UPDATE – Iran in the News

Compiled by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
June 29, 2011

A History of United Nations Special Representatives and Rapporteurs in Iran

IHRDC released this chart that collects and documents UN Special Representative and Rapporteur activity in Iran since 1980. To read the history and UN reports click here.

Witness Statement of Mohammad Shams

IHRDC published a witness statement by Mohammad Shams, a young political opposition supporter, describing his arrest, detention and torture after he participated in demonstrations protesting the June 2009 presidential elections results. Read his witness statement here.

Persian Translation of the Rome Statute Continued

IHRDC posted its Persian translation of Parts 4, 5 and 6 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The translation is available here.

Surviving Rape in Iran’s Prisons

IHRDC published this report that documents the ordeals of five former prisoners – two women and three men – who were raped, and witnessed and were threatened with rape while imprisoned in Iranian prisons. Read it here.

Civilians Suspects Arrested by Military in Uganda

By Reta Raymond
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KAMPALA, Uganda – In the wake of the much publicized death of Col. Edison Muzoora, several Forum for Democratic Change (“FDC”) party officials have been arrested, some of them by the Ugandan military, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (“UPDF”). Seven suspects have been detained for nearly two weeks, and on 27 June five were charged with treason, a civil offense under Section 23 of the Ugandan Penal Code Act.  FDC Secretary of Defence and Security Maj. (rtd) John Kazoora believes that “the government is becoming paranoid and they want to silence the opposition using these arrests. .. If [the detainees] have a case to answer [for] they should be produced in court.”

Mr. Mukaira is recovering at Mulago Hospital in Kampala after being arrested by the UPDF. (Photo courtesy of Daily Monitor)
Mukaira is recovering at Mulago Hospital. (Photo courtesy of Daily Monitor)

FDC Bushenyi District Chairperson William Mukaira, 83 was arrested on 19 June by the UPDF, but has not yet been charged. Mukaira was last reported to be at Mulago Hospital in Kampala where he is recovering from undisclosed health deterioration after being detained at an UPDF military detention facility.

Dr. Aggrey Byamaka, a pharmacist and FDC officer from Mbarara Municipality, was also arrested by the UPDF on 16 June, and was taken to the Second Division Army Barracks in Mbarara.  Byamaka’s wife, Doreen, asked the UPDF forces why he was arrested and where they were taking him. The officers told her to follow them in her car but she was turned away at the UPDF headquarters gate. Nine days later, Mrs. Byamaka still had not been able to find her husband. She told reporters, “I can’t rest, I can’t settle. Wherever he is rumored to be detained, I try to connect there, but I have not succeeded. We don’t know if he is dead or alive.”

Byamaka has not been charged yet, despite a court order issued Friday for the government to produce him on Monday, 27 June with the other suspects. Upon failing to produce Byamaka, State Attorney Susan Odongo reported to the court that “the Director of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence has filed a return this morning stating that the applicant is in the custody of the police. We have been trying to receive instructions from the IGP and the director CID, but they were engaged in a meeting.”

Col. Muzoora deserted the UPDF in 2003, and fled to Rwanda where he served as an operations and field commander of the rebel group the People’s Redemption Army. On 27 May Muzoora’s body was left outside his Bushenyi home in Uganda, wrapped in white sheets, having been preserved for several weeks. “Our preliminary investigations reveal that Col Muzoora sneaked into Uganda on May 5, 2011 from a neigbouring country… After he entered the country, he went directly to the home of William Mukaira in Bushenyi,” stated Internal affairs minister, Hilary Onek. The prosecution believes that those charged were conspiring with Muzoora, among others to overthrow the government with a force of arms.

Daily Monitor – State slaps treason case on six suspects – 28 June, 2011.

Daily Monitor – Muzoora’s death puts two on the spot – 25 June, 2011.

All Africa – Uganda: Army, police deny they have Byamaka – 22 June, 2011.

The Observer – Government explains Col. Muzoora’s death – 22 June, 2011.

Daily Monitor – Tension as FDC officials are arrested by military – 19 June, 2011.

Recent events indicate advancements in women’s rights

By Greg Hall
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Two recent newsworthy events highlight the international efforts being made to further women’s rights and protect women from inequality and discrimination. First, Sunday marked the United Nations’ thirtieth year celebration of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, an annual day dedicated to paying respect to worldwide victims of torture. This week also marked one year since the opening of the Swedish school Egalia, a preschool aimed at promoting gender neutrality by eliminating common stereotypes.

Children play in the garden of Egalia (Photo courtesy of NY Times).
Children play in the garden of Egalia, a progressive Swedish preschool. (Photo courtesy of New York Times).

The UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on Sunday. Last year, at Denmark’s request, the UN designated June 26 as International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.  Torture against women in particular has been an important focus.  Certain forms of gender-specific violence perpetrated by state actors, as well as by private individuals or organizations, amount to torture, and it is now recognized that gender-specific violence falls within the definition of torture in the Convention against Torture.

One country has promoted women’s rights for decades.  A preschool in Sweden, Egalia, takes human rights and equality to a new level.  The school proclaims to be totally gender neutral, and teaches gender equality by eliminating common socialization that occurs in ordinary schools.  For example, the school staff refers to the children as friends instead of boys and girls.  The colors of the toys are also gender neutral.  Even the dolls are anatomically correct. The school refers to a person whose gender is not known as a “hen” instead of a him or her. School officials believe that such behavior will help eradicate stereotypes that lead to future gender inequality.

Critics of the school’s program are wary. Jay Belsky, a child psychologist at the University of California, Davis, said he’s not aware of any other school like Egalia, and he questioned its mission.

“The kind of things that boys like to do – run around and turn sticks into swords – will soon be disapproved of,” he said. “So gender neutrality at its worst is emasculating maleness.”  Despite opinions such as Belsky’s, the school boasts a long waiting list for admission.

Such events as the thirtieth anniversary of the International Day in support of torture victims and the one-year anniversary of the opening of the innovative Egalia highlight a long road ahead for women’s rights. But, at the least, it is clear that efforts are being made to reduce discrimination and ill treatment based on gender.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Education Associates – International Day of Support of Victims of Torture – 26 June 2011

New York Times – No ‘him’ of ‘her’; Preschool Fights Gender Bias – 26 June 2011

UN – International Day of Support of Victims of Torture – 26 June 2011

OAS readmits Honduras after Zelaya returns, but human rights concerns remain

By Brianne Yantz
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Earlier this month the Organization of American States voted to readmit Honduras after President Porfirio Lobo agreed to former President Manuel Zelaya’s return from exile. Honduras was suspended from the OAS in 2009 after Zelaya was ousted by the Honduran military in a coup d’état.

Zelayas supporters gather in Tegucigalpa to welcome his return (Photo Courtesy of the NY Post).
Zelaya’s supporters gather in Tegucigalpa to listen to his speech 3 months after ouster. (Photo Courtesy of the NY Post).

At the time of his removal Zelaya had been campaigning for constitutional reform, which his opponents alleged were in efforts to extend his presidency. The Honduran constitution bans leaders from serving more than one term in office and the speculation that Zelaya desired to run for a second term served as the pre-text for his removal.

Despite the reasons behind Zelaya’s removal, many believe the nation is worse off than it was two years ago. According to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, more than 4,000 cases of human rights violations were documented between June 2009 and December 2010.  Human rights activists, journalists, and the government’s political adversaries have been among those suffering violent abuse and repression at the hands of the Honduran military and police.

Honduras is currently one of the world’s most violent nations.  The homicide rate is four times higher than that of Mexico, with 67 per 100,000 people murdered each year. In the past year alone around 40 community leaders, many of which were Zelaya supporters, were killed.

Since his election to office last year, President Lobo has made multiple public statements calling for and promoting peaceful resolution but the violence has continued.  Although some see Zelaya’s return to Honduras as a step towards achieving peace, many believe the on-going human rights violations that have endured for the past two years are far from over.

These beliefs are not without merit. The Cartagena Accord, the diplomatic agreement that paved the way for Zelaya’s return, mandated that the assassins, torturers and rapists of the Honduran regimes of the past two years be immune from criminal prosecution. According to a Workers Word report, Committee of Relatives of the Detained-Disappeared in Honduras representative Bertha Oliva criticized the agreement, stating, “We do not see any indications of how and when those responsible for the crimes against humanity committed during and after the coup will be punished.”

Oliva is one of many who are skeptical of conditions of Zelaya’s return and if his presence will help rid Honduras of despair. Many believe the that Zelaya was allowed to return so that Honduras would be readmitted to the OAS, an action more than 20 human rights organizations had opposed because it effectively legitimized the government that rose to power after the coup.

Zelaya’s return is a return to political normalization; however, there is still no guarantee that his return and the return of Honduras to the OAS will restore civil rights and freedoms to the people of Honduras.

For more information, please see:

 

Workers Word – Zelaya returns to Honduras – June 9, 2011

LA Times – Fixing Honduras – June 7, 2011

Reporters Without Borders – Concern about future of civil liberties, human rights after OAS readmits Honduras – June 7, 2011

The Miami Herald – Hollow victory – June 5, 2011

Latin American Press – End of the crisis? – June 2, 2011

BBC News – OAS lifts Honduras suspension after Zelaya agreement – June 1, 2011

 

FARC forcing recruitment of indigenous child soldiers

By Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

 BOGOTÁ, Colombia – Fighting with the rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) recently occurred in the southwestern Cauca region.  On June 4, 2011 army reports from a skirmish with the guerilla fighters revealed that FARC is still actively recruiting child soldiers. 

adolescent FARC soldiers (Photo Courtesy of Latin American Studies Organization)
Adolescent are actively recruited by FARC. (Photo Courtesy of Latin American Studies Organization)

 Three members from FARC forces were arrested after the skirmish, two of them were minors.  The three arrested all confirmed that FARC has been active in recruiting children from the indigenous populations in the Huila, Cauca and Valle de Cauca regions.  The two child soldiers stated that in the past two months, roughly 15 children between the ages of 12 and 15 years old have been forcefully recruited.

 Child soldiers are sometimes used in armed combat but more commonly, they act as FARC’s transporters for explosives, rations and anti-personnel mines.  Recent decisive moves by the Colombian army resulted in the death and capture of many FARC fighters.  The army believes this has led to a need for replacements and thus prompted the surge in forced child soldier recruitment. 

The two child soldiers were placed in the care of the state and officials urged indigenous communities to report these recruitments to authorities.  In an effort to relieve fear of reprisal, authorities stated that indigenous communities should not fear condemnation by the state. 

 Indigenous groups have asked for a more concerted and swift response from the government to eradicate this widespread practice.  Aída Quilcué, the leader of the Cauca Regional Indigenous Council, stated; “[w]e have cases of minors from 8 years of age to 15 who have been forcefully recruited by the FARC.  We are asking for the government’s help so this situation stops.  We are tired of seeing women raped, tortured, children dead and children obligated to join the FARC’s ranks.”

 For more information, please see;

 Child Rights Information Network – Colombia: ‘FARC Are Recruiting Indigenous Children’ – 9 June 2011

 Latin America Press – FARC Recruiting Indigenous Minors – 9 June 2011

 Colombia Reports – FARC Are Recruiting Indigenous Children – 4 June 2011

 Ejército Nacional – Las FARC Estarían Reclutando Menores en Cabildos Indígenas – 4 June 2011