Uncategorized

Bolivian Ex-officials sentenced for their role in the Black October deaths

By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America


LA PAZ, Bolivia – Bolivia’s Supreme court of Justice convicted five ex-military commanders of genocide on Tuesday for their role in the deaths of at least 64 unarmed civilians in an army crackdown during an October 2003 riot.


2003 riot sparked by a government plan to export natural gas through a proposed pipeline to Chile. (Photo courtesy of Aljazeera)
2003 riot sparked by a government plan to export natural gas through a pipeline to Chile. (Photo courtesy of Aljazeera).

The October 2003 riot, also known as “Black October,” was sparked by public outrage after the Bolivian government announced its plans to export Bolivia’s natural gas through a pipeline into Chile. Protestors who were fueled by years of anger over poverty and political marginalization, took to the streets of El Alto with sticks and rocks to demonstrate their disapproval.


Authorized by former president Sanchez de Lozada, soldiers opened fire on the protestors, killing 64 and wounding approximately 405. Among those killed were women and children. Sanchez claimed the use of force was justified because the protestors had cut off food and fuel supply to La Paz.


On Tuesday, three of the five former military officials responsible for ordering the crackdown, were each given 10 years in prison. The other two higher ranked military officials,  Roberto Claros, a former armed forces chief, and Juan Veliz, a former army commander, were each given 15-year sentences.


Also convicted of complicity in the killings were two former environment and labor Cabinet ministers, Erick Reyes Villa and Adalberto Kuajara, who were each given three year sentences.

Gonzalo Rocabado, one of the former military officials who received a 10-year sentence, stated that the trial was misguided because it was “a trial against the armed forces that followed the law.”


Family and friends of the victims of Black October cried out of mixed emotions at the verdict; some cried out of anger that the prison sentences were too short. Many had held a vigil outside the court house in Sucre for two months prior to the trial.


Indicted in the case but not tried because of Bolivia’s absentia law include Sanchez and Carlos Sanzhez Berzain, a former defense minister.


Both Sanchez and Berzain were forced into exile after the riot and currently reside in Florida. Bolivia has sought their extradition but strained relations between the U.S. and Bolivia may hinder this request.


For more information, please see:


Fox News – 5 Military Officers Convicted of Genocide in Bolivia; Two Ministers Guilty of Complicity – 31 August 2011

Aljazeera – Bolivia officers convicted over 2003 massacre – 31 August 2011

New York Times – Bolivia: 5 Officers Guilty of Genocide – 30 August 2011

Associated Press – Ex-military chiefs convicted for Bolivia crackdown – 30 August 2011

No Plans to Evacuate NYC Prisoners before Deadly Hurricane Strikes

by Warren Popp
Impunity Watch Editor-in-Chief

NEW YORK, NY – According to several news outlets, the New York City Department of Corrections does not have an evacuation plan for the approximately 12,000 prisoners held at Rikers Island, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg clearly stated at a news conference on Friday that “We are not evacuating Rikers Island.”

Aeriel view of Rikers Island (Photo Courtesy of Julia Robertson, AP).
Aeriel view of Rikers Island (Photo Courtesy of Julia Robertson, AP).

These revelations have revived stories of prisoners that were not evacuated when hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana in 2005.  Solitary Watch quoted the following excerpt from an American Civil Liberties Union Report:

[A] culture of neglect was evident in the days before Katrina, when the sheriff declared that the prisoners would remain “where they belong,” despite the mayor’s decision to declare the city’s first-ever mandatory evacuation. OPP even accepted prisoners, including juveniles as young as 10, from other facilities to ride out the storm.

As floodwaters rose in the OPP buildings, power was lost, and entire buildings were plunged into darkness. Deputies left their posts wholesale, leaving behind prisoners in locked cells, some standing in sewage-tainted water up to their chests…

Prisoners went days without food, water and ventilation, and deputies admit that they received no emergency training and were entirely unaware of any evacuation plan. Even some prison guards were left locked in at their posts to fend for themselves, unable to provide assistance to prisoners in need.

Further heightening the level of concern and indignation amongst critics, the prisoners housed at Rikers Island include juveniles, a large number of mentally ill persons, and even pre-trial detainees, with the latter group not convicted of any crimes. Also adding to the concerns is that more that three-fourths of the island is built on a landfill, which is believed to be more vulnerable to natural disasters.

The Office of the Mayor has responded to criticisms by asserting that the prisoners safety is not being compromised, and that no part of Rikers Island is in Zone A (the mandatory evacuation area). The Wall Street Journal quotes the Mayor’s spokesman as saying, “[w]e are focused on the areas where real dangers exist.” However, Rikers Island is reportedly one of the only islands in the area that is not listed in any of the areas zoned for evacuation.

The Office of the Mayor reasoned that the prisoners do not need to be evacuated because the island, like other islands in New York City, does not actually touch the Atlantic Ocean.  The Mayor’s spokesperson was also quoted as saying that the jail is able to sustain itself and is “prepared to operate and care for inmates in extended emergency conditions,” with a full staff to remain on the island.

These words of reassurance have done little to satisfy those concerned about the plight of the Rikers Island prisoners.  The Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights said that “[i]t is appalling that the City administration is abandoning the men and women at Rikers even after the lessons of hurricane Katrina.”  He called on the Mayor to “take appropriate action immediately to protect the life and safety of everyone confined at Rikers Island and all vulnerable corrections facilities in New York City. Their lives should not be treated as less valuable than those of other New Yorkers.”

For more information, please see:

Center for Constitutional Rights – CCR Says NYC Must Act Immediately to Protect Prisoners at Rikers Island from Hurricane Irene – 27 August 2011

Mother Jones – Rikers Island Prisoners Left Behind to Face Irene – 27 August 2011

New York Magazine – No Evacuation for Rikers Island [Updated] – 27 August 2011

Wall Street Journal – No Evacuation Planned at Rikers Island – 27 August 2011

Solitary Watch – Locked Up and Left Behind: Hurricane Irene and the Prisoners on New York’s Rikers Island – 26 August 2011

AS TENSIONS BETWEEN GAZA AND ISRAEL FLARE UP AND DOWN, CIVILIANS PAY THE TOLL

By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip–Fresh strokes in the ongoing conflict between the Israel and Palestine has caught the attention and concern of the international community. With the current volatile situations in other countries of the region taking center stage, such as Libya and Syria, the timeless conflict has pushed its way back to the headlines after drifting somewhat into the background.

An Israeli tank is positioned near the southern Israel kilbuttz of Nahal Oz.(Photo Courtesy of CNN)
An Israeli tank is positioned near the southern Israel kilbuttz of Nahal Oz.(Photo Courtesy of CNN)

A third Israeli raid crushed a military training camp in the Gaza Strip after rockets fired from Gaza fell in southern Israeli on the fourth day of a continued cross-border conflict that has claimed the lives of 30 individuals.

Al-Jazeera’s Safwat Kahlout reported that at least nine Palestinians, including a brutally injured 13-year-old boy, were wounded on Sunday from Israeli drones and F-16 fighter jet attacks. The Israeli attacked targeted a Hamas police station and a military training camp belonging to the al-Ahrar movement.

On 20 August 2011, Hamas announced that it was formally ending its two-year truce with Israel. This was the first time in months that Hamas had openly declared its involvement in rocket attacks against Israel, since observing the de facto truce since the end of a three-week offensive in January 2009.

Al-Jazeera correspondent Cal Perry shared these sentiments concerning Hamas involvement.

“Hamas has called off the ceasefire that was in place with Israel, largely due to the violence and the continued strikes that we see from Israeli aircraft, killing at least 15 Palestinians. They do blame Hamas whenever anything originated from Gaza, be it a rocket attack from the south-we have seen 70 of those since Thursday-or an attack like we saw from southern Israel.”

Israeli army officials reported that at least 12 rockets fired from Gaza fell in southern Israel and hit an empty school, not creating any serious injuries. Israeli ministers held an emergency meeting on Saturday night to discuss the violence after an Israeli man was killed that evening by a rocket strike in the southern city of Beersheba. According to the AFP news agency, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) has claimed responsibility for the Beersheba attack. PRC is a faction in Gaza that is traditionally loyal to Hamas.

Israeli aerial attacks on Gaza have claimed the lives of at least 15 people, including gunmen and five civilians, three of them children. Israeli officials blamed the attack on Palestinian fighters who had entered southern Israel from Gaza through Egypt.

The Arab League implored the international community to “pressure the Israeli occupation authorities to put an immediate end to this assault,” after holding emergency talks in Cairo, Egypt on Sunday.

“The Arab League calls on the UNSC to assume its responsibilities and take quick steps to halt this brutal assault.”

As recently as 23 August, Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip fired rockets into southern Israel overnight, according to Israeli police. Hamas officials said that Palestinian factions and Israel had agreed to observe a ceasefire after three days of border skirmishes. Ghazi Hamad, Hamas’ deputy foreign minister, has confirmed the reported ceasefire to Al-Jazeera, detailing that both sides reached an informal ceasefire through Egyptian and UN mediation.

“We have temporarily stopped firing rockets at Israel according to the national consensus.”

For more information, please see:

BBC-Israel and Hamas agree Gaza truce, reports say-23 August 2011

Al-Jazeera-Hamas says Gaza ceasefire agreed-22 August 2011

Ahram-Gaza militants agree to halt fire on Israel-22 August 2011

NYT-Efforts Seek to Restore Calm Between Israel and Hamas-21 August 2011

CNN-Rockets kill 1 in Israel; Hamas military wing ends truce-20 August 2011

Brazilian Judge known for strict stance against government corruption is Killed after sentencing former policemen

By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America


RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Fourth District Court of Sao Goncalo judge, Patricia Lourival Acioli, was murdered after being shot up to 21 times last Thursday outside her home by hooded gunmen only days after having delivered tough sentences to corrupt policemen.


Patricia Lourival Acioli was well known for her harsh sentences against corrupt police. (Photo Courtesy of Aljazeera)
Patricia Lourival Acioli was well known for her harsh sentences against corrupt police. (Photo Courtesy of Aljazeera)

According to witnesses, the gunmen were traveling on two motorbikes and shot at Acioli as she was arriving to her home in Niteroi. Acioli, 47, was a mother of three.


On Sunday, Rio de Janeiro investigators announced that, although 12 suspects have been named, finding the men responsible for her attack will be difficult due to her numerous adversaries who disagreed with her strong stance against government corruption.


In her 18-years as a judge, Acioli handed down approximately 60 sentences against policemen and former policemen which resulted in multiple death threats against her. Furthermore, Avioli’s name was also among the 12 listed in a handwritten death list issued by a recently arrested militia group.


According to Felipe Ettore, a leading investigator, the bullets used to shoot Acioli were ones typically found in the 45-caliber and 40-caliber pistols belonging to civil and military police as well as the Brazilian Armed Forces.


Patrick Wilcken, a Brazil Researcher at Amnesty International, views the killing of Avioli as a huge blow to the judicial system in Brazil. He urges Brazilian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to bring those rose responsible to justice and provide more protection for those fighting against police corruption.


“Patrícia Acioli’s brutal killing exposes a deeply troubling situation where corruption and organized crime are controlling large areas of life in parts of Rio de Janeiro today,” Wilcken said.


In a statement earlier this week, Brazil Supreme Court President Cesar Peluso called the crimes against magistrates “barbaric” and “cowardly,” and demanded a quick investigation and the rigorous punishment of those responsible.


In recent years, off-duty police and firefighters have joined militias that have contributed to the expansion of drug gangs and organized crime in Rio de Janeiro.

Acioli’s neighbors have hung black protest banners around their neighborhood reading “Who Silenced the Voice of Justice?”

For more information, please see:


Amnesty International – Killing of Brazilian judge exposes police corruption – 16 August 2011

CNN – Brazilian judge known for tough sentences slain – 14 August 2011

Aljazeera – Hardline Brazil judge gunned down – 13 August 2011

BBC News – Brazil judge Patricia Acioli shot dead in Niteroi– 12 August 2011


UN TRIBUNAL IN LEBANON LIFTS CONFIDENTIALITY BAN ON HARIRI INDICTMENT

By Adom M. Cooper
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon–In its investigation of the killing of former President Rafiq al-Hariri involving a car bomb in 2005, The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has removed confidentiality restrictions on an indictment issued against four individuals.

Photos of the four suspects. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)
Photos of the four suspects. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)


The four individuals are: Mustafa Amine Badreddine, Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hussein Hassan Oneissi, and Assad Hassan Sabra. All are members of Hezbollah.

The lift on the confidentiality restrictions means that details of the cases against these four men named as suspects by the tribunal in June 2011 and subject to arrest warrants can be revealed for the first time.

The focal point of the documents is a network of phones that were allegedly used by the suspects in coordinating and executing the attack that claimed the lives of 21 people.  The indictment contains details that an assassination team consisting of Ayyah and others positioned themselves in several different locations where they were able to observe and track Hariri’s movements. The team had done this on several occasions leading up to the attack.

The 47-page indictment provides a timeline of Hariri’s movement up until 12:55 local time, “when a male suicide bomber detonated a large quantity of explosives concealed in the cargo area of a van, killing Hariri and 21 other victims and injuring a total of 231.”

Investigators on the case conceded that the evidence gathered is chiefly circumstantial because it is based on phone networks. Kamel Wazni, a political analyst in Beirut, admitted that the evidence released does not possess any real independent clout.

“This is based entirely on phone networks. This doesn’t prove those people are behind it. Hezbollah sees these claims as a fabrication, and there is no concrete evidence that links them to the assassination.”

The indictment also detailed how after the explosion rocked the nation, Oneissi and Sabra called Reuters and Al-Jazeera, informing Al-Jazeera on the location of a videotape placed in a tree near ESCWA in Beirut. The video aired on television and showed Ahmad Abu Adass, a man who claimed to be the suicide bomber on behalf of a fictitious extremist group.

It is further revealed that Ayyash and Badreddine are related to each other and also to Imad Mughniyeh, a member of Hezbollah who was assassinated in Syria during 2008. This revelation is the first official documentation to show a concrete connection between the suspects here and other members of Hezbollah.

Tribunal prosecutor Daniel Bellemare shared these sentiments concerning the details of the indictment.

“Oneissi and Sabra, in addition to being conspirators, prepared and delivered the false claim of responsibility video, which sought to blame the wrong people, in order to shield the conspirators from justice. This order will finally inform the public and the victims about the facts alleged in the indictment regarding the commission of the crime that led to charging the four accused.”

The STL, established in 2007, has had a rather polarizing effect on Lebanese politics. One school of thought believes the STL is pushing forward a plan to bring down Hezbollah and the other believes the court is the only institution that will be able to objectively rule on Hariri’s killing.

For more information, please see:

Ahram-UN-backed tribunal publishes Lebanon’s Hariri indictment-17 August 2011

Al-Jazeera-UN tribunal releases Hariri indictment-17 August 2011

BBC-Hezbollah suspects to be tried over Rafik Hariri-17 August 2011

The Telegraph-Lebanon indictment: Rafiq Hariri tracked for three months with elaborate phone network-17 August 2011