Rampant Prison Abuse in Indonesia

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

JAKARTA, Indonesia– More than two dozen reports of torture and beatings by guards at Abepura prison have been reported.  This prison, located in the largest Indonesian province, holds more than 200 inmates, some of whom have been jailed for peaceful political protests.

Reported cases of abuse included an inmate who was hit on the head multiple times by a rubber club and eventually lost an eye when the guards poked his eye with a key, as well as an inmate who was beaten so severely that bleeding in one ear led to hearing loss.  There has also been a report of guards forcing inmates to hold boiling water in their hands.

Indonesia prison Indonesian inmate and guards (Source: AP)

The Papua Province is tightly controlled by Indonesian security forces and intelligence agencies.  Indonesian government also bars foreign human rights groups and journalists from entering Papua and conducting research in fear of political unrest.

However, Asia Director of Human Rights Watch Brad Adams said, “”How can the government turn a blind eye to beatings and torture in one of its prisons?  Jakarta needs to put an end to this disgraceful behavior, punish those responsible, and start keeping a close eye on what is happening there.”

Indonesia does have a law stipulating procedures to be taken in the event a mistreatment occurs in prison.  For example, victims can report the abuse to the provincial office of the Ministry of Law and bring a criminal action.  Despite this law, however, victims and families have stopped reporting the abuse cases, because no action is ever taken by the government.

Human Rights Watch is urging Indonesian authorities to investigate and hold those responsible for such brutality accountable, in addition to requesting that Indonesia open the prison to international monitoring.

For more information, please see:

ABC News – Papua prison abuse rampant: report – 5 June 2009

Human Rights Watch – Indonesia: Stop Prison Brutality in Papua – 4 June 2009

Island Business – Jakarta accused over West Papua prison – 5 June 2009

The Jakarta Post – Indonesia told to stop prison brutality in Papua – 5 June 2009

Canadian Court Orders Canadian Citizen Repatriated After 6 Years of Forced Exile and Torture

By Sovereign Hager
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

OTTAWA, Canada – A Canadian Federal Court has ordered the Ottawa government to repatriate Canadian citizen Abousfian Abdelrazik, after six years of imprisonment in Sudan. Abdelrazik was arrested on a visit to see his sick mother in Sudan in 2003. The arrest was allegedly prompted by Canadian officials who suggested to Sudanese Officials that he was a terrorist. Abdelrazik says that he was beaten and tortured while being held.
Canada refused to issue Abdelrazik an emergency passport so he can leave Sudan, and he has been living in the lobby of the Canadian embassy for a year. Abdelrazik says that he has been interrogated by Canadian Spy Agency and FBI officials regarding connections to terrorism.

Abdelrazik denies having any connection to terrorism and Canadian intelligence officials have now confirmed that there is no information linking him to terrorism. Despite this confirmation, the conservative government has denied Abdelrazik entry into Canada because he is listed on the UN Blacklist of suspected terrorists. The Canadian government has called the situation “complex” and insists that Abdelrazik needs to get himself off of the UN Blacklist.
Solidarity activists banded together and purchased a ticket for Abdelrazik after the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs unanimously voted that he could testify on his own behalf.
The Canadian Federal Court held that the government has not properly justified its refusal to allow Abdelrazik back into Canada and that his constitutional rights are being violated. The Court stated that the government should issue Abdelrazik a passport and arrange to fly him home to Canada within thirty days.

China Accused of Deceptive Aid Distribution

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

WASHINGTON, United States – Joint reports by several human rights agencies and U.S. funded broadcast services are accusing China of deceptively distributing billions of dollars in aid to Africa with “no strings attached” packages. These packages, the reports provide, subvert human rights and promote Chinese power.

Similar reports accuse Russia, Iran, and Venezuela of using wealth to build alliances without pressing developing countries to promote democracy and avoiding corruption.

The report, prepared jointly over a two year period by Freedom House, a Washington based NGO, did not address the role of US foreign policy or aid, but accused China of excessive abuse.

“These regimes are using soft-power methods to advance their interests internationally, particularly through billions of dollars in no strings attached development aid,” the report said. Chinese leaders, in contrast, have accused Western countries of being self-serving and continue to emphasize the importance of state sovereignty and non-interference.

The report accused Russia of undermining international institutions such as the United Nations that aim to work towards safeguarding human rights and democracy. While Iran, on the flipside, was accused of supporting forces such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine. The report held Venezuela responsible for passing on the torch of corruption through subsidies in developing nations.

Although the reports’ justifiably emphasized the importance of oversight in ensuring corruption-free regimes in developing countries, one has to question whether Freedom House had an ulterior agenda when blacklisting countries such as Iran, China, Russia, and Venezuela. Countries some may argue are not amongst America’s favorites.

For more information, please see:

Washington Post – Human Rights Group Condemn how China gives Aid – June 4, 2009

AP – Human Rights Group Condemn China – June 4, 2009

Miami Herald – Human Rights Group Condemn China – June 4, 2009

Canada Closes International Border Crossing at Akwesasne Mohawk Nation Territory

By Karla E General
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, North America

AKWESASNE MOHAWK NATION TERRITORY – Protests by the Akwesasne Mohawks over a June 1 law that would have armed all Canadian border agents with nine millimeter handguns has resulted in the closure of the Canadian border crossing by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The border crossing is located on Cornwall Island, which is a part of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation Territory.

The CBSA evacuated all of their guards and shut down the border crossing at midnight on June 1 after an impasse on talks with the Mohawk Nation and rumor of protests at the border. Subsequently, the border crossing located on the United States side was also closed, pursuant to international protocol.

The Mohawks have asked that Canadian border agents remain unarmed, especially in light of the long history of hostilities and tensions that exist between border agents and Indigenous residents of the Mohawk territory. Hundreds of complaints have been filed with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (the Canadian Band Council), Canada Justice Department and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, but there remains to be a peaceful resolution to those claims. Many Akwesasronon (people of Akwesasne) feel that arming the Canadian agents will provoke an already-hostile situation. Former MCA Grand Chief Mike Mitchell has characterized the actions of the CBSA as a “scare tactic,” stating: “Unfortunately, both governments in the U.S. and Canada are new governments. They are not very well aware of Indigenous issues. They think one size fits all, but this is a unique situation … If the minister had appointed people to come and learn about this community, this would not have happened.” The Canadian law arming border agents violates the Mohawk Council of Akweasne Resolution No. 318, which forbids firearms to be carried by the CBSA within the territory of Akwesasne.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper refuses to back down from his federal policy of arming the Canadian border agents and Peter Van Loan, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, is in full support, stating that the gun policy will be applied to all Canadian border crossings, with no exceptions. Ron Moran, the national president of the Customs and Immigration Union, said it’s too risky to allow officers to return to the Cornwall Island post, as of Tuesday: “I don’t think there’s any reason to start risking that level of potential injury or loss of life. So, as it stands, it’s going to remain closed and that’s to the detriment primarily of the people on the Akwesasne reserve.”

A Conservative MP stated Tuesday that the CBSA is considering entering third-party mediations with Mohawk leaders to resolve the impasse.

The Canadian border agents who abandoned their post at Akwesasne have either been reassigned to other posts, are taking time off, or are taking firearms training.

U.S. Journalists’ Trial Begin in North Korea

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PYONGYANG, North Korea – The trial of U.S. journalists detained in North Korea began Thursday.   Laura Ling and Euna Lee, reporters working for an Internet-based television network launched by former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore, were arrested back in March while covering a story on the plight of North Korean defectors near the China-North Korean border.  Lee and Ling are accused of crossing into North Korea illegally and engaging in “hostile acts.”  If convicted, the journalists can face 10 years in a labor camp.

Journalists detained in nk
Euna Lee and Laura Ling (Source: Yonhap/AP)

Human rights groups have expressed suspicion as to whether the arrest was orchestrated in advance by North Korea and, to no avail, have tried to contact the journalists’ guide who is currently believed to be in a Chinese prison.  Observers have also been barred from the courtroom, and contact with the two women has been limited.

Moreover, it is impossible to know for sure what penalties the journalists will face if convicted, because little is known about the North Korean legal system.  However, North Korea is known to have a brutal gulag system.

U.S. State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly called the trial an “opaque procedure,” adding that the Department was informed that the journalists do have a defense attorney although the lawyer’s name was not given.

U.S. officials and media groups have repeatedly called for Lee and Ling’s release, and the reporters’ families have asked for clemency and leniency from the North Korean government.  In a letter to her husband, Ling wrote, “While I am trying to remain hopeful, each day becomes harder and harder to bear.  I am so lonely and scared.”

The trial comes at a time when tensions are high between North Korea and the international community due to underground nuclear testing and blasting of short range missiles by North Korea.

For more information, please see:

CNN – N. Korea bars observers at U.S. reporters’ trial – 4 June 2009

Financial Times –  N Korea puts US journalists on trial – 4 June 2009

New York Post – 2 JOURNALISTS ON TRIAL IN N. KOREA – 4 June 2009

UPI – N. Korea opens U.S. journalists’ trial – 4 June 2009