BRIEF: Blogger Outrage Prompts Inquiry into Chinese Officials

BEIJING, China – A wave of protest from outraged Chinese bloggers has forced authorities to arrest four people, detain and remove several government officials, and investigate over 100 others for the beating death of a bystander.

Wei Wenhua, a construction company manager, witnessed about 50 city inspectors beating villagers who tried to block trucks from unloading heaps of garbage near their homes in Tianmen in Hubei Province.

Mr. Wei, 41, was attacked and fatally beaten by the city inspectors when he took out his cellphone to photograph the dispute. In China, city inspectors are auxiliary support for police, dealing mostly with petty crimes. These inspectors, however, often abuse their authority and prey on the weak.

Mr. Wei’s death earlier this month continues to stir controversy among bloggers in China and elsewhere. On Sina.com, bloggers responded by condemning the brutal killing and questioning ” who gave these city inspectors such absurd powers?”

This is the latest story of bloggers and others using the Internet to force Chinese authorities to investigate beatings and other abuses by government officials.

Another blogger expressed that this is definitely not the first time for something like this. “What makes it news is that this time they got one man dead, the news got online, and the whole nation got informed. So they got serious.”

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Bloggers Push China to Prosecute Beating Death – 18 January 2008

CNN – Man beaten to death in China for taking pictures – 16 January 2008

CNN – Death pits technology against Chinese control – 18 January 2008

BRIEF: Arrest Made in Lintuan’s Murder

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine authorities arrested Olivier Baldonado Antoc, an army reservist and local politician’s bodyguard, as a suspect in the murder of radio journalist Ferdinand Lintuan. Antoc was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and drugs. After the arrest, police realized he resembled the sketch of Lintuan’s murderer and his firearm was the same caliber used to kill the journalist. Antoc denies any involvement in the murder, and police acknowledge that more evidence is needed.

In related news, several persons and news media have linked Jovito Palparan, a former general who is now an adviser to local politician Prospero Nograles, a possible instigator of the murder. The Philippines Press Club has requested that an outside investigator be used in order to prevent any influence by Palparan and Nograles.

For more information, please see:

Reporters without Borders – Philippines: Politician’s Bodyguard Held as Suspect in Journalist’s Murder – 31 December 2007

BRIEF: Gaza Power Plant Shuts Down

GAZA CITY, Gaza – Gaza’s main power plant began shutting down early January 20.  One of the plant’s two turbines shut down and, according to the Palestinian Energy Authority, the plant will be completely closed within 24 hours.  Gazans prepare by buying batteries, candles, and basic food staples such as rice.  The Energy Authority stated that over one million Gazans will be affected by this closure, which includes hospitals, sewage treatment plants, and water facilities.  United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) spokesman Christopher Gunness said that “the logic of this defies basic humanitarian standards.”

Plant director, Rafik Maliha, said that the regular fuel delivery had not arrived, as a result of the border closure, and the plant had no reserves.  On January 18, Israel closed its border crossings into Gaza, including the Nahal Oz fuel terminal, in response to an increase in Qassam rocket attacks coming from Gaza.  The border closing also affected the delivery of UN humanitarian aid, with only aid approved by Defense Minister Ehud Barak allowed through.

Israeli officials place the responsibility of the closing and any humanitarian crisis that results on Hamas and militant groups.  Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said “if they stop the rockets today, everything would go back to normal.”  Also, Israeli Defense Ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror stated that the fuel shortage is not creating a crisis in Gaza, but rather accused Palestinians officials as trying to create the impression of crisis.

The UN and the international community criticize Israel’s use of fuel sanctions and border closings as collective punishment.  John Holmes, UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, stated “we all understand the security problems and the need to respond to that but collective punishment of the people of Gaza is not, we believe, the appropriate way to do that.”  Holmes is worried that the violence in Gaza could cause an even more serious humanitarian situation than already exists.

The UN also condemned Israel’s air strike on January 18, which targeted Gaza’s Interior Ministry office.  While the office was vacant, there was a wedding celebration nearby and 50 attendees were injured and one woman was killed.

For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Gazans Facing Power Shutdown – 20 January 2008

BBC – Gaza Fuel Shortage Begins to Bite – 20 January 2008

Jerusalem Post – ‘Gaza Power Plant to Shut Down’ – 20 January 2008

Washington Post – Gaza Power Plant Begins Shutting Down – 20 January 2008

BRIEF: Human Rights Organizations Call for Inquiry in India’s West Bengal

NANDIGRAM, West Bengal, India- Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, are calling on the West Bengal government to conduct an inquiry into the violence that has been ocurring in Nandigram over the past year due to land disputes.

Their reports state that the government has failed to provide adequate protection to the people, thus allowing human rights abuses to occur including unlawful killings, abductions, sexual assault, forced evictions, and the displacement of many.  It is believed that the violence was carried out by supporters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist; because of the alleged government involvement, the reports stress the importance of an independent inquiry.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch – India: Urgent Inquiry Needed into Nandigram Violence – 15 January 2008

Amnesty International – India: Urgent need to address large scale human rights abuses during Nandigram “recapture” – 15 January 2008

Jehovah’s Witnesses Face Discrimination in Armenia

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

YEREVAN, Armenia – Many Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia face discrimination and imprisonment because of their beliefs. While young men in the religious organization are jailed because their faith prohibits them from serving in the army, other members have been attacked allegedly by supporters of the country’s dominant religion.

There are approximately 9,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia. The religious organization gained prominence following their registration in the former Soviet state in 2004, but its pacifist beliefs have brought it into conflict with the Armenian government whose armies are still based on conscription.

Over the years, the number of male Jehovah’s Witnesses imprisoned for refusing to join military service has grown larger and the duration of their imprisonment longer. As of September 2007, there were 82 imprisoned. And because there is no genuinely civilian alternative service in Armenia at present, rights group such as Amnesty International considers them “prisoners of conscience” who must be immediately released with compensation.

Furthermore, other members of Jehovah’s Witness have been subjected to increasing number of attacks allegedly by members of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which includes 90 percent of the country’s population. Consequently, attackers of Jehovah’s Witnesses enjoy impunity because the authorities refuse to fully investigate and prosecute, and sometimes outright ignore “the fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses are specifically targeted for attacks.”

The Armenian authorities deny that Jehovah’s Witnesses are specifically targeted. “Armenia does not follow a deliberate religious policy and does not sow enmity or intolerance towards religious minorities,” Hranoush Kharatian, Adviser to the RA Prime Minister on National Minorities and Religious Issues said. And she said, “Law on Alternative Service” functions well in Armenia. Jehovah’s Witnesses simply avoid service.”

For more information, please see:

ArmeniaNow.com – Free to believe?: How far has Armenia come in religious tolerance? – 18 January 2008

Amnesty International – Religious minority faces discrimination in Armenia – 16 January 2008

Armenian Daily – Jehovah’s Witnesses discriminated in Armenia – 16 January 2008

Reuters – Armenia violates Jehovah’s Witnesses’ rights-Amnesty – 15 January 2008