By Dylan Takores
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli prison officials agreed to admit journalists to view the interior conditions of a West Bank prison that holds Palestinian inmates.

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) made the decision in response to reports of torture and wrongful death of multiple Palestinian inmates that were detained in Israeli custody.  In particular, one prisoner died of cancer earlier this month, spurring accusations of mistreatment and failure to provide proper medical assistance.

Prison warden Yaakov Shalom boldly stated, “We have nothing to hide,” after agreeing to allow journalists to view Ofer, a prison in the West Bank that holds approximately 700 Palestinian detainees.  Ofer is just one of a group of prisons that collectively hold roughly 5,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The prison exterior is large and intimidating.  High walls lined with guard towers are capped with barbed wire.  Inside, the prison is divided into sections based on the inmates’ faction membership.  Some of individual sections are devoted to Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, smaller groups, and inmates under 18 years of age.

Inmates are generally permitted to pray in prison yards surrounded by a fence of metal bars.  Abdul Kahir Srour, a Palestinian inmate and resident of Ramallah, claimed his treatment “fluctuated” as a result of the allegations against the IPS.  Nevertheless, Srour maintained his innocence, asserting that he has been in custody for five months without charge for alleged activities related to Hamas.

Despite four months of pleading, Muhammad Natsheh, an inmate in the Hamas section, complained that prison guards denied accommodation to his request for specific medical treatment.  A prison medic stated that referrals were provided when necessary, arguing, “There is no neglect.”

Silwad resident Tarek Hamed, 17, explained that he was beaten by soldiers following his arrest for throwing stones at a highway near his home.  Due to the mistreatment, his sentence was reduced from five months to one month of imprisonment.  Yousef Hamed, 15, received similar treatment for the same offense.  Mohammed Safi, 17, recalled that he was “slapped around” after his arrest and interrogation.  However, none of the boys cited any mistreatment at the Ofer facility itself.

Shalom stated that his policies and interactions with inmates remained unchanged in the wake of the outside allegations.  He concluded, “As long as they don’t create disturbances, it doesn’t matter what is going on outside.  They have a lot to lose, and it’s worth it for them to behave accordingly.”

For further information, please see:

Reuters – Palestinians open Israeli jail replica to honour prisoners – 16 April 2013

Xinhua – Israel offers rare visit of Ofer prison ahead of Palestinian Prisoner Day – 15 April 2013

Media Line – Israel Trumpets Fair Treatment in Prisons – 14 April 2013

Washington Post – Israel allows journalists to visit West Bank prison after deaths in custody – 14 April 2013

Impunity Watch – Palestinian Inmate Death Causes Widespread Protests – 25 February 2013

By Dylan Takores
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain – Police fired tear gas at activists at the Jabriya school for boys in Manama on Tuesday following a protest for the release of a detained student.

Police arrested Hassan Humidan, 17, on Monday as part of a government crackdown on protests and general unrest in anticipation of the upcoming F1 Grand Prix race scheduled to take place next week.  Humidan is one of approximately 100 people that have been arrested in the past month as a result of increased law enforcement and boosted security.

The government claimed the police acted within the bounds of the law.  The Ministry of the Interior tweeted that “police dealt with a group of thugs outside Jabriya school according to legal regulations.”

Many observers tweeted pictures of protestors fleeing from the tear gas.  According to the Associated Press, Mohamed Jaber, a father of one of the Jabriya school’s students, attempted to pick up his son from the school, but was denied entrance by police.

The protests are a reaction to the Bahraini government’s human rights violations.  Activists call for the cancelation of the Grand Prix race.  The confrontation is the most recent in a span of clashes that began in February 2011.

The race was planned to exhibit to the world that the social unrest in Bahrain decreased and the nation is stabilizing.  Andy Slaughter, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Democracy in Bahrain, reported to the BBC that “There is a close relationship between the race and the repression by a regime that is using F1 to try and establish normalcy.”  Slaughter referred to the race as a “propaganda exercise.”

Clashes between the government and human rights activists occur in Bahrain on a near-daily basis.  Human rights groups approximate that fifty individuals have died since confrontations began two years ago.  The government disputes this number.

Despite the violence, the Bahraini government refuses to cancel the race.  Nicholas McGeehan of Human Rights Watch criticized the government’s decision to go ahead with the race, condemning it as a “political event which will gloss over serious rights violations.”

Both the Bahraini government and Formula One President and CEO Bernie Ecclestone contended that the race is crucial to the country’s fragile economy.  The government vowed to maintain strict security over the event.

For further information, please see:

Albawaba – Police ‘fire tear gas’ at boys’ school following student’s arrest – 16 April 2013

BBC – Bahrain: Police ‘fire tear gas’ at boys’ school – 16 April 2013

Philly.com – Bahrain GP on despite anti-government protests – 16 April 2013

Washington Post – Bahrain police raid high school, fire tear gas in clash with students following arrest – 16 April 2013

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — Opposition leader and former MP Mussallam al-Barrak was sentenced to five years in prison last Monday for allegedly insulting the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.  The court declared that Barrak was guilty of “undermining the Emir’s status.”

In Kuwait, criticizing the emir is a crime, and carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail.  Barrack allegedly committed the crime on October fifteenth, at the height of a standoff between the government and former lawmakers over a decree that amended the 2006 voter law, reducing the number of candidates from four to two.  He was detained for four days in late October and was released on bail.  The government said that the amendment was necessary because it “addressed legal loopholes and brought the country in line with international election standards.”  The bill’s opposers said that “it was meant to reduce its influence and ensure the election of a rubber-stamped parliament.”  Barrak also faces trial on several other counts, including charges of storming parliament and participating in protests.

“The court has sentenced the defendant Mussallam al-Barrak to five years in prison with immediate effect,” said Judge Wael al-Atiqi, amid tight security at the Palace of Justice.  After receiving the sentence, Barrak gave a speech to his supporters, proclaiming his innocence.  “[The] ruling is illegal but I will give myself up to police if they come to pick me up,” said Barrak at his residence.  Since the sentence is set to begin immediately, police can arrest him at any time.

One of Barrak’s attorneys, Abdullah al-Ahmed, said that the ruling was moot.  “The ruling is null and void because it violated the legal procedures and for failing to provide the defense team with sufficient guarantees,” said al-Ahmed.  “We will appeal against the ruling in the appeals court.”  This is not the first time that Barrak’s attorneys had shown their frustrations with the Palace of Justice.  On April 8, they walked out of the court when Judge al-Atqi refused to hear the defense team’s witnesses.

Hundreds of Barrak’s supporters rushed to his Al-Andalus residence, 12 miles away from Kuwait City, to show their support after the sentence.  Activists have agreed to hold a demonstration in protest of the ruling next Monday.  Former MPs also visited Barrak’s residence to show their support.  “The ruling is purely political… far away from the principles of justice.”

Recently, Kuwait has not been hesitant to throw opposition supporters in prison, especially those who have used social media to voice their criticisms. One activist was sentenced to ten years in prison after he was convicted of using Twitter to insult the Emir.

For further information, please see:

Ahram Online — Kuwait Opposition Leader Jailed for ‘Insulting’ Emir Sheikh Sabah — 15 April 2013

Al Arabiya — Kuwaiti Opposition Leader Jailed for 5 Years for Insulting Emir — 15 April 2013

Al Jazeera — Kuwait Jails Former MP for ‘Insulting Emir’ — 15 April 2013

Gulf News — Kuwait Opposition Leader Jailed for 5 Years for Insulting Emir — 15 April 2013