A Voice for the Voiceless

Human Rights Activists Prevented from Leaving Iran, Tunisia

By Nykoel Dinardo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

LONDON, United Kingdom – On December 11, Amnesty International released a report that discussed the arrests of human rights activists trying to travel abroad on December 10.

In Tehran, Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was prevented from boarding a flight to Italy, where she was going to receive an award.  Sotoudeh has worked on several women’s rights cases, and she defended a 16-year-old boy who was sentenced to death.   Sotoudeh said that she was preparing to board the flight when her named was announced over the public announcement system and three plain clothes men approached her.    She said that her passport was taken with no explanation, and she was informed that she had 72 hours to present herself at an address in Tehran. According to Sotoudeh, “There was no legal written order. What they did was illegal.”  Sotoudeh’s husband and children were allowed to board the flight and her husband will be receiving the award on her behalf. 

According to Amnesty International, Iran’s actions are part of a continuing policy.  In March, women’s rights activist and journalist, Parvin Ardalan was stopped an the airport in Tehran while boarding a flight to Sweden where she was to receive an award.  In October, women’s rights activist Sussan Tahmasebi was stopped trying to board a plane to South Africa, where she was to attend a conference.

In Tunis, journalist, Lotfi Hidouri was detained by Tunisian authorities when he tried to board a flight to Beirut.  Hidouri writes for the independent online news magazine Kalima. His wife told media sources that she received a call informing her that Hidouri had been taken to the Bouchacha detention center outside Tunis.  He was taken before the prosecutor on December 11. Moments before Hidouri was detained, authorities arrested Mohammad Abbou, a human rights lawyer and writer, who was also boarding the plane to Beirut. 

Both Hidouri and Abbou were going to Beirut for the Third Arab Free Press Forum.  They were to take part in a special forum about the increasing censorship and harassment that Tunisian journalists face.  According to Abbou, Hidouri was detained for failure to pay a fine dating back to 2002.  As for Abbou, he was conditionally released from prison in July 2007 and was prevented from boarding the plane on grounds that he lacked sufficient documentation stating that he was not subject to parole restrictions.  Abbou has been stopped five times in the last year, while attempting to travel. 

In its report, Amnesty International (AI) calls on Iran and Tunisia to lift the travel bans.  AI urged the governments of these states to remember their obligations and dedication to Human Rights, especially in light of the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10.

For more information, please see:

ANSA – Teheran, Impedito Viaggio in Italia Avvocatessa Iraniana [Tehran, Prevents Iranian Lawyer from Traveling to Italy – 12 December 2008 [In Italian]

Menassat – Tunisia: Two Participants to Beirut Free Press Forum Stopped at Airport – 12 December 2008

The Post (Pakistan) – Iran Bars Woman Rights Activist from Leaving – 12 December 2008

Reporters Without Borders – Journalist and Human Rights Lawyer Prevented from Attending Arab Media Forum in Beirut – 12 December 2008

Amnesty International – Human Rights Defenders Barred from Leaving Iran, Tunisia – 11 December 2008

Reuters – Rights Activists Says Barred from Leaving Iran – 11 December 2008

Pacific Forum Threatens to Suspend Fiji

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – After meeting with members from Fiji’s interim government yesterday, the Pacific Island Forum is now threatening to suspend Fiji from the group.

On Thursday, leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu met to discuss the political situation in Fiji. The Pacific Island Forum Ministers Contact Group expressed their dissatisfaction with Fiji’s efforts to uphold its promise to restore democracy.

At the meeting, Fiji’s Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, confirmed his plans to wait to hold elections until May 2009.

The meeting was called to discuss not only the date of the election, but also the possible outcomes and political consequences of a democratic election in Fiji.

Foreign Ministers from New Zealand and Australia, Murray McCully and Stephen Smith, say that the meeting was honest and constructive, but hope that the threat of suspension from the Pacific Forum will encourage Fiji to make good on its promises.

In 2006, Bainimarama led a military coup of Fiji’s Federal Government. Since that time, the ousted SDL Party has expressed growing concerns that the interim government will not make good on its promise to restore democracy. In October, a three judge court validated the 2006 coup, giving legitimacy to the interim government.

“The international community can’t and won’t sit idly by without seeing progress,” Smith said.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Fiji faces prospect of suspension from Pacific Island Forum – 11 December 2008

BBC News – Fiji urged to hold elections soon – 11 December 2008

ABC News – Fiji hurt by political turmoil: Smith – 11 December 2008

Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MUMBAI, India – The terrorist attacks in Mumbai resulted in 188 people dead and at least 200 injured. The gunmen opened fire in several locations including a railway station, restaurant, hospital, a Jewish center, and two hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace and Oberoi-Trident.

India has made clear that it suspects that the attacks originated in Pakistan. India believes that the attack “was carried out by elements from Pakistan” and “the government expects that strong action would be taken against those elements.”

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told CNN’s Larry King that “Pakistan is in no way responsible.” “Even the White House and the American CIA have said that today. The state of Pakistan is, of course, not involved. We’re part of the victims.”

One of the captured gunmen is held in police custody. According to Indian officials, he is Pakistani and trained by Lashkare-Tayyiba, a terrorist group based in Pakistan that has aligned itself with al Qaeda. Lashkare-Tayyiba has denied any involvement.

Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee stated that the 10 attackers hijacked a trawler in Karachi and arrived in Mumbai by way of dinghies.

Mumbai’s police chief, Hasan Gafoor, said that a global positioning system (GPS) was recovered showing that the attackers originated in Pakistan.

India has demanded that Pakistan extradite 20 suspects who have taken refuge in Pakistan. Most of them are rebel leaders and many were connected to the 2001 attack on India’s Parliament and the 2006 attack on the Indian embassy in Afghanistan.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi stated that “this is not a time to point fingers” and proposes a common strategy between the two countries.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said as she went to New Delhi, India, “Everyone should cooperate fully, and Pakistan in particular needs to cooperate fully and transparently.”

For more information, please see:

BBC News – India Makes Protest to Pakistan – 1 December 2008

CNN – Rice Heads to India to Ease Tensions – 2 December 2008

U.S. News & World Report – India Points Finger at Pakistan Over Mumbai Terrorist Attacks – 2 December 2008

Journalists in Sri Lanka Unfairly Detained

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

Sri Lanka – Human Rights Watch urged the Sri Lankan government to immediately drop charges and release Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam, and two other detainees, Tamil publisher N. Jasiharan and his wife V. Valamathy last Sunday.

“The Sri Lankan government is shamefully using antiterrorism laws to silence peaceful critics in the media,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.  “This is no way for a government that claims to be a right-respecting democracy to act.”

Tissainayagam contributed to the Sunday Times, writing weekly columns, most of them pertaining to Sri Lankan government, such as security issues.  He was also editor of the Outreach website.  In 2006, he edited an article in the North Eastern Monthly.  According to Free Media Movement, North Eastern Monthlywas known as a pro-Tamil publication that was not considered connected to the terrorist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil-Eelam.

On March 7, Tissainayagam was arrested by Sri Lanka’s Terrorist Investigation Division.  Almost five months later, Tissainayagam was indicted by Colombo’s High Court on August 25 for violating Sri Lanka’s Emergency Regulations and the Prevention of Terrorism Act for inciting communal disharmony for printing and distributing the North Eastern Monthly magazine and aiding and abetting terrorist organizations through raising money for the magazine.

“We condemn J.S. Tissainayagam’s long detention and harsh charges for publishing a magazine, which should not constitute an offense,” said Bob Dietz, Committee to Protect Journalists Asia Program Coordinator.  “This is the latest step by the Sri Lankan government to intimidate journalists who write about security issues.”

Rajiva Wijesinha, Sri Lanka’s secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, denied that Tissainayagam was being detained merely for criticizing the government.  He said, “Some of their publications were designed to embarrass the Sri Lankan government through false accusations.”

For more information, please see:

Committee to Protect Journalists – Sri Lankan Journalist Indicted on Terrorist Charges – 25 August 2008

Human Rights Watch – Sri Lanka:  Free Journalists Unfairly Held – 2 December 2008

Tamil Insight – IFJ was Alarmed by the Transfer of Tissainayagam to Violent Magazine Prison -21 November 2008

Tunisian Trade Leader and Others to be Tried for Protests

By Nykoel Dinardo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GAFSA, Tunisia – Tunisian trade leader, Annan Hajji, and 37 other activists are being tried before Tunisian courts for their involvement in protests in the Gafsa Region of Tunisia earlier this year.  Hajji is the Secretary-General of the local office of the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT).  They have been charged with “forming a criminal group with the aim of destroying public and private property.”  If convicted, they could each face up to more than ten years in prison.  At least six of those convicted are being tried not in their presence. 

The Gafsa Region of Tunisia is a phosphate-rich area; protests sparked after the Gafsa Phosphate Company, the major employer in the city of Redeyef, announced the results of a recruitment competition.  The results were denounced as fraudulent by several people and organizations, including the UGTT.  Following this incident, protests were held about the high unemployment in the region and other labor related issues.  The protests spread to several neighboring cities and police forces were deployed to break up the groups.  Protesters and other groups have claimed that the protests were entirely peaceful but that police forces used violence to force dispersement.

 A video of the protests that was posted on YouTube.

Amnesty International and several other human rights organizations have criticized these trials.  According to Amnesty International (AI), there have been allegations of torture and the misuse of force by law enforcement officials that bring the events into question.  One of those arrested in the protests, Ms. Zakia Dhifaoui claims that she was sexually harassed and threatened with rape by police officials if she did not sign a statement whose contents she did not know.  Several other protesters say that they were detained for questions and released, then re-arrested. 

According to French media sources, the Tunisian government has ordered the local media not to cover the incidents.  According to Tunisian journalist Rachid Khéchana, “Tunisian authorities do not want the scandal to be known to the outside world; authorities believe that if information is dispersed that they will lose control of the situation.”  Those who have provided information to foreign media risk imprisonment.

AI has asked the Tunisian government to do an independent investigation into the allegations and protests. They also request that the government release the findings of an investigation into a death at one of the protests, which resulted from police gunfire into a crowd of protesters.

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International – Tunisian Trade Leader on Trial for Role in Protests – 4 December 2008

Le Monde – Les Leaders des Émeutes de Gafsa devant La Justice Tunisienne [The Leaders of the Riots of Gafsa Face Tunisian Justice] – 4 December 2008 [In French]

Nouvelorbs – Gafsa :  38 Syndicalistes Jugés Pour S’être Révoltés [Gafta :  38 Union Leaders Judged for Revolting] – 4 December 2008 [In French]

Rojo y Negro – Tunéz : La Dictatura al sur de Lampedusa [Tunisia :  The Dictatorship South of Lampedusa] – 14 November 2008 [In Spanish]

Frontline Defenders – Tunisia :  Arrest and Restricted Movement of Human Rights Defenders – 6 August 2008