Iran Allows Swiss Diplomats To Visit Detained U.S. Hikers

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GENEVA, Switzerland – Iranian officials allowed Swiss diplomats access to the three American hikers that are currently being detained in Iran. The meeting between the captive Americans and Swiss envoys took place on September 29. The goal of the meeting was for the Swiss to see the exact condition under which the American hikers are being held. The Swiss government represents the United States’ interests in Iran as the U.S. and the Islamic Republic do not have formal diplomatic relations.

The three hikers currently being held are Joshua Fattal, 27, Shane Bauer, 27 and Sarah Shourd, 31. The three Americans went missing on July 31 after setting out on a hike in Northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The group came to Iraq from Northern Turkey, planning on a five day hike. The three were supposed to be joined by a fourth individual, Shon Meckfessel, who did not go on the hike. Meckfessel claims that his friends were not aware that they were near the Iranian border and that they had made “a simple and regrettable mistake.”

Iranian authorities have charged the three Americans with illegally entering the country. The mothers of the hikers wrote a letter the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. In their letters, they asked the country’s leader to bring the Americans with him when he came to New York for his address to the United Nation’s General Assembly.

President Ahmedinejad addressed the issue and said the actions of the hikers constituted an “illegal entry” that was clearly a crime. He also emphasized his lack of control over the Iranian judicial process. President Ahmedinejad did say that he would possibly be willing to ask to the judiciary to expedite their process and ask that they rule with leniency. However, an Iranian lawmaker indicated that hikers’ entry into the country could have been related to the contested June 12 election and that the country will look for the “real reason” why the hikers entered.

The U.S. State Department indicated that they were looking forward to hearing from the Swiss as to how the hikers were being treated. The White House has declared that they will not let the hikers’ detainment conflate with discussion regarding Iran’s nuclear program. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained that, “there isn’t any connection and there shouldn’t be. The hikers should be released.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – Swiss Granted Access to Americans in Iran – 29 September 2009

AP – Iran Will Allow Swiss Access to Detained Americans – 29 September 2009

BBC – Iran Allows Visit To U.S. Detainees – 29 September 2009

CNN – Iran to Let Swiss Officials Visit 3 Detained U.S. Hikers – 29 September 2009

Reuters – Swiss Confirm Visit to U.S. Hikers Held in Iran – 29 September 2009

EU Court Sentences Three Kosovo Albanians For War Crimes

By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter

PRISTINA, Kosovo – Three former Kosovo guerrilla fighters were sentenced by a European Union court on Friday in connection with war crimes during the 1998-1999 Kosovo War.  Each of the fighters had fought in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the separatist conflict against Serbian forces.

The EU Rule-of-Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), which is in charge of certain war crimes prosecutions, concluded that the three men had participated in the torturing and detention of civilian victims, notably ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.  According to a EU court spokesman, the three were guilty of “war crimes through inhumane treatment of civilian detainees and…beating and torture of civilian detainees.”

Latif Gasgi, Nazif Mehmetim, and Rrustem Mustafa had originally been sentenced in 2003, but two years later a retrial was ordered by the Kosovo Supreme Court.  Gasgi and Mehmeti were sentenced to six and three years respectively, while Mustafa was sentenced to four years in prison.

One incident on which the charges were founded occurred on in July of 1998.  Gasgi, while stationed at a checkpoint in central Kosovo, opened fire on a civilian Kosovo Albanian family after they failed to stop at the checkpoint.  These acts fell within the definition of the war crimes.  “Gasgi committed the criminal offence of war crime against the civilian population, punishable by Kosovo and international law.”

These convictions come on the heels of the EU arresting four Serbians who allegedly committed war crimes during the Kosovo war.

Mustafa is currently a official in the Kosovo parliament and has been a leading political figure in the Democratic Party of Kosovo.  He was also the commander of the KLA during the Kosovo War.

For more information, please read:

AP – Court in Kosovo convicts 3 ex-rebels of war crimes – 2 October 2009

RADIO NEDERLAND – Kosovo jails 3 ex-fighters for war crimes – 2 October 2009

REUTERS – Kosovo jails 3 ex-fighters for 1998-99 war crimes – 2 October 2009

TAIWAN NEWS – Court in Kosovo convicts 3 ex-rebels of war crimes – 2 October 2009

Video Shows Pakistani Army Abuse of Prisoners

 By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN– In a video posted on the social networking site Facebook, Pakistani soldiers are seen abusing Taliban suspects in a 10 minute video.

This video would be clear proof of such abuse, as it shows men in military attire beating suspects as officer looked on giving instructions.  At present time it is not clear where the film was shot, but conversations that are heard on the video suggest that it is recent and possibly shot in the Swat Valley.  

Human rights groups have previously accused the military of being involved in torture and extra judicial killing in the Swat valley region.  The Pakistani army has said that before commenting, it would need to examine the video.  Gen Athat Abbas, head of Pakistan army’s public relations wing stated “This is a very serious accusation,…..I cannot comment o nthe video till we have examined it. This will take some time as the army headquarters will have to be involved in the process.”

In the video it shows and officer interrogating several suspects, including some who are very old, and are presumed relatives of men who are being sought.  When the officer does not receive adequate answers, he orders the soldiers to punish the suspect who proceed to beat the suspect with belts and whips, along with kicking him all over with their heavy boots.  After the first round of punishment, the officer declares that unless the suspect tells all, he would administer “hard punishment”, telling the suspect “You don’t want me to cut off your hands and feet.”

If confirmed this would be the first clear proof of the Pakistani army being involved in the abuse of detainees.  Human rights groups, including The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) have accused the army of such violation during the recent Swat campaign, which the army has consistently denied, calling them “baseless”.

For more information, please see:

BBC News- Video Shows Pakistan Army ‘Abuse’– 1 October 2009

Associated Press- Video Appears To Show Army Abuses-2 October 2009

Breaking News 24/7- Video Appears To Show Pakistani Troops Punching, Whipping Militant Suspects– 2 October 2009

 

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

North Korea Revises Constitution


By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PYONGYANG, North Korea – The new North Korean Constitution, revised in April of this year, explicitly mentions human rights for the first time.  The last time North Korea revised its constitution was back in 1998.

The contents of the newly revised constitution includes putting greater weight on military-first policies, power concentration in the National Defense Commission, emphasis on socialism over communism, as well as naming workers, farmers and working intellectuals as pillars of the nation.

More importantly, the new constitution uses the phrase “human rights” for the first time.  Article 8 of the new constitution says, “The State respects and protects the human rights of the workers, peasants and working intellectuals who have been previously freed from exploitation and oppression and have become masters of the State and society.”  This is a change from the 1998 revision which stated that the State will “defend and protect the interests” of the same list of workers.

However, observers claim that the reference to human rights is merely to portray a sense of “normalcy” to the international community.  Optimists have suggested that this could be a real effort on the part of North Korea to improve its international reputation, but experts are interpreting this as a “preemptive move against growing international condemnation of Pyongyang’s human rights record.” 

Nk military officersNorth Korean military officers.  Courtesy of Jakarta Globe.   

An anonymous source said, “Pyongyang is not interested in human rights; the labour camps that are still active are proof of that.  The population lives in extreme poverty and famine comes on cyclical basis.”

The introduction of new constitution coincides with U.S. appointing a new special envoy, Robert King, for North Korean human rights.  In 2008, U.S. Congress approved the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act, which calls for “activities to support human rights and democracy and freedom on information in North Korea,” for another four years.

Some have suggested that since North Korea knows that any talks with the U.S. will include a human rights component, the revision was a counter-move.

The revision also comes in time when the media has reported that Kim Jong-il’s health is failing and that he is preparing to hand over his position to his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.
For more information, please see:

Asia News – From Communism to the ‘militarised state’, Kim Jong-il introduces new constitution – 30 September 2009

The Daily NK – Human Rights in Revised North Korean Constitution – 28 September 2009

JoongAng Daily – King named as human rights envoy to North – 26 September 2009

The Korea Times – NK Constitution States Kim Jong-il as Leader – 28 September 2009

Taylor Calls Prosecution Racist and a Western Conspiracy

By Jared Kleinman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

The HAGUE, Netherlands– Charles Taylor called prosecution allegations that he was involved in ritual sacrifice and cannibalism “racist” in Thursday’s testimony. The accused former Liberian president also dismissed his trial as an extension of regime change policies of the United States and the United Kingdom. In Taylor’s second day responding to the testimony of prosecution witness and former member of Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) Joseph Marzah, Taylor denied allegations that he buried a pregnant woman at the back of his house as a ritual sacrifice to obtain power in Liberia. Witness Marzah also testified that he feasted on human beings together with Taylor while Taylor served as Chief of Operations for the NPFL. Taylor dismissed the allegations against him as being “racist.” “It is not true. But you know, there is something deeper to this whole thing. I don’t care what the prosecution says but this is racist, it is as racist as it ever gets,” Taylor said in an angry voice.

Taylor expressed to judges that his trial is part of a wave of regime change policies by western powers especially the United States and Great Britain. “I did know that certain countries like the United States and United Kingdom were against me and were seeking regime change in Liberia. I am brought here by Britain and America,” Taylor said.  “At this particular time in the world when there was Iraq and regime change, it was good to go into Africa, snatch one little leader from a small country, let’s set an example of him to show there is no impunity.” “Listen, there is nothing that is just about this, I have no control over it, I am going through it, and I will go through it. There is nothing legal about this,” Taylor said. “Until I go to my grave, there is nothing just about this. The big powers have executed their powers, they have brought me here.”

Witness Marzah had also testified that Taylor gave orders for the execution of Superman, a Liberian commander of Sierra Leone’s rebel group Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Witness Marzah said Taylor gave orders to have Superman’s hand cut off and his heart removed. Witness Marzah and Taylor then feasted on Superman’s heart, Witness Marzah said in his testimony. Denying Witness Marzah’s allegations, Taylor said that “there was no hand, no nothing taken to my house. I am not aware of how Superman was killed, when or how. It is not true.” Taylor called Witness Marzah’s entire testimony a “complete set-up and it is as programmed as this.”

The Special Court for Sierra Leone is currently on recess. When court resumes on October 26 2009, Taylor will continue with his direct testimony.

For more information, please see:

All Africa – Taylor Calls Prosecution Allegations Against Him Racist; Says His Trial Is Part Of a Western Regime Change Policy– October 1st

Impunity Watch – Taylor Continues to Deny – 01 October 2009

All Africa – Taylor Says He Did Not Order Rebel Attack on Freetown; Calls Zig Zag Marzah A ?Liar?– September 29th

Impunity Watch – Taylor Denied More Allegations in Court – 27 September 2009