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Senate Supporters of Russia Rights Bill Press On Despite Warning
Press Release
Erik Wasson
Senate supporters of a Russia human-rights bill linked to trade said Tuesday that they are pressing forward despite a warning from the Russian ambassador this week that the bill will impair relations.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), would freeze the assets of Russian officials allegedly involved in the suspicious death of Russian whistle-blower Sergei Magnitsky in November 2009.
Ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) said that he is fighting to get the bill voted on, and he and Cardin dismissed the comments by Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak that it would cause a “significant” reaction in Moscow and impair relations. “I accept that he made that assessment, but I would point out that this bill arises in the course of trying to do a number of things that will assist our relations with Russia, whether in trade or diplomacy, and it appears to me that the Magnitsky issue does make a point about our regard for human rights of citizens,” Lugar said.
Cardin said that his bill is meant to benefit the Russian people and said the United States is just reaffirming international norms. “This is for the Russians, it’s not for us,” he said, citing words of support from ordinary Russians he has received. “This is not meddling.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is moving toward considering the bill.
Lugar told reporters on Tuesday that the bill is no longer on the docket for a meeting this week, but he continues to press for passage. “The chairman has decided to take the Magnitsky issue off the table,” Lugar said. He added that Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) has been in consultations with the White House in making his decision. Kerry spokeswoman Jodi Seth said the bill was never up for discussion this week, however, and that Kerry is supportive of the bill and is working toward its passage.
One of the items under discussion is finding a way to make the bill about human rights more broad rather than just about the situation in Russia, sources said. The Senate proponents of the bill are linking its passage to the extension of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to Russia. Passing the Russia trade bill is the top trade agenda item for the White House this year. Russia will join the World Trade Organization regardless of congressional action — if PNTR is not passed, U.S. exporters will be penalized with higher tariffs than those faced by other WTO members. PNTR supporters argue that because of this self-injuring aspect to the bill, it is not the right vehicle to press Russia on rights.
Cardin expressed confidence that he was winning the fight, however. “There is a growing consensus in Congress and on the part of the administration that it is going to be a part of PNTR,” Cardin said. “I think we have the votes on its own merits but I think it will be helpful to have it as a part of PNTR.”
For more information, please visit:
The Hill—Senate Supporters of Russia Rights Bill Press on Despite Warning— 24 April 2012
Syria Human Rights Violations Report: 22 April 2012
Idleb, Jabal Ez-Zawiyyaah
Dozens were injured and many were killed as the regime’s forces pounded residents’ homes with rocket shells. The injuries on this casualty victim illustrate the extent of the shelling.
Douma, Damascus suburbs
This young man was killed by a sniper on his way to work on Sunday.
At-Tal, Damascus suburbs
The family of this young man bids farewell to him after was killed by the relentless gunfire at the hands of the regime’s forces during a demonstration.
Hama, Hama Province
The killing and destruction by the regime’s forces in Hama continues after the United Nations monitors left the town. This video captures the regime’s forces on a high building gesturing and threatening residents that a violent onslaught is about to begin again.
This is leaked video footage of the regime’s forces bragging about the pictured items (the chairs, fan, etc.) which they stole from residents after killing them.
This footage shows the pain of a mother crying to the United Nations monitors that she hasn’t heard from her son in months after he was arrested by the regime’s security forces, and that they refuse to give her any information.
Dar’aa, Khirbet Ghazala
These residents, at great risk, were able to capture footage of the regime’s checkpoint at the entrance of the town, where every vehicle entering and leaving is stopped and residents are berated by the regime’s forces, who often steal what is in the vehicles.
Homs, Al-Qusair
None of the points in the Annan Plan have been respected by the regime’s forces, and the tanks, military chekcpoints and armoured vehicles remain in the streets.
Homs, Al-Holeh
Even water is being prohibited from the residents, after the regime’s forces targeted the water tanks of the town in order to force the residents to flee as one basic necessity after another is taken away by the regime from residents.
Homs, Joret Al-Shayyah
Nothing is left in the town but massive destruction after the relentless shelling attacks on a daily basis by the regime’s forces.
Videos Courtesy of:
Syrian Network of Human Rights – Violations Report – 22 April 2012
Child Torture Revelations in Syrian Conflict
By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
DAMASCUS, Syria — In a twisted development to an already aberrant conflict, there is news that Syrian authorities have been detaining and torturing children. This is coupled with previous reports that the Syrian military has routinely raped women, tortured detainees, shot unarmed civilians, and encouraged looting of houses they storm. There have been (unconfirmed, as of yet) stories of the Syrian opposition army employing child soldiers.
The individual stories of child torture are shocking.
Hossam, a 13 year-old boy, talks of the “ultimate pain” of his torture when a “terrifying person” with a “huge body” drove a screwdriver up into his big toe nail before ripping it out with pliers. The man screamed, “’You want freedom? You want to topple the regime?’” as he beat the boy.
Mohammed, a 16-year old from Duma, was tortured with electricity after being arrested, and telling his captors that he supported a Syria that benefits all Syrians. He was beaten with a cable two or three times a day, and electrocuted on his chest, hands, legs, neck, and on his stomach, close to his genitals.
Pure physical torture of children does not cover the extent of the stories coming out of Syria.
Ayman Karnebo, a dissident who was arrested last May when the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began, witnessed the Syrian security forces torturing a pregnant mother, her husband, and her husband’s mother in front of the couple’s infant sons. Karnebo was sharing a cell with them at the time.
He recalls that the family was of Somali origin; having been rounded up after the revolt took hold. All foreigners were viewed with suspicion by the Assad government, leading many, like this family, to be detained and questioned.
Karnebo describes all three adults as being tortured with electric shocks to the elbows, hands and toes in front of their terrified children. After this round of torture the family was moved to another jail. Their fate remains unknown.
The Assad regime has long been known for its systematic and widespread use of torture, but these new revelations have still come as a surprise.
Amnesty International recently identified 31 methods of torture being employed by Syrian authorities. Some methods have been in use for decades, include the “tire,” where the victim is forced into a large tire and beaten on the feet. There is also the “flying carpet,” where the prisoner is strapped face-up on a wooden board that is bent to stretch the spine.
There are relatively unknown apparently new and even more disturbing techniques, including using pincers to rip out flesh, anal rape with sharp objects and a form of crucifixion where the prisoner is hung from a wall by their wrists.
“The biggest lie of the regime is that there are no orders to torture,” a defected former member of Syrian Air force Intelligence told GlobalPost. “It’s a program, a routine. I saw an old man with a 6-year-old girl brought to the interrogation department. Just five minutes of what she saw there, the screams she heard will surely traumatize her for the rest of her life.”
Navi Pillay, the United Nations’ human rights chief believes that the UN Security Council has enough reliable information to refer Syria’s actions to the International Criminal Court (“ICC”).
“They’ve gone for the children — for whatever purposes — in large numbers,” the BBC quoted her as saying. “Hundreds detained and tortured… it’s just horrendous…Children shot in the knees, held together with adults in really inhumane conditions, denied medical treatment for their injuries, either held as hostages or as sources of information…I feel that investigation and prosecution is a crucial element to deter and call a stop to these violations.”
Syria is not a party to the ICC, so unless Damascus refers itself to the court’s jurisdiction, the only other way for ICC jurisdiction to be created is by a UN Security Council vote. Given the previous vetoes by Russia and China on resolutions concerning Assad’s violent crackdown such actions are unlikely.
The United States, for its part, is urging the Syrian opposition to unite and pledge to respect minority rights should they eventually push Assad out of power.
“They must be able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to including all Syrians and protecting the rights of all Syrians,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.
More than 9,000 people have been killed in the yearlong Syrian uprising. Both the opposition and the Syrian government have been accused of human rights abuses during the conflict, drawing international flack from NGOs and other countries alike.
A supposed cease-fire between the opposition and the Syrian government, brokered by the United Nations, is scheduled to start on April 14, but its already shaky future is now further in doubt as the Syrian government is now claiming its conditions were misunderstood.
For more information, please see:
Miami Herald — Syria puts new conditions on cease-fire — 08 April 2012
Business Mirror — Torture of children, rape by Syrian army ‘routine,’ ex-soldiers say — 07 April 2012
Independent — Syrians tortured parents in front of terrified children — 07 April 2012
Salon — Syria’s tortured children — 04 April 2012
Kansas City Star — Torture of children, rape by Syrian army ‘routine,’ ex-soldiers say — 02 April 2012
The Independent — Assad’s forces target children, says UN envoy — 29 Mar. 2012
MSNBC — Syria is torturing children, UN human rights chief says — 28 Mar. 2012
Argentina Takes Steps Forward, 18 Years Later Ex-President Menem to Stand Trial for Cover-Up in AMIA Bombing
by Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – A former Argentinian President will finally stand trial for the corruption scandals he was tied to during his terms in office. Carlos Menem was directed to stand trial last week, by federal judge Ariel Lijo, for his involvement in the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) building.
The 1994 bombing completely wiped out the seven-story building. There were 85 deaths, and more than 300 people injured, when a truck loaded with explosives drove straight into the structure. Argentina, has the largest community of Jewish citizens in the Americas, outside the United States.
At the time, Argentinian prosecutors said the attack was planned and paid for by Iran who hired the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to carry it out. Iran has adamantly denied any involvement. Following the bombing relations between Iran and Argentina were completely frozen. Argentina sought for years to extradite eight Iranian officials who allegedly masterminded the bombing. No conviction, or even trial has ever been held regarding the attack.
In 2009 Menem was first accused of concealing and tampering with evidence that indicated the attack at AMIA had a Syrian connection. Menem is the child of two Syrian immigrants. A close family friend who died in 2010, Alberto Kanoore Edul, a Syrian-Argentine businessman, is alleged to have been involved. It is believed that Menem ordered his staff to destroy evidence that linked Edul to the attack.
Judge Lijo has also issued that former judge Jose Galeano, who was in charge of the investigation, stand trial. Menem is accused of pressuring Galeano to abandon further inquiries into Edul’s involvement. Other officials also called to stand trial were: the former head of state intelligence, Hugo Anzorreguy; his deputy Juan Carlos Anchezar; former police chief Jorge Palacios; and a former federal police agent.
The Israel UN envoy in the US praised this “re-energizing” action and gave Argentina credit for rechecking the facts and trying to clear up and close the case. In the past 18 years almost nothing has been done to investigate the attack.
Menem served two-terms as President of Argentina. He was a member of the Peronist party and in the beginning he was very popular with the public. However, his popularity decreased as his personal scandals and tough free-market policies alienated him from the public. Corruption scandals emerged towards the end of his second-term, including charges of smuggling arms to Ecuador and Croatia in the 1990s. He was recently cleared of these charges.
For more information, please see;
Buenos Aires Herald – AMIA Inquiry: Judge Announces Menem, Galeano to Stand Trial – 7 April 2012
J Space – Ex-Argentinian President to Stand Trial for AMIA Attack – 2 April 2012
Merco Press – Former President to Stand Trial in Relation to Argentina’s Deadliest Terrorist Attack – 1 April 2012
European Jewish Press – AMIA Bombing: Argentina’s Carlos Menem to be Tried for Obstruction – 31 March 2012
BBC – Argentina’s Carlos Menem Faces Bombing Trial – 30 March 2012