Bahrain Sentences Shia Opposition Leader

by Mridula Tirumalasetti

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain—Shia opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, has been sentenced to four years in prison by a Bahraini court for “insulting an official body,” that being the interior ministry. The country’s public prosecutor stated that Salman was also convicted for the “explicit incitement against a group of the people, including disturbing the public peace and explicit incitement toward disobeying the law,” He has been acquitted of seeking to overthrow the Sunni-ruled monarchy and change the political system, for which he could have been jailed for life. Salman does have the chance to appeal, said his defense attorney, Abdullah al-Shamlawi.

Bahraini Shia Muslims protest in support of Salman (photo courtesy of The Guardian)

Salman, a 49-year old Muslim cleric and head of the al Wefaq Islamic Society, was arrested and detained on December 28 after delivering a series of speeches that called for political reform. Salman had just been re-elected as the party leader.

Salman’s arrest was condemned by states such as United States and Iran, and by human rights groups. Additionally, protests ensued throughout Bahrain. Human rights groups called Salman a “prisoner of conscience” and say that abuses in the country are continuing unabated.

Amnesty International said that Salman’s conviction violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Bahrain is a signatory of. Middle East and North Africa deputy director, Said Boumedouha stated that Salman’s conviction is “another clear example of Bahrain’s flagrant disregard for international obligations.” He continued, “Sheikh Ali Salman has been sentenced solely for peacefully expressing his opinion.”  The organization urged for the immediate release of Salman.

Since the Arab Spring in 2011, Bahrain has been struck by unrest and instability in the form of protests and demonstrations. Shia Muslims in the country have demanded a more representative government and a constitutional monarchy. There have been at least 89 deaths due to clashes with security forces. Hundreds of others have been arrested and put on trial.

For more information, please visit:

The Guardian—Bahrain opposition leader Ali Salman sentenced to four years in jail—16 June 2015

The Independent—Sheikh Ali Salman: Bahrain opposition leader jailed for four years day after UK minister ‘opens’ Royal Navy base in kingdom—16 June 2015

The Daily Star—Hezbollah denounces Bahrain’s ‘malicious’ jailing of opposition chief—16 June 2015

BBC News—Bahrain opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman jailed—16 June 2015

 

Hong Kong’s Election Reform Plan Unlikely to be Approved

By Christine Khamis

Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

HONG KONG, China —

Electoral reform allowing for a direct election of Hong Kong’s next chief executive is unlikely to be passed into law in a vote by Hong Kong lawmakers this week.

Hong Kong’s Legislative Council is expected to vote on the reform by the end of the week. The reform will become law if two-thirds of the Hong Kong Legislative Council approves it, but pro-democracy legislators have vowed to veto the reform. Pro-democracy legislators make up about one-third of the Legislative Council.

The reform, while a step forward in the realization of Hong Kong’s drive for a more democratic electoral system, only allows for a certain number of pre-approved, pro-Beijing candidates to participate in the election for Hong Kong’s next leader.

The current chief executive in Hong Kong, Leung Chun-ying, supports the reform proposals and has stated that Hong Kong should pass the election reforms into law and then work to improve on the new electoral system.

Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong’s current chief executive. (Photo courtesy of BBC)

The Chinese government has pledged to establish direct elections of Hong Kong’s chief executive by 2017. Currently, a 1,200 member committee comprised primarily of pro-Beijing individuals chooses Hong Kong’s chief executive.

Hong Kong is a former British colony that was returned to China in 1997 through an agreement between Great Britain and China. When China gained sovereignty over Hong Kong, it was under a “One Country, Two Systems” model that gave Hong Kong a separate legal system and freedoms of speech and press. As part of the “One Country, Two Systems” model, Great Britain and China agreed that Hong Kong would have a significant amount of autonomy for 50 years and that an electoral system supporting free election of leaders would eventually be developed.

Pro-democracy advocates argue that the proposals fall short of the democratic system that was promised when Hong Kong once again became part of China. Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, called the Basic Law, was established in 1997. The Basic Law calls for Hong Kong’s electoral process to evolve into a system in which voters elect a new chief executive from among other candidates selected by a committee with broad representation.

The National People’s Congress, the national legislature of the People’s Republic of China, set a timeline for the transition to democratic election of the chief executive in 2007. The National People’s Congress must, however, approve any changes to the Basic Law, including those concerning Hong Kong’s electoral system.

Supporters of the proposals say that the proposals are an improvement to the current system because Hong Kong’s citizens will be able to choose between multiple candidates. The chief executive position will have more legitimacy and will have to be elected by a majority of the voters.

When the reform proposals were first presented last year, Hong Kong broke out into mass protests. Pro-democracy activists occupied the streets in an effort to get authorities to approve open nominations of chief executive candidates, but were unsuccessful.

According to a poll conducted by a group of Hong Kong universities from June 11 through June 15, adults in Hong Kong favor the election reform proposal by a narrow margin.

Pro-democracy groups in China have stated that they will protest if the election reform proposals are passed.

 

For more information, please see: 

CNN – Is Hong Kong’s Fight for Democracy in its Final Round? – 17 June 2015

New York Times – Hong Kong Lawmakers Begin Debate Over Election Plan – 17 June 2015

Reuters – Hong Kong Debates Election Reform Plan With Veto Likely – 17 June 2015

BBC – Hong Kong’s Democracy Debate – 16 June 2015

New York Times – Hong Kong Election Plan Appears Unlikely to Win Lawmakers’ Approval – 16 June 2015

 

 

Colombian Displacement Second Only To Syria

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTÁ, Colombia – The number of internally displaced persons in Colombia has surpassed 6 million, according to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees. The report surveys the number of refugees, displaced persons, asylum seekers and “others of concern.”

The IDP settlement of Altos de la Florida, Soacha, Colombia. [Photo courtesy of UNHCR]
Although this year’s report identifies a decrease in the number of reported refugees, this is mainly attributed to Venezuela’s revision of the reported number of Colombian refugees in the country. Despite the decrease, Colombia has the highest number of refugees and internally displaced persons in South America, and is second only to Syria world-wide. There are 6.4 million Colombians falling into this category. Out of those, 137,000 are internally displaced persons. Only Syria has a greater number of refugees and internally displaced persons, with about 12 million people falling into this category.

“It’s not just the FARC,” says UNHCR Colombia Representative Martin Gottwald. Forty percent of human rights violations in Colombia are perpetrated by new “irregular groups,” many of which have evolved from long demobilized paramilitary groups.

The high number of internally displaced persons and refugees are the result of 50 years of conflict between the Colombian government and different groups, including the FARC, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The FARC and the Colombian government have engaged in peace talks on-and-off since November 2012.

The release of the report comes on the heels of the 2015 Global Peace Index, which ranked Colombia as 146 out of 162 countries worldwide. The report named the high number of displaced persons and refugees as a driving factor behind the low score.

About a week before the release of the report, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres publicly expressed concern over the effects of the ongoing conflict. He called for “solutions… to guarantee the safety and dignity of refugees and people displaced inside Colombia,” and said that the UNHCR would be ready to support the peace process.

Guterres also commented on the rising number of internally displaced persons and refugees worldwide, citing that one in every 122 people is a refugee, internally displaced person, or asylum seeker. Criticizing global inaction on the issue, he said: “It is terrifying that on the one hand there is more and more impunity for those starting conflicts, and on the other there is seeming utter inability of the international community to work together to stop wars and build and preserve peace.”

 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Profiles: Colombia’s armed groups – 29 August 2013

UNHCR – UN High Commissioner for Refugees expresses concern over fresh fighting in Colombia – 11 June 2015

International Business Times – Latin America Less Peaceful in 2015 Due to Rising Instability: Report – 17 June 2015

Miami Herald – U.N. Report: Colombia continues to lead world in displaced, refugees – 18 June 2015

UNHCR – World-wide displacement hits all-time high as war and prosecution increase – 18 June 2015

AU Voices Disapproval of ICC While Bashir Escapes Arrest

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch, Managing Editor 

 

Johannesburg, South Africa 

African Union chairman and Zimbabwean head-of-state Robert Mugabe voiced his disapproval of the international criminal court on Tuesday after the court issued an order for the arrest of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir. Bashir was attending a summit of African leaders in Johannesburg, South Africa when, following the meeting he quickly boarded his plane and flew back to Khartoum to avoid being taken into custody.Bashir is the subject of the arrest warrant for genocide regarding his as president of Sudan, which includes the region of Darfur. According to the United Nations 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur and the ethnic conflict still continues today.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (Photo curtesy of the Economist)

Mugabe and South African President Jacob Zuma voiced their disapproval of the International Court and its actions on the African continent. Mugabe is reported to have stated that the International Criminal Court is not wanted in Africa. Mugabe also claimed that Zuma shared this believe stating Zuma told him he would not allow Bashir to be arrested in South Africa. South Africa is a member of the statute, which created the International Criminal Court, and Zuma’s alleged statements have caused many in the international community to demand action from the Court and the United Nations. Nick Kaufman, a lawyer who is representing victims in Darfur demanded the Court’s prosecutor file for a formal finding of “non-compliance” and report it to the United Nations.

South Africa released a statement stating that since Bashir was attending a meeting of the African Union he enjoyed diplomatic immunity while in South Africa. A South African court disregarded the claim of immunity and issued a warrant for Bashir’s arrest but by then he had already departed. Mugabe went further in his statements against he International Court saying that now many countries regret signing on to the treaty. Many African leaders have expressed concern that the Court targets African heads of state. It is true that the indictees of the Court have all been African, however, seven out fo nine were refred to the court by African governemtns. The Court has also initiated investigations in Afghanistan, Columbia, Georigia, Honduras, Iraq, South Korea and Ukraine.

For more information, please see:

The Associated Press — AU Head Mugabe Says International Court Unwelcome in Africa — 16 June, 2015 

Voice of America — AU Summit Ends With Growing Concern About International Court — 16 June, 2015

The Guardian — Give a Voice to Darfur Victims in ICC Debate — 18 June, 2015 

The Economist — Justice Delayed — 18 June, 2015