Philippine Government Sparks Anger Over Death of Infant Taken From Incarcerated Mother

By: Elizabeth (Lizzy) Wright

Journal of Global Rights and Organizations, Associate Articles Editor

MANILA, Philippines – On October 9th, 2020, new mother Reina Mae Nasino experienced the worst tragedy possible; her three-month-old baby, River Emanuelle died of pneumonia. However, Nasino’s tragedy greatened when Manila Regional Trial Court 47 decided she would only be allowed to grieve her daughter over a three-day furlough from the jail she was being held in. This was only for the court to amend its decision the next day and allow her 6 hours to attend River’s wake.

Mother Reina at Baby River’s Wake During her 6 Hour Furlough. Photo Courtesy of Aljazeera.

From the beginning of her case, Reina has been fighting against the Philippine Government’s controversial rule. Housing in the Philippines is a major issue, and the city of Manila is said to have the highest rate of homelessness in the world. Reina is a known activist, as a member of the group known as Kadamay. Reina and Kadamay were involved in protesting the privatization of low-income governmental housing by occupying an old homeless shelter that was due to be torn down. This led to officials going to Reina’s residence, searching it, allegedly finding unauthorized firearms, and arresting her. Reina has maintained her innocence and claims that officials planted the weapons.

At the time of her arrest, Reina did not yet realize that she was pregnant with baby River. She only realized she was pregnant during a medical examination in jail a few months later. For the first month of River’s life, she was allowed to remain with Reina, and during this time, she petitioned the court to allow her to breastfeed River for her first year. The court denied this petition and forcibly removed River from Reina’s care only four weeks after birth. Reina then asked the court for a temporary release related to COVID-19 jail downsizing; she was denied.

During the two months between River’s separation from her mother and her death, her health declined significantly and she was hospitalized. Knowing this, Reina continued to ask the court to reunite her with River but was ultimately denied. Reina’s family argues that River’s sickness was due to the inability to breastfeed.

As previously mentioned, Reina was allowed to attend River’s wake for only six hours. During the wake, Reina was escorted by 20 armed law enforcement individuals. Law enforcement then broke up the wake early and had the hearse carrying the coffin speed away. The family chased the hearse on foot as it left. These events have sparked an international outcry and scrutiny regarding the way mothers are treated while incarcerated in the Philippines.

Pregnancy and motherhood are two key things that make female incarceration significantly more complicated than male incarceration. Different countries have created remedies for this issue. For example, some countries allow babies to remain with their incarcerated mothers for up to four years.

The actions of the Philippine Government inflicted serious trauma on Reina, River, and their family. The Government claims that separating babies from their mothers, as a rule, is in the best interest of the child. However, this reasoning is flawed. These babies often end up in foster homes and do not reap any of the benefits that come with being physically close with their mothers. Studies show that physical closeness between mother and baby is good for both; it creates feelings of security for the baby and gives the mother an awareness of the needs of the baby.

Reina and River’s case is, unfortunately, one of many that demonstrate the need for incarceration reform in the Philippines and other countries, like the United States, that routinely separate babies from their mothers.

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Anger over death of baby separated from jailed mother – 15 Oct. 2020

BenarNews – Phillippine Rights Group: Shortened Furlough for Inmate whose Baby Died ‘Merciless’ – 14 Oct. 2020

IBON Media and Communications – While poor remain homeless, private business gains from “socialized” housing – 22 March 2017

Reuters – Manila’s homeless set to move into more empty homes if official handover delayed – 28 Mar. 2018

Reuters: The Wider Image – Jailed Philippine activist lays to rest her three-month-old baby – 16 Oct. 2020

The Journal of Perinatal Education: Advancing Normal Birth – Care Practice #6: No Separation of Mother and Baby, With Unlimited Opportunities for Breastfeeding – Summer 2017

IACHR Condemns Sterilizations of Migrants Detained at ICE Facility in Georgia

By: Shane Kelly

Impunity Watch Staff Writer

GEORGIA, United States of America – On October 30, 2020, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemned the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for sterilization procedures performed on detainees of the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, GA.

Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia. Photo courtesy of CNN.

Specifically, the IACHR admonished the non-consensual hysterectomies and neglect of surgeons, which violated rights to personal security, family, and privacy afforded by the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, the complaint presented by human rights organizations describes the compounding harm caused by the risk of COVID-19 infection, experienced by those subjected to the procedures.

The complaint, presented to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security by numerous social justice organizations, alleges that the migrant detention center in Irwin County, GA, has been sterilizing women with neglect towards general medical care, including a lack of effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The IACHR has called for the immediate cessation of said practices, as well as investigations and prosecutions of those responsible.

The complaint is corroborated by testimonies from a former nurse, multiple detainees, and an independent medical team. The former nurse describes some shocking stories, including one of a detained immigrant woman who underwent surgery to have one of her ovaries removed because of a cyst, only to awake from anesthesia with a total hysterectomy. The medical team’s report found records of nineteen migrant women who experienced negligent care, discriminatory treatment, and dangerous environments considered inefficient in reducing the spread of COVID-19.

In the international context, the IACHR invokes the Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ decision in the Case of IV v. the State of Bolivia, where the court recognized the autonomy and reproductive human rights of women in their lives and bodies. The IACHR also looks to the “Inter-American Principles on the Human Rights of All Migrants, Refugees, Stateless Persons, and Victims of Human Trafficking, Resolution 01/20 on Pandemics and Human Rights,” for recommendations and guidelines in remedying this issue.

These violations of migrant women’s rights come amidst a time of harsh scrutiny of ICE’s procedures in its operations of detention centers. Other violations made public include: deplorable living conditions; lack of separation in a global pandemic; and deprivation of the right to freedom of religion. The IACHR is further concerned with the lack of response from the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Human Services following the publicity of the conditions by the press, the submission of the complaint, and the IACHR’s condemnation. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has also recently urged action from the inspector general to investigate the allegations.

For further information, please see:

Reliefweb – IACHR Expresses Its Concern Over Reports of Sterilizations and Surgical Interventions Without Consent in Migrant Detention Centers in the USA – 30 Oct. 2020

ICDC – Lack of Medical Care, Unsafe Work Practices, and Absence of Adequate Protection Against COVID-19 for Detained Immigrants and Employees Alike at the Irwin County Detention Center – 14 Sept. 2020

CNN – Whistleblower Alleges High Rate of Hysterectomies and Medical Neglect at ICE Facility – 16 Sept. 2020

ECHR Finds Greek Journalist’s Criminal Conviction Violative of Freedom of Expression Rights

By: Christian González

Journal of Global Rights and Organizations, Associate Articles Editor

STRASBOURG, France – The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has made a ruling finding that the 2013 criminal conviction of Mytilene-based journalist, Efstratios Balaskas – for insulting a high school headmaster – was violative of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Efstratios Balaskas, the journalist criminally convicted for insulting a high school headmaster. Photo courtesy of Inforrm.org.

Mr. Balaskas is a journalist who lives and works in the Greek city of Mytilene, located on the island of Lesbos on the northeastern corner of the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey. He was formerly the editor-in-chief of the Lesbos-based daily newspaper, Empros. On November 17th, 2020, he wrote and published an article in Empros called “The headmaster of the 6th High School of Mytilene, B.M., attacks, through his personal blog, the ‘ultimate lie of the Polytechnic school.’” This article was a response to a blog post written by the headmaster of a local high school just two days earlier, identified only as “B.M” by the ECHR.

The blog post in question was a negative opinion piece regarding the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic Uprising of 1973. The Uprising was a student demonstration, against the government junta, that led to the restoration of the country’s parliamentary democracy. Since then, November 17th is a national holiday in Greece. In Mr. Balaskas’ response piece, he characterizes B.M. as a “neo-Nazi” and the “theoretician of the entity ‘Golden Dawn,’” a far-right and pro-fascist political party in Greece. B.M. responded by filing a criminal complaint against Mr. Balaskas for slanderous defamation.

The Criminal Court of First Instance of Mytilene heard the case on November 27th, 2013, and ruled in favor of B.M., finding that Mr. Balaskas’ characterizations were value judgments based on false allegations. The Criminal Court rejected Mr. Balaskas’ argument that there was a legitimate interest in informing the public of B.M.’s political leanings and changed the offense from slanderous defamation (a punishable offense under the Greek Penal Code § 363) to insult (an offense under § 361), and sentenced Mr. Balaskas to a six-month prison sentence. Mr. Balaskas made an appeal to the North Aegean Misdemeanor Court of Appeal on July 11th, 2016. The Court of Appeals considered B.M.’s history of posting anti-Semitic, pro-Aryan, and pro-Golden Dawn posts, including a post where B.M. stated, “IT IS AN HONOUR TO BE CALLED A NATIONAL-SOCIALIST.” Despite holding that Mr. Balaskas’ article was a value judgment based on factual findings, the Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s holding and reduced the sentence to three months. A further appeal was dismissed by the Greek Supreme Court, stating that the Court of Appeals’ findings were proper.

The ECHR found that Mr. Balaskas properly brought his interest as a journalist with an interest in informing the public of the national-socialist leanings of B.M., a public figure, to each of the Greek Courts. In doing so, Mr. Balaskas raised, in substance, his freedom of expression rights guaranteed under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The ECHR stated that in circumstances such as this, national courts have to conduct a balancing test between freedom of expression rights under Article 10 and privacy protection rights under Article 8. The ECHR found that the Greek courts failed to properly consider Mr. Balaskas’ article as a whole, instead focusing solely on the characterizing descriptions of B.M. It further felt that the Greek courts did not weigh in the intent of B.M. to create controversy through his blog post and that Mr. Balaskas’ language did not rise to the level of insult as to constitute an offense under Greek law, nor were the sentences given justified.

The ECHR noted that this was one of several cases where the courts of Greece have violated Article 10 through their rulings. It awarded Mr. Balaskas 1,603.58 euros (1,907.20 USD) in pecuniary damages and 10,000 euros (11,893.36 USD) in non-pecuniary damages.

For further information, please see:

European Court of Human Rights – Balaskas v. Greece, Chamber Judgement – 5 Nov. 2020

The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog (Inforrm) – Case Law, Strasbourg: Balaskas v Greece, Conviction for insulting headmaster breached Article 10 – 8 Nov. 2020

European Court of Human Rights (Council of Europe) – European Convention on Human Rights – 4 Nov. 1950

European Court of Human Rights – Press Release: Judgement Balaskas v. Greece – journalist’s criminal conviction for critical article of local headmaster (PDF download) – 5 Nov. 2020

Hellenic Parliament – Greek Penal Code – 11 Jun. 2019

Greek Reporter – Athens Polytechnic Uprising: How Greek Students Overthrew a Coup – 17 Nov. 2019

ICC Voices Concern Regarding Increasing Violence in the Ivory Coast in Response to President Alassane Seeking a Controversial Third Term

By: Hannah Bennink

Impunity Watch Staff Writer

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – Citizens in the Ivory Coast began casting their votes on Saturday, October 31st, 2020, in what has been an extremely controversial presidential election. The polls closed at 18:00 local time (GMT) and the votes are currently being counted; however, early estimates show a likely win for the incumbent.

A woman casts her vote during the presidential election in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Photo courtesy of AP News.

Running in the election is: President Alassane Ouattara, age 78, of the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace; Henri Konan Bédié, age 86, of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast; Pascal Affi N’Guessan, age 67, of the Ivorian Popular Front faction; and Kouadio Konan Bertin, age 51, as an independent candidate.

Protests broke out in August when, in response to the death of his preferred successor, President Ouattara said he would run for a third term despite it violating the country’s constitution’s two-term presidential limit. The President justified his running for a third term because of a 2016 constitutional referendum, which he claimed, “reset the clock” and invalidated his first term. His opponents disagreed, however, saying a third term for the president would be illegal.

The protests in response to the election began in August and have resulted in at least 30 deaths. There were at least 12 more deaths from election day clashes. Opposition parties had called for civil disobedience, mass protests, and an overall boycott of the presidential vote in an effort to “block a dictatorship.” Opposition activists blocked roads and burned election materials, shutting down an estimated 23 percent of polling stations. The protestors closest to the neighborhood where President Ouattara cast his ballot were cleared with tear gas.

There have been long-standing tensions in the Ivory Coast between several of the country’s leading politicians, but most the most recent conflict occurred in 2010 when Laurent Gbagbo, the president at the time, refused to concede to now President Ouattara. A violent civil war followed and resulted in more than 3,000 deaths in five months of violence. Gbagbo was acquitted of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, however many believe that anger over Ouattara’s seeking a third election may end in another massive violent conflict.

The International Criminal Court voiced its concern about the escalation of violence in the Ivory Coast as the election grew near, specifically the allegations of intercommunal violence and the destruction of civilian-owned property. The Court noted that its investigations on the Ivory Coast, opened in October 2011, remain ongoing and that the violence seen in 2010 must not be repeated by any side.

On November 2nd, in response to what seems to be an overwhelming win for President Ouattara, opposition leaders announced that they will not recognize the President’s victory. The leaders also stated that they have formed a national transition council and that an interim government would be named to prepare for a new election.

For further information, please see:

BBC NEWS – Ivory Coast elections: Voters go to the polls amid opposition boycott – 31 Oct. 2020

International Criminal Court – Statement by the ICC Prosecutor on the pre-election violence and mounting intercommunity tensions: The violence seen in Côte d’Ivoire during the first pre- and post-election crisis of 2010 must not be repeated – 28 Oct. 2020

AP News – Ivory Coast Opposition asserts 12 dead in election violence – 31 Oct. 2020

AP News – Ivory Coast tensions rise as president seeks 3rd term – 30 Oct. 2020

Thomson Reuters – Ivory Coast’s Ouattara takes early lead in election – 1 Nov. 2020

Al Jazeera – Ouattara’s election victory could risk Ivory Coast’s stability – 2 Nov. 2020

The European Court of Human Rights Upholds Foreign Nationals Rights to Information During Deportation Proceedings

By: Hannah Gavin

Impunity Watch Staff Writer

STRASBOURG, France – On October 15, 2020, the European Court of Human Rights came to a final judgment in the case of Muhammad and Muhammad v. Romania. The court found that Romania had violated the plaintiff’s rights in concealing information pertaining to their deportation status.

Justices from the European Court of Human Rights deliver the judgment in Muhammad and Muhammed v. Romania. Photo Courtesy of PBS.

Adeel Muhammad and Ramzan Muhammad are Pakistani nationals who originally came to Romania on student visas. Both men attended university until December of 2012. At that time, the SRI provided classified documents to the prosecutor’s office who then proceeded to submit an application to the Bucharest Court of Appeals. This application requested that the men two men be deemed “undesirable in Romania”.  The prosecutor’s office claimed in the report that the classified information implied that the men were threats to national security. That evening, on December 4th, the local police summoned both Adeel and Ramzan to appear in court the following day.

At the judgment, the prosecutor’s office asked the court to rule that the men were undesirable on the grounds that they had engaged in behaviors that threatened national security. They again referred to the classified documents in their possession. The men informed the court that they had no understanding of why they had been summoned and that the initial application contained only references of legal provisions that were of no specificity to them. The Court of Appeals found both men to be undesirable for the next 15-years in Romania, meaning they were not able to be in the country for that time. The men were then set to be deported.

On Adeel and Ramzan’s initial appeal they were dismissed. The High Court of Cassation viewed the reluctance to expose the classified documents as proper. They stated that the men had “been in a position to know…the reason why they had been summoned to court in the exclusion and expulsion proceedings.” The men appealed again, stating that they were not given their right to effective counsel due to the court not releasing the details of the classified documents.

On the appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, the court sent the case to the Grand Chamber. There the Chamber attempted to determine whether or not the limitations on the information given to the men were proper and if they were necessary as a safeguard. The Chamber found that there was no law in place that clearly established the need for the court to impose non-disclosure. Additionally, the court had not explained the reasons for withholding the information that was concrete. Finally, SRI published a press-release that contained details of the classified information only one day after the judgment.

The Chamber ruled that Romania had violated Article 1 of Protocol no. 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights which allows those facing deportation to have information so that they may provide a reasonable defense. The court found that Romania must pay each of the men EUR 10,000 in damages and another EUR 1,365 for costs and expenses.

For further information, please see:

European Court of Human Rights – Grand Chamber Judgement Muhammad and Muhammad v. Romania – 15 Oct. 2020

European Court of Human Rights – Video Delivery of the Judgement Muhammad v. Muhammad v. Romania – 15 Oct. 2020