New Evidence Suggests Canada Complicit in Afghani Torture

December 14, 2009

14 December 2009

New Evidence Suggests Canada Complicit in Afghani Torture

By William Miller

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

Asadullah Khalid Former governor of Kandahar is notorious for his human rights abuses. New evidence suggests Canada defended him and may have secured his tenure as governor (PHOTO: Canadian Press)

OTTAWA, Canada – An uncensored version of a memo which was confidentially shown to the Canadian Press suggests Asadullah Khalid, the former governor of Kandahar, Afghanistan who was notorious human rights abuses, might have been removed from office two years earlier had Canada not intervened on his behalf. The memo is the latest revelation in the ongoing inquiry into allegations that Canada was complicit in the torture of Afghani detainees.The accusations of Canada’s complicity in torture began last month when former Ambassador Richard Colvin accused the Canadian government of ignoring his reports that Afghani Detainees where likely being tortured after transfer to the Afghanistan National Police. On December 9, General Walter J. Natynczyk confirmed that Canada was not only aware that at least one prisoner was tortured as early as 2006, but was also suspicious that prisoners were being tortured prior to this confirmation.

The memo, which was uncovered by the Canadian Press yesterday, now suggests that Canada was not only complicit in torture of afghan detainees, but actively defended Khalid on at least one occasion. The memo which was authored by former Ambassador Colvin reads “[a]s far as I know, Canada has never suggested to (President Hamid) Karzai that Asadullah be replaced…In the one meeting where the subject was discussed, in July 2006, it was the president who raised the issue; Canada defended the governor, thereby ensuring his continued tenure.”

Colvin also claims that the government not only largely ignored his concerns but asked him to stop putting them in writing.

This memo had been publicly released before but was heavily censored. In the original version every reference to Khalid was blacked out.

Khalid has a bleak record on human rights. According to the memo, it was well known in Kandahar that Khalid ran a private torture facility where he kept detainees handed over by the Canadian Military. In 2007, he displayed the battered remains of Taliban Leader Mullan Dedullah for the press and later refused to return the remains to Dedullah’s family for burial.

Khalid was transferred to Kabul and assigned to be the official in charge of tribal affairs in 2008. The Canadian government withdrew its support of Khalid in that same year, almost a year after Colvin’s memo. Defense Minister Peter Makay is denying the accusations and insisting that Canada did raise concerns about Khalid.

For more information, please see:

Canadian Press – Canada Did Raise Concerns About Afghan Governor Accused of Torture, Mackay Says – 14 December 2009

Canadian press – Canada Kept Feared Afghan Governor in Power Despite Rep as ‘Human-Rights Abuser’ – 14 December 2009

New York Times – Canadian General Now Acknowleges Risk to Afghan Detainees – 9 December 2009

Leading Russian Prison Officials Fired In Aftermath of Lawyer’s Death

December 14, 2009

By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – Following a investigation into the death of lawyer Sergi L. Magnitsky last month, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has fired 20 leading national prison officials.

After being arrested last year on alleged tax-evasion charges and his relationship to British investor William Browder, who was considered a security threat by the Russian government, Magnitsky had been held in a jail in Moscow. He was awaiting trial for allegedly participating in tax evasion.

Magnitsky had worked as a lawyer for HSBC and Hermitage Capital Management, Browder’s company, prior to his arrest. Those companies had been under investigation for tax fraud by the Russian government. According to his supporters, Magnitsky was being pressured by the government to testify against Browder and Hermitage. In recent years Browder had become a well-known critic of what his saw corruption in the Russian private sector.

According to his lawyers, Magnitsky had been denied medical attention during his time in prison, and this led to his death as a result of heart failure and toxic shock. The investigation that resulted in the prison officials firing indicated that standard procedures were violated during the handling of Magnitsky.

Pretrail detention, a practice which is commonplace in so-called ‘white-collar cases’, have garnered heightened scrutiny by some in the Russian business community following his death. The threat of long-term pretrail detention has been used as a form of coercion against others in the past who have been charged with crimes.

The director of the Federal Penitentiary Service, Alexander Reimer, has commented that it has not been verified whether Magnitsky’s death was a result of the violations of procedure. Among those fired included the head of the Moscow prisons and the individuals responsible for the medical care of prisoners and pretrial detention.

Regarding his arrest, Magnitsky’s former boss Jamison Firestone has stated that “Sergei was falsely imprisoned by law enforcement officers who he accused of aiding a theft of $230 million from the Russian Treasury.” Firestone also noted that the government’s investigation into the prison officials has taken the spotlight off the larger question that still needs answering, why “Sergei was put in prison in the first place and why his conditions were made so bad.”

For more information, please see:

WALL STREET JOURNAL – Russia Fires Jailers After Lawyer Death – 12 December 2009

AP – Russia: Officials fired in lawyer jail death probe – 11 December 2009

NEW YORK TIMES – Top Russian Prison Officials Are Dismissed by Medvedev – 11 December 2009

By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – Following a investigation into the death of lawyer Sergi L. Magnitsky last month, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has fired 20 leading national prison officials.

For more information, please see:

WALL STREET JOURNAL – Russia Fires Jailers After Lawyer Death – 12 December 2009

AP – Russia: Officials fired in lawyer jail death probe – 11 December 2009

NEW YORK TIMES – Top Russian Prison Officials Are Dismissed by Medvedev – 11 December 2009

Iran’s New Nuclear Offer Rejected

December 14, 2009

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On December 12 Iran announced a new offer for the swapping of uranium for fuel. Manouchehr Mottaki said, according to Iran’s state-run broadcasting, that the Islamic Republic was “ready to exchange some four hundred kilograms of three point five percent enriched uranium in Iran’s Kish Island and received twenty percent enriched fuel.”

The United States and other country have been negotiating with Iran to have the Islamic Republic send low-enriched uranium abroad. It would then be turned into material that could be used in a reactor.

The US rejected the new proposal by Iran. A senior State Department official commented on the new plan, saying that “Iran’s proposal does not appear to be consistent with the fair balanced draft agreement proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”

The original draft agreement, which was formulated in consultation with the US, Russia and France, called for Iran to exchange it’s uranium all at once. The IAEA reportedly fears that carrying out the nuclear excahnge in slow stages could lead to Iran being in control of enough uranium to make a bomb. The specific terms of the original draft agreement called for Iran to send twelve hundred kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Russia in one batch. It would then be sent to France for fabrication into fuel assemblies before being sent back to Iran. The goal would be to power a research reactor in Tehran that produces medical isotopes.

While Iran continues to insist that its nuclear plans are for peaceful purposes such as producing fuel for power plants, the majority of the international community remains skeptical. The senior State Department official commented that the US remains committed to the original terms of the draft agreement, but “Iran has been unwilling to engage in further talks on its nuclear program.”

In November Iran was formerly chastised for its action with its nuclear program. The IAEA’s thirty five-nation board endorsed a resolution proposed by the US, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain that criticized Iran for defying a UN security council ban on uranium enrichment. Iran was also criticized for continuing to expand its nuclear operations.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – US Rejects Iran Nuclear Offer – 13 December 2009

CNN – Iran ‘Ready to Swap Uranium For Fuel’ – 13 December 2009

Press TV – Washington ‘Rejects Iran Uranium Swap Offer’ – 13 December 2009

UPI – U.S.: Iran Nuke Offer Doesn’t Comply – 13 December 2009

UN Dispute Over Blood Diamonds

December 13, 2009

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NEW YORK, New York – The UN General Assembly on Friday was blasted for ignoring Zimbabwe’s disregard for international efforts to curb the trade of “blood diamonds.”

According to a UN resolution, the “trade in conflict diamonds continues to be a matter of serious concern.” The United States, the EU, and a number of other Western delegations criticized the assembly for failing to mention concerns about Zimbabwe’s alleged violation of the Kimberley Process safeguards.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was set up in 2003 following civil wars in Angola, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Those wars were primarily funded by the diamond trade. It imposes strict requirements on rough diamond shipments to certify them as “conflict-free.”

Zimbabwe’s UN Ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku said that Harare is “committed to the Kimberley Process,” and rejected the notion that they were out of compliance. He believes that the United States and other Western countries are trying to politicize the issue by criticizing his country.

According to Namibia’s report to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, however, there were “credible indications of significant non-compliance with the minimum requirements of the [Kimberley Process] by Zimbabwe.”

Namibia, the current chair of the Kimberley Process, warned that blood diamonds could be making a comeback, noting that internet sales and postal shipments have “proved it difficult to track and reconcile rough diamond shipments.”

Israel will take over Namibia’s post as chair of the Kimberley Process in January.

Syria, Israel’s enemy, fought to keep Israel’s name from a key resolution. Syrian Ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja’afari, said, “Israel exploits trafficking in diamonds in Africa and other countries in the world in order to fund transactions to sell arms and to promote internal troubles in certain countries, thereby involving children in armed conflict.”

Israel is one of the founders of the Kimberley Process and is a global trading center for rough diamonds.

Before the Kimberley Process about fifteen percent of the world market was made up of conflict stones. Now they are believed to make up only one percent, although many diamonds are untraceable.

For more information, please see:

AP – Syria hits Israel ‘Conflict Diamond’ Leadership – 11 December 2009

Delaware Online – Blood Diamonds Are No One’s Best Friend – 11 December 2009

Relief Web – General Assembly Reaffirms Strong Support for Kimberley Process Certification Scheme Aimed at Ensuring Diamonds ‘Conflict Free’ – 11 December 2009

Reuters – Zimbabwe “Blood Diamonds” Dispute Breaks Out at U.N. – 11 December 2009

Vancouver Sun – UN Blood Diamond Session Goes Sideways Over Mention of Israel – 11 December 2009

Hunger Still Remains Rampant in North Korea

December 13, 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea – Amid hearings at the UN Human Rights Council where wstern countries are demanding that North Korea cooperate with UN organizations and other aid agencies to help provide food and essential medical aid to their beleaguered population, there are also concerns that the winter months may intensify Pyongyang’s rights abuses.

Last week’s revaluation of the currency has left the North Korean currency worthless, increasing the threat of collapse of its already fragile food market.

The North Korean government said it would redenominated its currency to curb inflation and announced that limited amounts could be exchanged for new currency. This has angered North Koreans who are reportedly burning banknotes in protest, and the government has sent soldiers out onto the streets to stop the protests.

In addition, calling malnutrition “a thing of the past,” a North Korean diplomat denied any accusations from UN members on Monday at the Human Rights Council meeting claiming that his people are not hungry nor are they facing imminent starvation.

North Korean soldier standing guard by Yalu River. Courtesy of Reuters.

Contrarily however, defectors from North Korea said that the majority of the population is limited to two small meals a day and that situation may worsen in the winter months.

One rights group, Helping Hands Korea, said they are expecting more defectors this winter than usual because the harvest this year was extremely poor.

Moreover, there are reports saying that North Korean food prices are already soaring and this may push the poorest to the point of no return.

Andrew Natsios who wrote The Great North Korea Famine said this year’s harvest has been the worst since the mid 1990’s, adding, “[A]ll estimates say there will be a doubling of food prices over the next year, including rice, which is North Korea’s staple food.”

One Australian diplomat who spoke at Monday’s Human Rights Council meeting said, “We are concerned by the failure of the [North Korean] government to meet [the people’s] basic needs…[Pyongyang] needs to allow international agencies to do their work.”

North Korean Ambassador Ri Tcheul, in response, rebuffed, “Personally I think some distinguished representatives are just repeating or echoing information fabricated and spread by others as if they have seen or witnessed it themselves.”

Nevertheless, defectors have reported that hunger in North Korea remains rampant.

For more information, please see:

Christian Science Monitor – North Korea: Will winter shortages intensify rights abuses? – 11 December 2009

JoongAng Daily – Countries slam Pyongyang on human rights issue – 9 December 2009

The Star – North Korea rushes to starvation – 9 December 2009