The Middle East

Syrian Government Reportedly Killed ‘at Least 85’ People in Damascus Neighborhood Massacre

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — Opposition activists reported last Sunday that at least 85 people were executed by Pro-Assad Syrian forces in the town of Jdeidet Al-Fadel.  Other groups estimated the death toll to be around 250.  The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that they can confirm that 109 people were killed, but that the actual death toll could actually be closer to 500, making it one of the deadliest incidents to occur since the start of the revolution.  Women and children residing in the Damascus neighborhood were reported to be amongst those killed in the massacre.

Syrian troops reportedly killed 85 – 500 people “at close range.” (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian)

 

“We documented 85 summarily executed, including 28 shot in a makeshift hospital after Assad’s forces entered Jdeidet Al-Fadel. We fear that the victims of the massacre are much higher,” said Abu Ahmad Al-Rabi, an opposition activist residing in the adjacent district of Jdeidet Artouz.

Inconsistent reports regarding the number of those killed is due to the Syrian military lockdown of the neighborhood.  Journalists and NGOs cannot provide a clear number because they cannot get close enough to the town to accurately report what is happening.  The lockdown also precludes information from getting out of towns, leaving the world to rely on observations made by observers and private citizens using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Syrian run SANA State News Agency reported that the military “inflicted big losses on terrorists in Jdeidet Al-Fadel and destroyed weapons and ammunition and killed and wounded members of the terrorist groups.”

Jamal Al-Golani, member of the Revolution Leadership Council, also believed  the death toll to be higher, and said that there could be more than 250 people who were killed, mostly shot at close range.  However, due to the presence of army patrols, it is difficult to determine.

Other Rebel groups called the offensive against JdeidtAl-Fadel, a “crime against humanity,” and “a massacre of epic proportions.”  Syrian National Coalition President George Sabra said that President Bashar Al-Assad explicitly ordered troops to “kill and massacre” civilians in the offensive.

Jdeidet Al-Fadel had long been held under rebel control, but was always surrounded by Syrian troops.  Some believe that the Syrian military took a step forward in reclaiming “lost ground.”  Tactically, opposition forces considered their control of the town to be a “lost cause” due to its close proximity to Damascus.  “Jdeidet Al-Fadel was militarily a lost cause from day one because it was surrounded by the army from every direction.  There are almost no wounded because they were shot on the spot,” said Al-Golani.

For further information, please see:

Arab News — Assad Forces Executive 85 — 23 April 2013

AntiWar — Syrian Rebels: 500 Dead in Damascus Suburb Offensive — 22 April 2013

Foreign Policy — Has the World Stopped Caring About Massacres in Syria? — 22 April 2013

The Guardian — ‘At Least 85 People Killed in Damascus’ as Pro-Assad Forces Storm Suburb — 21 April 2013

On your mark, Get set, Protest! Bahrain GP Clashes Continue

By Dylan Takores
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain – Protests over the Grand Prix race continued in Bahrain on Sunday when protestors set up roadblocks, complete with barricades and burning tires, in the streets leading to Manama.

Burning tires at barricades outside Manama. (Photo Courtesy of AP)

Protestors called the event a “race of blood” intended to cover up rights violations.  The activists represent the Shia majority in Bahrain.  They contend that the Sunni royal family continues to deny rights to the majority Shia population.  At the protests, many carried signs stating, “Your race is a crime” and “No, no to the race of blood.”

Confrontations occurred in numerous Shia-inhabited villages across the country in addition to the capital.  Police fired birdshot, tear gas, and stun grenades at protestors in an attempt to disperse the crowds.  In response, many threw stones back at police.

Hundreds of Shia protestors attempted to overtake Pearl Square in Manama on Saturday; the same site where protests initially began in 2011.  Police fired tear gas at the demonstrators.  Some in the crowd responded by hurling Molotov cocktails at police.  The police eventually succeeded in dispersing the crowd.

Heightened security was deployed around the event to prevent skirmishes at the race.  Armed guards in security vehicles slowed traffic to a single lane toward the entrance of the event and inspected each car.

Despite the numerous confrontations, the government refused to cancel the Grand Prix race.  According to the AFP, the confrontations have largely been limited to the Shia villages.  Crown Prince Salaman strongly contended that the race is not an attempt to cover up rights violations.  It is merely a celebration of the sport.

The government and opposition leaders tried to engage in dialogues to reach a compromise, however the government remains divided on how to respond to the protests.  The Crown Prince admitted that the talks are moving too slowly.

In contrast to the reformist views of the Crown Prince, officials loyal to unelected Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salaman al-Khalifa have hindered the dialogue process.  The loyalists fear that any negotiations and compromises may degrade their power and influence in the country.

 

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Clashes as Bahrain Grand Prix goes ahead – 21 April 2013

BBC – Bahrain protests over Grand Prix – 21 April 2013

NDTV Sports – Bahrain Grand Prix ends without disruption despite protests – 21 April 2013

The Times – Protestors make presence felt before Bahrain GP – 21 April 2013

Impunity Watch – Start Your Engines: Tear Gas Fired at Activists in Bahrain – 16 April 2013

HRW Requests that Saudi Authorities end Trial of Abu al-Khair

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The international human rights group, Human Rights Watch, has urged Saudi Arabian authorities to end the prosecution of Walid Abu al-Khair. Abu al-Khair is a human rights lawyer who Human Rights Watch believes is being unfairly treated for his exercise of free speech. Abu al-Khair faces charges of “offending the judiciary,” “attempting to distort the reputation of the kingdom,” “obstructing justice,” and “trying to mislead the course of an investigation.”

Abu al-Khair is one of many human rights defenders who are being harassed by charges in Saudi Arabia. (Photo Courtesy of Gulf Center for Human Rights)

The trials of Abu al-Khair began in September 2011 after Abu al-Khair criticized the decision of a Saudi judge in connection with a client he was advocating for. The client was Samar Badawi who had been ordered to prison by Judge Abdullah al-`Othaim for “disobeying” her father. Abu al-Khair showed that the father had been abusing Badawi and that she should be transfered to a different male guardian to which the Jeddah Public Court agreed. Nevetheless, Badawi remained imprisoned for at least three more months.

Much of the evidence against Abu al-Khair has been kept from his eyes. Such evidence includes statements by Judge al-`Othaim alleging unethical conduct by Abu al-Khair during the Badawi trial.

Middle East director at Human Rights Watch Sarah Leah Whitson stated that, “The Saudi government’s prosecution of Abu al-Khair is doing far more to ‘distort’ the reputation of the kingdom than anything he has said or written.” Whitson added, “if Saudi authorities are truly concerned with the reputation of their judiciary, they should stop prosecuting lawyers who criticize the legal system’s failings.”

Currently, Abu al-Khair has been barred from traveling abroad. Other human rights defenders in similar situations to al-Khair in Saudi Arabia include Mohammed al-Bajadi, Dr. Mohammed al-Qahtani, Dr. Abdullah al-Hamid, Mikhlif al-Shammari, and Dr. Abdulkarim al-Khodr.

For further information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – Saudi Arabia: End Prosecution of Human Rights Lawyer – 20 April 2013

Fars News Agency – HRW Slams Saudi Arabia for Prosecuting Lawyer – 20 April 2013

Gulf Center for Human Rights – Saudi Arabia – Human Rights Defenders Face Judicial Harassment After They Become Targets of the Authorities – 25 February 2013

Al Akhbar – Saudi Human Rights Lawyer Charged – 6 June 2012

Provincial Elections to be Held in Iraq Today

By Justin Dorman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Many Iraqi provincial elections will be held today. Hopefully no more people will be murdered in the process. In the days preceding today’s elections, many were killed, both candidate and civilian.

On April 20th provincial elections will be held in Iraq. Many individuals have been killed in the build up to this day. (Photo Courtesy of the Guardian)

Late Thursday night, at approximately 9:30pm,  a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded Baghdad cafe on the third floor of a Sunni neighborhood in Amiriyah. Many young people congregated to play pool and smoke hookah not knowing that it would be their last pocket called or smoke ring blown. Approximately thirty-two individuals were killed, and more than fifty individuals were injured.

Earlier that day, an armed convoy in Mosul was attacked. A car bomb ultimately killed three soldiers and wounded five others. Also that day, a policeman was gunned down at a security checkpoint in western Baghdad. Three others were injured in the process.

A few days earlier, on April 14th, Sunni politicians were assassinated in Diyala and Saladin. Najem al-Harbi, a candidate for the Dialogue Front in the Diyala election, along with his two brothers and son were murdered in an ambush in Baqouba. The Dialogue Front which is led by Saleh al-Mutlaq, is seen as a group of political dissidents by Ayad Allawi. Harbi was imprisoned for the past couple of years on charges of terrorism. Nevertheless, he received the highest number of votes during the parliamentary elections while he was still in prison.

In Saladin, a Sunni candidate of the al-Ensaf Front was shot and killed a few hours after the special army and police ballot voting was finished. Sarhan was passing through the market in Baiji when silenced guns shot him down in a drive by.

An additional attempt was made on another Sunni politician in Baqouba when a roadside bomb was set off. The politician lived and only two of his bodyguards were wounded.

No one knows who the perpetrators are of these killings. It is unknown as to whether these are the acts of separate individuals or a group plotting together. This may be the work of those who oppose Prime Minister Maliki, as these Sunni politicians were known to be allies of his. These killings could have also ben committed by extremist Shiites or even al-Qaeda trying to cause sectarian disputes between Iraqis.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Dozens Killed in Baghdad Cafe Explosion – 19 April 2013

International Business Times – Death Toll in Baghdad Cafe Rises to 32 as Iraq Gears to Face Provincial Elections on April 20 – 19 April 2013

Guardian – Baghdad Suicide Bomb Causes Carnage – 18 April 2013

Al Monitor – Iraqi Provincial Elections Bring Wave of Violence, Assassination – 17 April 2013

 

Assad Grants “Amnesty” for War Crimes

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — On a day where the anniversary of the 1946 withdrawal of French troops was commemorated, President Bashar al-Assad issued general amnesty for crimes committed in Syria before April 16.  Under the amnesty, those who fought for opposition forces will serve only a quarter of their original sentence if found guilty for war crimes.

President Assad’s decree replaces death sentences with a sentence of life imprisonment with hard labor. (Photo Courtesy of Raw Story)

The Syrian state-run newspaper, SANA, reported that “President Assad has issued decree number 23, granting a general amnesty for crimes committed before April 16, 2013.”  The amnesty also replaces death sentences to life imprisonment with hard labor.  Prisoners with advanced age or incurable diseases will be pardoned, and rebels who turn over their weapons will also be pardoned.  The decree does not apply to those found guilty of smuggling weapons, or serving time for drug-related crimes.

While the decree grants a reduced sentence to rebel fighters, the decree itself refers to them as “terrorist groups,” since the Syrian government denies the existence of an uprising, and claims that it is suffering from terrorists attempting to carry out a foreign conspiracy.  Recently, Assad said that Syria’s neighbors were to blame for inciting the revolt, and said that they will pay a “heavy price.”  In an interview with a Turkish television station, Assad warned viewers of a possible spillover from the conflict in Syria into neighboring countries, and predicted that it “will have an immediate domino effect that will reach countries across the Middle East.”

Assad made similar promises before during the two-year war, and even offered pardons for those “convicted of acts against the state.”

Activists and opposition forces balked at the decree, calling it “political theater,” and said that many dissidents still remain in Syrian prisons.  They also believe that the decree does not go far enough.  Moaz Alkhatib, Syria’s opposition leader, made his skepticism known in a Facebook post.  “We want an amnesty on crimes and the release of all innocents of which there are more than 160,000.  Most importantly among them are the women and children.  If this happens we will say it is a token of a Syrian solution,” said Alkhatib.

Even though the Syrian government refuses to disclose prisoner-related statistics, it is estimated that tens of thousands of prisoners, including thousands of political prisoners, are currently incarcerated.

Meanwhile, the number of casualties in Syria is on the rise as the conflict continues.  The United Nations estimates that over 70,000 people have been killed in the two year period.  Last March was also considered to be the bloodiest month of the entire conflict.  The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that they recorded over 6,000 deaths within that period.

Also, the conflict itself has resulted in the displacement of over 1.3 million refugees to neighboring countries, while two million are displaced within Syria.

For further information, please see:

Al Bawaba — Syria: Assad Issues Fresh “General Amnesty” as Opposition Remain Unimpressed — 16 April 2013

Alternative Press — Syria’s Assad Reduces Sentences for Some Rebels — 16 April 2013

Raw Story — Syrian President’s new Amnesty Offer Waives Death Penalty for War Crimes –16 April 2013

Times of Israel — Bashar Assad Issues Amnesty Decree for Criminals — 16 April 2013