Eight U.S. Missionaries Released From Haitian Jail

By Stephen Kopko

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A Haitian judge released eight of the ten American missionaries being held on charges of child kidnapping from jail today.  They have been held for the last three weeks on the charges.  The eight were released on bail and did not have to place bond.  They were allowed to leave on their own word.  Also, the judge ruled that they were free to leave the country.  The other two missionaries, Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter were not released.  The judge kept the two for further questioning.

The missionaries were accused of child kidnapping on January 29, 2010 when they tried to take Haitian children devastated by the earthquake across the border into the Dominican Republic.  However, they did not have proper identification needed in order to take the children.  Many of the missionaries believed that the children were orphans.  Later, it was discovered that some of the children were not orphans but had parents.  In the hope of providing better care for the children, many of the parents voluntarily gave their children to the missionaries.

The Haitian government thanked the U.S. for not interfering in the investigation.  At the beginning of the investigation, the Haitian government promised to respect the rights of the missionaries and to conduct a thorough investigation.  Haiti’s Secretary for Penal Affairs stated “I commend the U.S. government for not interfering with the ongoing judicial proceedings in Haiti about the Americans.”

Silsby and Coulter were not released by the Haitian judge.  He wanted to question them about their trip to Haiti in December 2009. Silsby is considered the leader of the missionary group who claimed that they were helping the children of Haiti after the earthquake.

The missionaries were also apologetic about their relationship with Jorge Puello, a man wanted by the United States Marshall Service and Interpol.  Puello is accused of child trafficking of young women into prostitution in El Salvador.  He is also wanted in Vermont for smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S.  Puello provided food and medical assistance to the missionaries.  He also acted as their legal advisor and spokesperson for a period of time after the missionaries were arrested.

For more information, please see:

CNN – 8 Americans Detained in Haiti Freed on Bail, 2 Others Remain – 17 February 2010

MSNBC – Haiti Frees Eight of the 10 Detained Americans – 17 February 2010

Reuters – Haitian Judge Frees Eight Americans, Holds Two – 17 February 2010

Human Rights Watch Responds to Sri Lankan General’s Arrest

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Human rights groups have expressed significant concern about the recent arrest of General Sarath Fonseka.  The General was apprehended earlier this week by the government military forces of Sri Lanka.

The General was once heralded as a hero of the Sri Lankan military for his prowess during battles with the Tamil Tigers liberation group.  The General was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s victory over the Tamil Tigers, ending a civil war which lasted over twenty-five years.  Despite the General’s achievements for the army, he was allegedly dragged out of his campaign offices by the Sri Lankan government.

The General has been charged with numerous human rights violations, but vehemently denies all charges.  Allegations include fault for the over 7,000 civilian casualties who fell victim to the civil war and underhanded tactics during the war.  Human rights violations charges against the Sri Lankan government also include the mistreatment of members of the Tamil ethnic minority during and after the civil war.  The Sri Lankan government was lambasted by the international community for the sub-human conditions and lack of essential resources in its refugee camps to house internally displaced persons.

General Sarath Fonseka was also charged with cooperating with anti-government organizations.  The current President of Sri Lanka, who recently fell out with General Sarath Fonseka over the post-war elections in Colombo, arrested the General as part of a program aimed at capturing everyone he considers a threat to national security.

General Fonseka’s capture has given many opposition leaders a reason for concern.  They fear that the government will execute an extra-judicial killing in secret while they have General Fonseka captive.  An Asian human rights group has made a claim that the government of Sri Lanka has denied General Fonseka the right of due process.  Because of the military procedure being afforded the General, as opposed to hearings in civilian court, the group seems to suggest there is an element of unfairness against the General.

The General’s capture has also incited rioting in Sri Lankan streets.  The government has yet to release a statement concerning the General’s fate.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Fonseka Challenges S. Lanka Outcome – 16 February 2010

AsiaNews – Colombo under tight control, waiting for General Fonseka’s trial – 12 February 2010

BBC News – Sri Lanka Supreme Court hears Fonseka arrest challenge – 12 February 2010

EU Extends Sanctions on Zimbabwe

By Jonathan Ambaye
Impunity Watch Journal, Africa Desk

BRUSSELS, Belgium-Today the European Union decided to extend its sanctions on Zimbabwe for another year.  After deciding not enough progress has been made in implementing the country’s power-sharing agreement, 27 nations voted in favor of extending the sanctions that were imposed on Zimbabwe in September 2008. A statement by the EU published in the bloc’s official journal read, “In view of the situation in Zimbabwe, in particular the lack of progress in the implementation of the Clobal Political Agreement signed in September 2008, the restrictive measures… should be extended for a further period of 12 months.”

President Robert Mugabe and his rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai formed a “unity” government just about one year ago. The aim of this “unity” government was to end political unrest targeting a majority of supporters who backed Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (“MDC”).

Zimbabwe’s relationship with the European Union has been strained for the last ten years as a result of a string of elections that were marred by violence and widespread allegations of human rights abuses by Mugabe’s government. Since then, his government has been closely watched by the EU. Some of what the sanctions include is travel bans and assets freezes for many affiliated and part of Mugabe’s government. 

Many of the problems that have arisen within the “unity” government stem from Mugabe’s view of MDC members as just a Western puppet, lacking any objective or substantive perspective on development in Zimbabwe.

For more information please see:


AFP – EU Renews Sanctions On Zimbabwe for Another Year – 16 February 2010

BBC – EU Renews Sanctions On Zimbabwe – 16 February 2010

Telegraph – EU Renews Zimbabwe Sanctions – 16 February 2010

State Government in Mexico Criminalizing Women who Seek Abortions

By Brenda Lopez Romero
Impunity Watch Reporter – North America desk

TLAXCALA, Mexico – The governor, Héctor Israel Ortiz Ortiz, was urged by over 40 organizations to project a women’s right to choose in the state Congress by vetoing legislation that promotes the right to life primarily because it also seeks to penalize abortions.

The groups said in a letter to state governments that the government should be for the people and not the Vatican.  They emphasized a need for a secular government because a religious moral code should not be forced onto people nor turned into civil law.  Elsa Conde, a former legislator, said that a belief in sin could not become a crime.

Beatriz Paredes Rangel, president of the national party, Institutional Revolutionary Party, was asked to urge her party to vote against all bills that leaves women with no other recourse than to seek unsafe clandestine abortions.

My body is mine mine mine and no one elses
Courtesy of La Jornada - "My body is mine mine mine and no one elses"

There was also a protest organized by the group Women for the Right to Choose in the Federal District.  They denounce that 18 state legislators are changing state constitution without considering the indignation of women.

Conde said in regards to similar legislation “all these are beginning to criminalize women restricting their right to choose over their life, body, and parenthood.  This reform signifies a grave setback for the rights of women and makes vulnerable the secular government by casting doubt on scientific research and advancement.”

For more information, please see:

La Jornada – Exigen ONG al gobierno de Tlaxcala vetar la iniciativa contra el aborto –
16 February 2010

Radio Formula – Congreso Tlaxcala termina sesión sin votos para aprobar ley antiaborto – 16 February 2010

Iran Considers Family Visit and Release of US Hikers

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On February16 Iran’s top human rights official confirmed that Iranian officials were considering allowing the families of three detained Americans to visit them in prison. The three hikers were detained after allegedly crossing into the country illegally in July of last. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also said that he was hopeful that the case of the hikers would be resolved and they they would be freed.

The mothers of the three hikers recently wrote to President Ahmedinejad, requesting a visit. Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of Iran’s High Council of Human Rights said that the mothers’ request had a good chance of being approved. Larijani spoke in Geneva at a UN review of Iran’s human rights record and said, “we recommend that the families should be able to see them and I hope that this be done.”

The three hikers were arrested on July 31, 2009. Shane Bauer, Sarah Shroud and Josh Fattal say that they were hiking in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region when they accidentally crossed in the border into Iran. The three were accused of spying on the Islamic Republic and illegal entry. Their families insist that they had no intention of entering Iran. They have had been allowed to make any phone calls to the hikers in jail. Their mothers also said they want to meet the Iranian President to explain why they should be released.

Iran’s foreign minister announced in December 2009 that the three Americans would be tried in court, but failed to say the specific crime they would be charged with. President Ahmadinejad repeated on February 16 that the final decision regarding the US hikers rested with the judiciary. He said that, “we are eager to see them released but it depends on the crime they have committed and the judge’s verdict.”

Ahmadinejad also indicated that the fate of the US hikers should be tied to that of Iranians jailed in the United States. Iran claims that eleven Iranians are being held in the US, including a missing nuclear scientist and a former deputy defense minister who hasn’t been seen since 2007. However, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that no prisoner exchange discussions had taken place between the two countries.

For more information, please see:

AP – Iran Mulling Family Visit For Detained Americans – 16 February 2010

BBC – US Hikers’ Mothers May Be Allowed to Visit Iran – 16 February 2010

Reuters – Ahmadinejad Says Hopeful on Detainees in Iran/US – 16 February 2010