Kurdish Forces Battle Forces Loyal to the Assad Regime

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Managing Editor

DAMASCUS, Syria – Syrian Kurds reportedly clashed with forces loyal to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday breaking a tactical agreement between the two sides, both facing an ongoing struggle to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). The fighting reportedly broke out in the Syrian City of Hassakeh, the UK based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Casualties were reported on both sides.  The clashes broke out Saturday after members of a Kurdish militia detained 10 Syrian soldiers and pro-government gunmen after they were deployed in areas controlled by Kurds. “There has been some serious fighting today. The PYD arrested 10 soldiers and Baath party gunmen,” Observatory head Rami Abdulrahman told the press. “There is now fighting in many areas of Hassakeh.”

Assad visits troops loyal to his regime. The YPG and the government had divided Hassakeh into zones in a power sharing agreement for the region. (Photo courtesy of Al Arabiya)

The Syrian Military reportedly shelled three areas in the Kurdish region of the country on the edges of the city of Hassakeh. Nawaf Khalil, A spokesperson Kurdish Democratic Union Party spokesman said the fighting was concentrated in several areas in Hassakeh, a predominantly Kurdish city. Fighting between the two sides has been reportedly rare since the Syrian military withdrew from the area in 2012 to focus its fighting elsewise in the country. Kurdish forces have been openly deployed in the area, defending the region from insurgents, since the Syrian regime withdrew from the region. However, violence broke out when Syrian army’s soldier in the region as well as militiamen loyal to the regime took control of buildings in an area that both sides had agreed would stay demilitarized, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported.

While there were smaller scale clashes reported last May between the Assad regime forces and Kurdish Forces in the city of Hassakeh those clashes were relatively contained. During Syria’s three year civil war, Kurds have proclaimed control in parts of the northeast where Kurdish forces have defended the nation’s Kurdish minority. Approximately 200,000 people have been killed since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011, according to the United Nations.

The City of Hassakeh has seen heavy violence from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) over the past several months. Last Friday, Amnesty International reported that fighters loyal to ISIS targeted and killed Arab families living and working in the farming village of al-Tleiliye in Kurdish-controlled Hassakeh province. ISIS reportedly killed 15 people included seven children. “The attacks appear aimed at terrorizing and forcibly displacing the community living in the area,” Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa program director, said in a statement. The organization “fears these civilians were killed as retribution for their perceived support of the YPG, either directly or indirectly through their Yezidi Kurdish landowners, or because they were mistaken for Yezidi Kurds.”

For more information please see:

Al Arabiya – Kurds Open Front against Assad’s Forces: Monitor – 17 January 2015

Reuters UK – Kurds Battle Assad’s Forces in Syria, Opening New Front in Civil War – 17 January 2015

The Wall Street Journal – Kurdish Fighters Clash with Syrian Forces – 17 January 2015

Syria Deeply – Murder Of Arab Families in Hassakeh Points to Rising Tensions between Islamists and Kurds – 11 January 2015

 

 

Russian Investigative Committee Refuses Application from Magnitsky’s Mother to Bring to Account Those Responsible for Use of Rubber Batons on her Son in Detention

16 January 2015 – The Russian Investigative Committee has refused the application from Sergei Magnitsky’s mother to bring to account those responsible for the use of rubber batons on her son before his death in detention.

Mr Veseliev, Deputy head of section of the Main Investigative Department of the Russian Investigative Committee, stated in refusing the application that the decision to terminate the investigation was based on “the collection of gathered evidence” and “was checked by the head of the investigative body and prosecutor, no grounds to change the decision were found.” The decree does not provide any concrete ground in relation to the decision not to investigate the use of rubber batons.

The application from Magnitsky’s mother stated that the use of rubber batons was confirmed by the post-mortem medical examination, yet the investigation closed the criminal case into Magnitsky’s death without bringing to account those responsible. Her application said:

“I request to conduct a full probe by investigative means into the use of special means – metallic handcuffs and rubber batons – on 16 November 2009 at the time when he [Magnitsky] was delivered in grave condition to Matrosskaya Tishina detention center for the purpose of providing him with emergency medical care.”

Sergei Magnitsky died on 16 November 2009. Despite the conclusions from four independent expert examinations that he was tortured in detention, the Russian Investigative Committee has refused to investigate.

Russian Investigator of the Investigative Committee Andrei Strizhov, who closed the Magnitsky death case investigation, and Deputy General Prosecutor of Russia Victor Grin, the overseeing prosecutor, were both sanctioned by the US Government at the end of December 2014 for their role in concealing the legal liability of persons responsible for Magnitsky’s ill-treatment and death, in accordance with the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012.

For more information, please contact:

Magnitsky Justice Campaign

Website: http://lawandorderinrussia.org

 

France Recovering Amidst International Worries of More Impending Attacks

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

PARIS, France – Following the recent deadly attacks that began with the shooting on Charlie Hebdo, France is actively responding. France is upping participation in the U.S.-led coalition strikes against ISIS, as well as cracking down on hate speech and anti-Semitism within its own borders.

A number of world leaders joined in on the Paris march of well over 3 million. (Photo courtesy of The Washington Times)

A massive rally in Paris involving over 3 million people and many world leaders followed the deadly rampage on Charlie Hebdo. The rally was a peaceful show of solidarity and support for the magazine, as well as a proverbial and literal stand against terrorism. The rally was not limited to Paris, although the city was the scene of the largest rally.

Charlie Hebdo chose to rebound from the attack by not only publishing the mocking edition with Mohammed on the cover, but also publishing over 3 million copies with possibly more to come. World leaders, like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, were outwardly in support of promoting democratic values like free speech and promoting publication. Writers and artists around the world followed up the attacks, many that same day, with pictures mocking the terrorists and with a common theme of either resiliency or showing the absurdity of the attack on Charlie Hebdo.

France has since increased arrests on hate speech, anti-Semitism, and glorifying terrorism; at least 54 have already been arrested on these charges in the last week. 10,000 troops and 120,000 security forces have also been deployed around the country to protect Jewish schools, synagogues, mosques, and travel hubs. France is also sending an aircraft carrier to the Middle East to aid the U.S.-led coalition in fighting the Islamic State.

Two new events unfolded today following the release of the newspaper. First, a wave of cyber attacks has hit France with over 19,000 websites claiming to have been affected. In recent days, some of these same sites had reported being hacked by well-known Islamic hacker groups. Second, two suspects were killed in a gunfight with police in Verviers, Belgium. The two were being investigated as suspects of an operational cell with ties to Syria, and it is believed the group was about to commit terrorist attacks in Belgium.

For more information, please see:

ABC – Two Dead as Police Raid Terror Suspects in Belgium – 15 January 2015

CBS – France hit by unprecedented wave of cyber attacks – 15 January 2015

Huffington Post – France Arrests 54 For Defending Terror; Announces Crackdown – 14 January 2015

Huffington Post – Charlie Hebdo Cover Features Muhammad Holding ‘Je Suis Charlie’ Sign – 12 January 2015

The New York Times – Charlie Hebdo’s New Issue Features Muhammad on Cover – 12 January 2015

Los Angeles Times – 3 million across France march in solidarity against terrorism – 11 January 2015

United States’ Central Command Social Media Hacked

By Lyndsey Kelly
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America – Earlier this week the Twitter and YouTube accounts for the U.S. military command, which oversees operations in the Middle East and Asia, were hacked by people claiming to be sympathetic toward ISIS. Central command is based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. The United States and coalition partners have recently targeted Islamic State forces in air strikes.

A Screenshot shows the Untied States’ Central Command’s news feed after it was hacked by ISIS supporters (Photo courtesy of Reuters).

The Twitter account read, “American soldiers, we are coming, watch your back, ISIS.” “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the CyberCaliphate continues its CyberJihad,” could be found on the Twitter feed of Central Command also. Several U.S. security and intelligence officials have stated that they are skeptical as to CyberCalpphate’s capabilities. Pentagon spokesman, Army Colonel Steve Warren, commented on the hacking, stating that the Defense Department “views this as little more than a prank, or as vandalism,” “It’s inconvenient, it’s an annoyance but in no way is any sensitive or classified information compromised,” Warren stated at a press briefing.

Media outlets, such as Reuters, reviewed some of the documents released by the hackers, and stated that no security threats could be immediately identified. Thus, it did not seem that the national security was put at risk. Accordingly, many of the released documents were easily found using a basic Google search. The intelligence community maintains that the incident was minimal and posed no threat. A former senior U.S. intelligence official stated, “Hacking a Twitter is about the equivalent of spray-painting a subway car.”

President Barack Obama was in the midst of announcing proposals aimed at strengthening the United States cyber security policies when the hacking took place. President Obama has proposed to give law enforcement agencies broader power to investigate and prosecute cybercrime. The President was addressing the recent hack of Sony Pictures, which the U.S has attributed to North Korea, and reminded the public that the United States is vulnerable in the area of cyber security.

 

For more information, please see the following:

BBC – US Centcom Twitter Account Hacked by Pro-IS group – 12 Jan. 2015.

DAILY TIMES – Apparent Islamic State Backers Hack US Military Twitter Feed – 14 Jan. 2015.

REUTERS – Apparent Islamic State Backers Hack U.S. Military Twitter Feed – 12 Jan. 2015.

YAHOO NEWS – Obama Seeks Enhanced Cybersecurity Laws to Fight Hackers – 13 Jan. 2015.

Colombia Fugitive and Former Spy Chief Denied Asylum in Panama

By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia’s former spy chief can no longer count on the protection of the Panamanian government after its decision to not grant asylum to the disgraced former official.  Maria del Pilar Hurtado is accused of spying against presumed political enemies of former President Alvaro Uribe.

Maria del Pilar Hurtado / Image courtesy of panamaamerica.com

 

The director of Panama’s refugee agency told local newspaper La Prensa that Hurtado, the former director of the now-defunct Colombian intelligence agency DAS, had filed a second request for political asylum late last year, and that this request had been denied by the Panamanian government.

Hurtado fled Colombia in 2010 before being charged for multiple alleged crimes after judicial investigators found out that the DAS had carried out illegal spying operations against the Supreme Court, politicians, journalists and human rights workers.

Hurtado was one of numerous top officials, including Uribe’s former chief of staff, who were charged with abuse of power, conspiracy, the illegal use of communications equipment and fraud.

Hurtado was initially granted asylum by the administration of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, reportedly a personal friend of Uribe.

However, the decision to grant asylum was nullified in June last year by the country’s Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court ruled that the then-administration had violated the constitution in granting political asylum.

Facing the possibility of standing trial in Colombia after deportation, Del Pilar Hurtado married a Colombian resident of Panama while her attorney prepared a renewed request for political asylum.

Meanwhile in Colombia, prosecutors called on the Supreme Court to come to a conviction of the former intelligence chief, who could be sent to prison for as many as 15 years.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, there is “no doubt” that Hurtado was involved in the illegal operations carried out by her agency which reported directly to the President’s Office.

Uribe and his political allies have consistently claimed that Hurtado and former chief of staff Bernardo Moreno are not the perpetrators, but the victims of political persecution.

For more information, please see:

Colombia Reports – Panama denies refugee status to Colombia’s fugitive former spy chief – 13 Jan. 2015

Caracol Radio – Panamá negó solicitud de refugio a María del Pilar Hurtado – 14 Jan. 2015

Telesur – Panama Rejects Colombian Ex Intelligence Chief Asylum Request – 13 Jan. 2015

La Estrella de Panama – Panama rechaza el estatus de refugiada a Maria del Pilar Hurtado – 12 Jan. 2015