This Week in Syria, Deeply: Monday, 17 February 2014
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Venezuela Anti-Government Protests Ends in Deadly Violence
By Ellis Cortez
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
CARACAS, Venezuela – At least three people were shot dead as violence erupted during anti-government protests in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on February 12.
A crowd of demonstrators, many of them students, marched to the federal prosecutor’s office to demand the release of 13 protesters who they say were illegally detained in previous marches. The demonstration was the latest in a series of mass protests against the policies of President Nicolas Maduro.
A small group of protesters stayed behind after the end of the main march and clashed with security forces. It was at that time that a number of armed men on motorcycles shot at the crowd, triggering a stampede. Two people died after the gunmen opened fire and a third died in later clashes.
Authorities on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Leopoldo Lopez, head of the Venezuelan opposition party, Popular Will, on charges including conspiracy and murder in connection with the recent clashes. President Nicolas Maduro accused Lopez of instigating violence that led to the death of three people during the protests on February 12. Lopez, who has maintained his innocence, said he only called for peaceful protests. Military officials visited Lopez’s house in Caracas, and the residence of his parents, yesterday and showed a warrant that included the charge of intentional homicide.
Lopez said he’ll lead a march on February 18 to the Interior Ministry in Caracas where he’ll enter alone and present four petitions that declare the government responsible for the February 12 violence, ask for the release of students currently being held, and ask for the disarmament of pro-government groups known as collectives.
Young Venezuelans clashed again Friday where police used teargas and water cannon to clear some 1,000 protesters from Altamira Square in eastern Caracas, where some of them had lit trash bonfires and blocked streets. On Saturday, supporters of the opposition gathered again to sing and chant slogans in the square. Many then set off to block a major highway.
President Nicolas Maduro condemned the incidents, which he blamed on a “neo-fascist upsurge”. The president called for peace, but stressed that those who engaged in violence would not go unpunished. Maduro said state and senior military officials will work together to reduce violence.
Venezuela’s state prosecutor said 25 of 99 people arrested in connection with this week’s violence had been freed pending trial.
Maduro insists he is facing a slow-motion coup. “I want to alert the world. We are facing a developing coup plan against the democracy and the government that I preside over, orchestrated by a small group of irresponsible leaders, violent, full of hatred and personal ambitions,” he said Wednesday.
The U.S. State Department expressed concerns about the state of affairs in Venezuela. “We are deeply concerned by rising tensions, by the violence surrounding this February 12 protest and by the issuing of a warrant for the arrest of the opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez,” said spokeswoman Marie Harf. “We join the secretary general of OAS (Organization of American States) in condemning the violence and calling on authorities to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for the death of peaceful protesters.”
Students are fed up with the lack of security and the poor state of Venezuela’s economy. Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world and is deeply politically polarized, with the opposition blaming the government for the country’s economic troubles and for shortages of basic products in stores. Inflation, at 56.2%, is the highest in the world. Amid stringent price and exchange controls, Venezuela is running out of hard currency to pay foreign suppliers of goods and services.
Maduro’s critics say he is ruining the economy by sticking with failed Chavez-era policies such as currency and price controls, which many local economists blame for the shortages.
For more information please see:
Fox News Latino – Venezuela Anti-Government Protests: Security Forces Search For Opposition Leader – 16 February 2014
Bloomberg News – Venezuela Opposition’s Lopez Says He’s Willing to Face Arrest – 16 February 2014
Reuters – ‘Chavistas’ march in Venezuela, opposition protests continue – 15 February 2014
CNN – Protests, violence continue in Venezuela – 14 February 2014
BBC – Venezuela student protest ends in deadly violence – 13 February 2014
NSA Forces Out Individuals Alleged to Have Aided Snowden
by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – According to an NSA memo, a civilian NSA employee resigned last month after having his security clearance revoked for aiding Edward Snowden in acquiring confidential information. Representatives from the NSA told Congress that the civilian employee was forced out after an investigation to “assign accountability” for Edward Snowden’s disclosure of classified materials.
Two other individuals, an active duty military member and a civilian contractor, have been implicated in aiding Snowden in gathering materials, according to the NSA memo, and have been barred from accessing NSA headquarters.
The memo, authored by the director of the agency’s legislative affairs office, Ethan L. Bauman, was intended to answer Congressional inquiries about who, other than Snowden, would be held accountable for his disclosure of classified documents. The memo indicates that no senior level NSA officials will be disciplined for Snowden’s actions.
It said that an NSA civilian, reportedly Snowden’s supervisor, gave Snowden his Public Key Infrastructure certificate, the first step in a process to access restricted files. Snowden then captured the NSA civilian’s password when he entered it on Snowden’s computer.
Snowden denied in past interview that he stole passwords from colleagues in order to gain access to classified documents.
The Washington Post reports that a senior official working on the investigation assured that the three individuals accused of aiding Snowden were not being accused of colluding. Rather, investigators suspect that Snowden independently used the three individuals to help gain access to classified materials.
James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Snowden took advantage of a “perfect storm” of security flaws.
“He knew exactly what he was doing,” Clapper said. “And it was his job as assistant administrator to arrange across a lot of the databases. And he was pretty skilled at staying below the radar, so what he was doing wasn’t visible.”
Since the breach, the NSA has introduced policies to prevent similar breaches; system administrator positions will no longer be filled by contractors and access to information will divided among several individuals.
For more information, please see:
The LA Times – Three former NSA workers accused of aiding Snowden – 14 February 2014
The New York Times – N.S.A. Forces Out Civilian Employee With Snowden Tie – 13 February 2014
The Washington Post – NSA employee implicated in Snowden probe resigned, memo says – 13 February 2014
TIME – NSA Memo Says Snowden Tricked Colleague to Get Password – 13 February 2014
NBC News – Exclusive: Snowden Swiped Password From NSA Coworker – 12 February 2014
Spanish Border Authorities Shoot at Migrants, Government Offers Millions Spanish Nationality
By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MADRID, Spain – The European Union wants answers regarding at least fourteen migrants who drowned after Spanish border authorities fired rubber bullets at them. This comes amidst a possibility that Spain will offer nationality to any of the world’s nearly five million Sephardic Jews, as amends for their ancestors’ exile.
Each year, thousands of immigrants attempt to reach Europe near Melilla and Ceuta, both Spanish territories along Morocco’s Mediterranean coastline. Many migrants are sub-Saharan African and, currently, Syrian refugees.
On 6 February 2014, a few people attempting to cross the border drowned. They belonged to a group of nearly 200, some of whom tried to climb the razor-wire-lined frontier fence. Those who jumped into the sea hoped to swim around a man-made breakwater separating Moroccan and Spanish waters.
On 13 February 2014, Spain admitted that its border police fired rubber bullets at fourteen persons in attempt to push them back. While all fourteen drowned, only nine bodies were recovered.
“The Ceuta Civil Guard have found at 12:30 this morning on the beach of Almadraba, five meters (16 feet) from the shore, the dead body of a sub-Saharan immigrant. It is the second body found today,” Spanish officials said in a statement.
The European Commission promised to ask Spain to explain why police fired rubber bullets. The Spanish opposition has call for National Police director Arsenio Fernandez de Mesa to step down over the incident.
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom said she was “very concerned about Spanish police using rubber bullets to deter migrants.”
“I expect clarifications from the authorities,” Malmstrom tweeted.
“This loss of life is appalling,” said Jezerca Tigani, Deputy Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International, “and the Spanish authorities must come clean on what happened – particularly as the Minister’s version of events contradicts earlier official statements. They must determine what went wrong and bring those responsible to account as a matter of urgency.”
“Regardless of whether any of the migrants were hit,” Tigani said, “it will be up to an independent investigation to determine whether the Civil Guard and border authorities acted appropriately. The results of any such investigation must be made public, and anyone responsible for human rights violations brought to justice.”
The news of migrants kept out of Spain comes amidst the Spanish government’s plans to make historic amends for Sephardic Jews who were exiled five centuries ago. In coming weeks or months, a new law would require a grant of Spanish nationality to those who can prove they are descendants of that exile’s victims.
While nearly three million Sephardic Jews can already travel to the EU from Israel with ease, the possibility of an EU passport provides access to residence, employment, and subsidized education throughout the entire 28-country bloc.
Before Spain makes amends for past atrocities, the EU Member State needs to answer for what appears to be a current anti-immigration atrocity.
For further information, please see:
Reuters – Bodies Found in Spain’s North Africa Waters Likely Brings Migrant Drownings to 14 – February 15, 2014
RT – EU ‘Very Concerned’ by Spanish Police Use of Rubber Bullets to Deter Migrants – February 15, 2014
Amnesty International – Spain: Accountability Urged for ‘Appalling’ Migrant Deaths in Ceuta – February 14, 2014
BBC News – EU to Probe Spain over Rubber Bullets Fired at Migrants – February 14, 2014
Seattle Times – Spain Opens Door to Sephardic Jews after Historic Expulsion – February 14, 2014
Ousted President Morsi To Face Trial For Espionage
By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
CAIRO, Egypt-Deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi is facing charges of espionage and carrying out “terror attacks” in Egypt, as a third trial against him is due to commence. The latest court case is part of a relentless government crackdown targeting Morsi and his Islamist supporters since he was ousted by the military on July 3.
Morsi, along with 35 others former aides and leaders of his Muslim Brotherhood, are accused “of spying for the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, its military wing and the (Palestinian) Hamas movement.”
They are also charged with “carrying out terror attacks inside the country against state property, institutions and their employees to spread chaos.”
Morsi, who was ousted by the military after a single year of turbulent rule, is already on trial for his alleged involvement in the killing of opposition protesters in December 2012.
Morsi is separately being tried on charges linked to a jailbreak during the 2011 uprising that toppled strongman Hosni Mubarak. Morsi, along with 130 others, including dozens of members of Hamas and Lebanon’s Shiite militant movement Hizbollah, led the charge during the 2011 military coup.
Further charges are set against the ousted leader as he is also to be tried separately for “insulting the judiciary”. A date for this trial has yet to be set.
In his most recent public appearance, at the start of his second trial in late January, a defiant Morsi questioned the trial judge’s authority, asking Judge Shabaan el-Shami to identify himself. The trial was adjourned to give lawyers more time to examine files, and is due to begin again on Saturday.
In his previous appearance, Morsi insisted that he remained the country’s legitimate president and challenged the legitimacy of the court, regularly interrupting the judges and prosecutors.
Since Morsi’s ouster, his supporters have faced a relentless crackdown by Egypt’s government that has left more than 1,400 people dead according to Amnesty International, and seen thousands more arrested.
During Morsi’s short-lived presidency, ties between Cairo and Hamas, a Palestinian affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood which rules the neighboring Gaza strip, had flourished.
But since July, Egypt’s military-installed government has accused Hamas of backing Morsi and his Brotherhood and carrying out terrorist attacks inside Egypt.
The army has destroyed several hundred tunnels used to ferry crucial supplies, including fuel, into the blockaded Gaza Strip.
If found guilty, the defendants could face the death penalty.
For more information, please see the following:
Al Jazeera-Morsi in court for espionage trial-16 February 2014
BBC-Lawyers for Egypt’s Morsi walk out of latest trial-16 February 2014
Deutsche Welle-Morsi faces fresh trial in Egypt on spying charges-16 February 2014
Telegraph-Mohamed Morsi in court on Egypt spying and ‘terror attacks’ charges-16 February 2014