China: World Pressure To Release Dissidents

David L. Chaplin II
Impunity Watch, Asia

BEIJING, China – Ai WeiWei, the brain behind the birds-nest stadium which was the centerpiece of Beijing’s Olympic Games, and outspoken activist was detained by police at Beijing airport in a widening crackdown on resistance across the country.

His wife told Agence France Press on Monday that police in Beijing had refused to disclose why they detained the artist, the internationally acclaimed artist, has now been missing for over a week.

A supporter of prominent Chinese artist Ai Weiwei holds a picture of him at Weiweis art studio in Shanghai Credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria/Files
A supporter of prominent Chinese artist Ai Weiwei holds a picture of him at Weiwei's art studio in Shanghai Credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria/Files

Ai Weiwei’s believes firmly in the freedom of speech and the right to speak up on behalf of others who have been brutally silenced for their efforts to change society for the better.

His public comments, activities and art are some of the loudest, most flagrantly defiant forms of speech in China today, in a time where government controls on the Internet and traditional media limit freedom in their civil society.

Citizens urge their government to treat their people with respect as a matter of basic justice and humanity.

More than 20 dissidents and activists have been held in the past weeks reports Human Rights Watch.

China’s authorities appear on edge over calls for a so-called Jasmine Revolution, partly inspired by pro-democracy movements in the Middle East.

The artist was stopped while passing through security checks for a flight to Hong Kong with an assistant, Jennifer Ng.

Ms. Ng was allowed to continue on her journey to Hong Kong only after the documents of both were searched thoroughly.

She told the BBC that Ai Weiwei was taken away by border guards.

A few hours later, more than 40 police officers raided the artist’s Beijing studio.

Dozens of items were confiscated, said another assistant, and several people were taken to a nearby police station, although they were released a few hours later.

Some of his work has political connotations, he tried to gather the names of every school child who died during the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.

This is a sensitive subject as many schools fell down in the earthquake, leading to claims that they were poorly built.

The Chinese government has made it a point to arrest activists who bring this issue up, says the BBC’s Michael Bristow in Beijing.

France, Germany and the United States have called for the immediate release of a Chinese artist and dissident, detained in China.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called on China for an “urgent explanation” of his fate.

A spokesman for the French foreign ministry said the country was “very concerned” about his disappearance.

“We hope he will be released as soon as possible,” Bernard Valero said, adding that the French government was following events “very closely”.

Human rights group Amnesty International said Mr Ai’s arrest showed that “China’s time for open dissent has come to an end”.

The detention adds to the lengthening list of dissidents held in a security crackdown by a government determined to snuff out any hint of challenges to its power as it approaches a leadership transition in late 2012.

Under Chinese law, the authorities must inform relatives within 24 hours when someone is brought in for questioning and 48 hours if he or she is arrested. However, the rule is often disregarded.

For more information,  please see:

Human Rights Watch – China: Arrests, Disappearances Require International Response – 31 March 2011

BBC – Concern mounts over missing Chinese artist Ai Weiwei – 5 April 2011

The West Australian – “No information” in disappearance of China dissident – 4 April 2011

Asia News – China West protests “disappearance” of renowned artist Ai Weiwei, but another 200 are also detained – 5 April 2011

UN To Begin Investigating Human Rights Violations In Libya

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GENEVA, Switzerland – United Nations investigators have announced that next week they would begin an inquiry into alleged human rights violations that have been committed by both sides of the conflict in Libya.  They will look into abuses both by Muammar Gaddafi’s loyalists and the opposition forces as well as those by any foreign parties to the conflict. Evidence resulting from this investigation will be shared with the U.N. war crimes tribunal.

The team of investigators, led by war crimes expert Cherif Bassiouni, will visit hospitals and prisons, and will be talking to civilians, combatants and anyone else who may provide information.  Bassiouni, an emeritus law professor at DePaul University in Chicago, stated that the work “will be done with complete impartiality”.

The U.N. team is comprised of three investigators – Bassiouni, Phillippe Kirsch, and Asma Khader.  Kirsch is a Canadian former judge of the International Criminal Court, and Khader is a Jordanian lawyer, who is also an expert in sex crimes.  Khader claims the team will look into rapes, including the case of Eman al-Obaidi, a Libyan woman who accused government militia of raping her.

These investigators will be cooperating with the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.  The ICC is looking to see whether Gaddafi, his sons and his advisors have committed war crimes. He claims that well before the revolution spread from Tunisia and Egypt, the Libyan authorities considered killing unarmed protestors.

Actions by foreign powers will also be investigated. For instance, the Libyan government claims that civilians, including children, have been killed by NATO airstrikes.

This investigation was approved by the U.N. Human Rights Council on February 25.  The Council claims that attacks on civilians and arrests, as well as the detention and torture of peaceful demonstrators, may qualify as crimes against humanity.  According to Bassiouni, the Council’s mandate stipulates that all violations be reported, no matter who has committed the crimes.  Some say this may or may not reach the level of criminal accountability necessary to prosecute in the ICC. But Moreno-Ocampo is “100% certain” that the investigation into the government’s attacks on Libyan demonstrators will lead to charges of crimes against humanity.

For more information please see:
The Canadian Press – UN Says Its Libya Human Rights Abuses Investigation Will Cover All sides Involved in Fight – 08 April 2011

The Jerusalem Post – UN Rights Investigators to Start Probe in Libya – 08 April 2011

Reuters – UN Rights Investigators to Start Probe in Libya – 08 April 2011 

Obama Makes Promises in El Salvador

By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Presidents Obama and Funes.
Presidents Obama and Funes.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador—On a recent visit to El Salvador, U.S. President Barack Obama promised $200 million to aid the Central American nation in its war on drug trafficking and gang violence.  According to President Obama, this funding would go towards fighting the underlying causes of trafficking and gang membership, such as poverty and various social elements.  In addition to the $200 million promise, Obama also vowed to undertake new steps to increase trade and economic collaboration within El Salvador and Central America.

President Obama also announced the creation of the Central American Citizen’s Security Partnership after discussing the matter with Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes.  The Partnership is expected to fortify the court system within the country with the cooperation of countries like Chile, Colombia and Mexico.  The two leaders also discussed immigration, as two to three million Salvadorans live and work within the U.S.  Obama praised Funes’ “courageous work to overcome old divisions in Salvadoran society,” and said, “The U.S. wants to be a partner in this process.  We want El Salvador to be successful.”

Obama was accompanied by his wife and daughters on his trip.  He visited the National Cathedral in the capital, San Salvador, and saw the tomb of Archbishop Oscar Romero, a defender of the poor who was assassinated in 1980 after celebrating Mass.

Obama’s visit to El Salvador was the last of many visits to different Latin American countries, such as Chile and Brazil.  The visit was cut shorter than expected, as the president had to return to Washington early in order to handle the critical events taking place in Libya.

Though Obama’s promises have given many Salvadorans hope, some radical Salvadorans have been wary of the U.S.’s motives.  One student leader, using the alias “Ana Maria,” commented, “Obama is visiting El Salvador so that the U.S. can continue trying to control the Latin American region. . . .  [T]he reinforcement of the anti-narcotics division here [is] there to put down our social movements.  They are all part of maintaining a military position here—and we will continue to oppose it!”

The U.S. State Department lists El Salvador as one of the 10 most violent countries in the world.  It is estimated that last year there were almost 4,000 homicides in the country.

For more information, please see:

Axis of Logic-Dispatch from El Salvador: Obama’s Drug War Feels Eerily Familiar-5 April 2011

BBC-Obama pledges anti-drug funding on El Salvador visit-23 March 2011

AFP-Obama visits violence-plagued El Salvador-22 March 2011

Amnesty International Slams Yemen For Attacks on Protesters

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANAA, Yemen – Amnesty International released a report today on the human rights violations that have occurred over the last few months in Yemen. The report discusses the recent attacks on and repression of protesters, who do not support the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh and who strive to eliminate the corruption and unemployment.

The most violent of these attacks occurred on March 18, when snipers fired on protesters in Sana’a, killing fifty-two people and injuring hundreds more. Protesters have since called this incident “Bloody Friday”.  Witnesses stated that most of those who were killed were shot in the head or the chest and died on site.

According to Amnesty, Yemen’s response to these attacks is “woefully inadequate”.  Although the government stated that it would investigate these attacks (and others), little information has been made available to the public as to whether any police force members are under being investigated. Furthermore, the impartiality and independence of the investigating authorities has been called into question.

As these attacks continue, Amnesty expressed its concern for the torture, unlawful killing, and other human rights violations occurring in Yemen. In addition, supporters of secession in the southern portion of the country have been held without trial, are unable to challenge the legality of their detentions, and are forbidden from speaking with their families.

It is the belief of this human rights organization that Yemen must deal with its “heavy legacy of impunity”.  The government should ensure that security forces do not use force against demonstrators who do not threaten their lives or the lives of others.  It should also provide detainees with access to their lawyers and families and should take steps to make sure that peaceful protesters are not tortured.

Amnesty made several recommendations to the international community, in particular, that authorities must be held responsible for the recent attacks on protesters, ninety-four of whom have been killed to date.  It suggested that President Saleh not be granted immunity by way of a political deal for these incidents.

The organization further seeks the suspension of the sale and transfer of weapons and arms to the security forces in Yemen, as they may be used in attempts to control the demonstrations.  The United States is the largest supplier of military and security equipment to Yemen.  Other countries involved in the sale of arms to Yemen include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Russian Federation, France, Turkey, and the Ukraine.

For more information please see:
Amnesty International – Moment of Truth for Yemen – 05 April 2011

Amnesty International USA – Amnesty International Warns Against Political Deals to Give President Immunity for Brutality Against Protesters in Exchange for Handing Over Power – 05 April 2011

Monsters & Critics – Amnesty International urges external inquiry into Yemen – 06 April 2011