Says She Incited ‘Hatred’ – 12 August 2013

Fox News – Bahrain Says American Teacher Deported over ‘Radical’ Writings – 12 August 2013

Jerusalem Post – Bahrain Deports US National for Associating with ‘Radical’ Groups – 12 August 2013

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Witnesses have reported that an air strike in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt’s north-eastern region bordering Israel, has killed five suspected armed fighters. The attack also destroyed a rocket launcher near Israel’s Sinai border, the launcher may have been intended to launch rocket attacks into southern Israel. The air strike is believed to have been carried out by an Israeli drone.

The attack occurred just one day after Israel briefly closed its airport in Eilat, a Red Sea resort close to the Sinai, in response to unnamed security warnings. In the past, Eilat has been targeted by rocket fire from the Sinai region.

The Israeli government has remained silent about the attack. However, Israeli officials have suggested that if Israel where involved in the attack, the state would be interested in remaining silent in order to avoid embarrassing the Egyptian military. The Jerusalem Post has reported that Israeli Defence Forces may have coordinated with the Egyptian military in order to conduct the attack. However, an Egyptian military official has denied Egypt’s involvement.

An Egyptian military spokesperson denied the report that the militants were killed in an Israeli airstrike and suggested that there may be another possible cause for the explosion. Egypt’s official news agency reported that explosion destroyed a rocket launcher set up near the Israeli border to launch attacks into Israel, and at least five Islamic militants were killed. But it did not elaborate on the cause of the explosion.

Uncertainty over the political future of Egypt has led to rising fears in Israel. The overthrow of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has raised fears in Israel that extremist militants could exploit anger over the coup felt by Islamists in the region, which could result in more attacks from the Sinai region. Tensions have risen between Israel and Egypt since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak. Over the past two years, Israel has increased surveillance along the Egyptian border and is currently building a 150-mile barrier along the frontier border in order to keep militants and African migrants out of Israel.

Despite rising tensions between Israel and Egypt, there is evidence that the two states are cooperating on anti- terrorism efforts. A former senior Israeli defence official said that the airport closure came after the Egypt government sent Israel a warning about a possible attack originating in the Sinai Peninsula. He cited this as a sign of greater corporation between the two states. “The cooperation is not new; the level of cooperation is new.” the former Israeli official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic sensitivity of Israel’s relations with Egypt.

For more information see:

Al Jazeera – Deadly Air Strike Reported in Sinai – 9 August 2013

Jerusalem Post – Report: IAF drone strikes Jihadist Rocket Launcher in Sinai, Killing 4 Terrorists – 9 August 2013

New York Times – Sinai Blasts Kill up to 5 Islamic Militants – 9 August 2013

Washington Post – Egyptian Officials: Israeli Drone Strike Kills 5 Islamic Militants in Sinai Peninsula – 9 August 2013