Haiti Elects Interim President After Former President Stepped Down

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Oceania

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Legislators in Haiti have chosen an interim president for the country, the first step toward addressing the void left when former president Michel Martelly left office without a successor. Jocelerme Privert, 62, was elected yesterday to be Haiti’s interim president to fill the vacuum following the departure of former President Michel Martelly last week.

Interim President Jocelerme Privert. (Photo Courtesy of CNN)

Interim President Privert vowed to complete elections and hand power over to the future-elected president.

Opposition parties had called for the establishment of an interim administration to oversee fresh elections in the country and had taken to the streets protesting the outcome of the first round of balloting on August 24 last year as well as preventing the staging of the second round of the Presidential Elections on January 24 this year. Haiti canceled the runoff presidential election in January amid violent protests over alleged fraud in the first round and after the opposition candidate boycotted the vote.

In a speech before he was elected, Privert vowed to ‘foster confidence across society, ensure stability, and hold the much-delayed run-off vote as soon as possible”.

Following his election, he proclaimed at the inauguration ceremony, “We have shown that we can transcend our differences and our quarrels in favor of the public interest. We should welcome the peaceful and inclusive nature of this new step in resolving the crisis.”

Privert faces a daunting task in the coming days and weeks: his first job will be to select a consensus prime minister and government.

Additionally, one of the major challenges ahead will be to reach an agreement about who can participate in the election. Many parties rejected the October results that led to a two-man race between opposition candidate Jude Celestin and ruling party favorite Jovenel Moise, citing voter fraud and corruption.

In an interesting note, Privert served as Interior Minister under former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. It is believed that Privert’s selection could help calm the protests led by factions of Aristide’s Lavalas movement, which believed the elections organized under Martelly were not free and fair.

After former President Aristide was forced from power in 2004 by armed groups, Privert was jailed for two years on charges that he orchestrated a massacre of Aristide’s opponents. The charges were later dropped.

Another opposition party, a breakaway faction of Aristide’s movement called ‘Platform Pitit Dessalines’, called for Privert to create a balanced electoral council acceptable to all sides.

A new election is expected to be held April 24, and new president sworn in three weeks later on May 14th.

For more information, please see:

Jamaica Observer – Haiti elects interim president – 15 February 2016

Latin Post – Haiti Elects Jocelerme Privert as Interim President for the Next 120 Days – 15 February 2016

Reuters – ‘We’re back’ – Aristide allies toast Haiti’s interim president at palace – 15 February 2016

Al Jazeera America – Haiti inaugurates interim president – 14 February 2016

BBC News – Haiti chooses interim president – 14 February 2016

CNN – Haiti gets new president — for 120 days – 14 February 2016

United Press International – Haitian lawmakers choose interim president – 14 February 2016

Britain Charges China With Violating Treaty After Hong Kong Bookseller’s Disappearance

By Christine Khamis  

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China –

Britain has accused China of abducting Hong Kong bookseller Lee Bo to the Chinese mainland. It also claims that China has breached the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration under which Hong Kong transitioned from British colonial rule to partial control by Beijing. According to Britain’s Foreign Office, the violation is the first serious breach of the Sino-British treaty.

In a biannual report on Hong Kong affairs, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond stated that Mr. Lee was “involuntarily removed” to China’s mainland without due process under Hong Kong law. The report is issued to Britain’s Parliament and reviews the state of Hong Kong and Britain’s ties.

A spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hong Lei, has rejected Britain’s report. Mr. Hong states that Hong Kong affairs are a domestic issue for China and that other countries have no power to meddle, according to the New York Times.

Mr. Lee, who holds a British passport, went missing in late December. Chinese police confirmed that he was in China, had traveled there voluntarily, and did not wish to be in contact with Hong Kong officials.

Mr. Lee on a Hong Kong protester’s sign. (Photo courtesy of the International Business Times)

Mr. Lee is associated with publishing house Mighty Current Media. Mighty Current is known for publishing gossip-style books about Chinese leaders. The publisher has released books about topics that many other publishers avoid covering, such as Chinese president Xi Jinping’s love affairs.

Four of Mr. Lee’s colleagues have also disappeared recently, including Gui Minhai, a Swedish citizen who vanished in Thailand in October. In January, Mr. Gui appeared on Chinese news sources stating that he had voluntarily returned to China to make amends for violating his probation there in 2003.

Under the Sino-British treaty, Hong Kong reverted back to China’s control in 1997 but is allowed liberal civil freedoms including freedom of speech, freedom of press, and a separate legal system. However, there has recently been much unrest among citizens of Hong Kong due to China’s increasing infringements on its autonomy. 

 

For more information, please see:

The Free Press Journal – UK Accuses China of Violating Treaty in HK Bookseller’s Case – 13 February 2016

Associated Press – UK: Hong Kong Bookseller ‘Removed’ in Breach of China Treaty – 12 February 2016.

The Hong Kong Standard – UK accuses China of violating pact over bookseller Lee’s removal – 12 February 2016

The New York Times – UK: Hong Kong Bookseller ‘Removed’ in Breach of China Treaty – 12 February 2016

The New York Times – Britain Accuses China of Violating Treaty in Hong Kong Bookseller’s Case – 12 February 2016

The Day the Press Stood Still

By Tyler Campbell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

CONAKRY, Guinea ­– This Tuesday, 5 media outlets in Guinea joined together to create a media blackout day in remembrance and in protest to the death of fellow journalist, El Hadj Mohamed Diallo. The black-out was intended to draw attention to the dangerous climate that Guinea journalists work in on a daily basis. At this point it is not clear if Diallo was targeted for being a journalist or just caught in the cross fire during a politically motivated uprising in the nation’s capital.

Media Outlets Closed during Black-Out for Slain Journalist (Image Courtesy Yahoo News)

Before his death, Diallo was covering the opposition party’s vice president, Mamadou Bah Oury’s attempt to enter his office after he had been removed from that office by supporters of Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) earlier that day. The opposition party and their ex-vice president are blaming each other for the violence that broke out during the walk in.

The risk involved with being a journalist in Guinea cannot be chalked up to mere government oppression. In fact the government is currently investigating the death of Diallo. However, it is not unusual for journalists to be targeted by different segments of the Guinea public. There are wide reports of journalists being beaten by police officers and media outlets and radio stations being told to not run stories.

One notable instance of journalist oppression happened during the 2014 Ebola crisis. One journalist and two media workers lost their lives while trying to cover the crisis in Guinea. This media team lost their lives not to the disease they were covering but for covering the story. The three went missing and were later found murdered in a septic tank. It is in this environment that Guinea journalist are risking their lives.

In response to the murder of Diallo the authorities in Guinea have arrested 17 opposition party members. Why these 17 members were arrested and what they are being charged with is unclear at this time.

Diallo worked for Guinee7 news and wrote for the weekly L’independent. He is survived by his wife and younger daughter.

The Guardian ­– Guinea’s media holds ‘press-free day’ over shooting of journalist in clashes –9 Feb 2016

AfricaNews — Guinea: 17 arrested over journalist’s death – 12 Feb. 2016

Bloomberg Business — Guinea Reporter Killed During Clash Between Opposition Party – 9 Feb 2016

All Africa — Guinea: Media Blackout in Memory of Slain Journalist — 9 Feb. 2016

Pentagon Releases Photos Of Alleged Detainee Abuse In Iraq, Afghanistan

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Oceania

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America — Last Friday, the Pentagon released nearly 200 photographs related to its investigation of alleged abuse of detainees held by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the military is continuing to block the disclosure of about 1,800 other photos from the same criminal investigations, saying that their release would endanger American service members serving abroad.

Two Photos Detailing Some of the Alleged Abuses at the Hands of U.S. Service-members. (Photo Courtesy of NY Times)

Taken more than a decade ago during the Bush administration, the photographs consist largely of close-up views of scrapes and bruises on detainees’ bodies.

The photos released Friday show close ups of arms, legs, feet, backs and heads, many with visible injuries and rulers or coins held up next to them for comparison. A few photos where faces would be visible have the faces blacked; furthermore, a few full-body photos show detainees kneeling or with their hands behind their backs.

The photographs were tied to U.S. military investigations that looked into reports of alleged abuse. Of the 56 allegations tied to the photographs, subsequent investigations substantiated the claims in 14 of the cases, which resulted in disciplinary action against 65 service-members, the Defense Department said in a prepared statement.

In 2003, the ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the entire cache of photos. The organization sued in 2004 after the gruesome photos of Abu Ghraib prison leaked to the media. In 2009, the Obama administration promised to release the photos, but Congress passed a law that allowed them to remain classified if the Defense secretary certified their release would jeopardize national security.

The American Civil Liberties Union hailed the release of the photos, but said the decision to hold back the remaining 1,800 images could mislead the public about the true scope of what happened.

“The disclosure of these photos is long overdue, but the photos released today are almost certainly the most innocuous of the 2,000 that were being withheld,” ACLU said in a statement released Friday. “From the nearly 6,000 reports, investigations, emails, and other documents the government has been forced to release to us in the course of this litigation, we have found more than 100 documents that either reference photos related to cases of abuse or actually contain photos that were redacted before they got to us.”

In one example, identified as an U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (‘CID’) case from 2004, black and white photographs depict a detainee holding a pen to his shin just under an area that appears slightly discolored. CID concluded there was not enough evidence to determine whether the detainee, whose name was redacted, had been abused by U.S. or coalition forces.

Investigators did, however, determine the detainee was likely abused by Iraqi Civil Defense troops.

For more information, please see:

AllGov – Pentagon Blocks Release of 1,800 Detainee Abuse Photos, Lets Out 198 – 6 February 2016

IB Times – Pentagon Releases Nearly 200 Photos Showing Detainee Abuse In Iraq, Afghanistan – 6 February 2016

Military.com – Pentagon Releases Photos of Alleged Prison Abuses in Iraq, Afghanistan – 6 February 2016

CNN – Pentagon releases 198 photos of detainees – 5 February 2016

NY Times – Pentagon Releases Small Portion of Photos From Detainee Abuse Cases – 5 February 2016

The Hill – Pentagon releases 198 photos of alleged detainee abuse – 5 February 2016

The Intercept – PENTAGON RELEASES PHOTOS OF DETAINEE ABUSE IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN – 5 February 2016

Haitian President Steps Down Leaving Chaos, No Successor

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, North America and Oceania

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haitian President Michel Martelly has stepped down from office, leaving the island nation with no immediate successor after elections marred by allegations of fraud were postponed twice. Martelly, who leaves the post after five years in office, delivered a farewell address to Haiti’s National Assembly on Sunday.

Former Haitian President Michel Martelly Departs the Parliament Building Sunday. (Photo Courtesy of CNN)

No successor has been chosen as of yet as opposition supporters challenge a deal to select an interim leader.

In a nearly 20-minute speech addressing the joint session of Parliament, Mr. Martelly said his biggest regret was that the presidential election had been postponed. Addressing the Haitian people, he stated he worked as hard as he could to improve the country.

In his address, Mr. Martelly was quoted as saying: “Haiti is recovering; yes, Haiti is standing. I was faced with all the challenges; facing the impossible, facing the most utter despair. … I can say today that I am ready to answer before the tribunal of history.”

Mr. Martelly departed at the end of his five-year term, thanks to a last-minute agreement that laid out steps to implement a provisional government to take his place. Although the agreement left major doubts about who will govern the nation in the months to come, those with direct knowledge of the situation hailed it as an important move toward at least momentarily resolving a political impasse that had put hundreds of protesters on the streets.

Under the agreement reached this weekend, the Prime Minister will stay in power until an interim president is chosen by both chambers of Parliament. Once the interim president is in place, a consensus Prime Minister will be chosen.

Haiti’s latest political crisis has resulted from a presidential election held in October with 54 candidates which critics have said was riddled with fraud. For example, political officials were able to vote multiple times, and the president’s handpicked successor came in first despite being a virtual unknown, leaving the 52 candidates who did not make the runoff vote to question the results.

Mr. Martelly insisted that there had been no fraud and that the runoff should take place, urging voters to choose his candidate, Jovenel Moïse, a banana exporter. However, a former government official who officially came in second, Jude Célestin, refused to participate in the runoff until a new electoral council was chosen and a thorough review of the first round was conducted.

Unfortunately, an hour after Mr. Martelly’s speech and departure from the parliament, violent street protests erupted.

Haiti last created a transitional government in 2004. That interim administration, which lasted for two years, took power in the chaotic days after President Jean Bertrand-Aristide was ousted by a rebellion and a U.N. peacekeeping force came to stabilize the country.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Haiti president steps down without successor in place – 8 February 2016

Latin Post – Haiti President Departs; Chaos Ensues – 8 February 2016

ABC News – Haiti’s President Departs to Make Way for Interim Government – 7 February 2016

CNN – Haiti’s President steps down, leaving no successor – 7 February 2016

Miami Herald – Haitian President Michel Martelly bids farewell – 7 February 2016

NY Times – Michel Martelly, Haiti’s President, Departs Without a Successor – 7 February 2016

Reuters (Video) – Haiti’s president leaves office without a successor – 7 February 2016