John Kerry: Israeli Settlements “Illegitimate”

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RAMALLAH, Palestine – The Israeli/Palestinian peace process has been threatened by Israeli moves over the past week to move forward with the construction of more than 3,700 new illegal settler homes in occupied Palestinian territories.

Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking after a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, said . Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are “illegitimate.” (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Several international leaders have called upon Israel to restrict the construction of settlements in Palestinian territory seeing the construction of these settlements could derail peace process between Palestine and the state of Israel.

On Wednesday United States Secretary of State John Kerry called for Israel to limit the construction of settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. Kerry said that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are “illegitimate” and are serving as a hindrance to the ongoing peace talks between Israel and Palestine. He said “Let me emphasise that the position of the United States is that we consider now, and have always considered, the settlements to be illegitimate.” He also said that there was no deal that the Palestinians accept that would recognize illegal settlements in return for peace, saying; “I want to make it extremely clear that at no time did the Palestinians in any way agree, as a matter of going back to the talks, that they could somehow condone or accept the settlements.”

Kerry’s statement reflects the growing feeling amongst the international community that Israel’s government sanctioned settlement program is preventing any real progress in talks between Palestinian and Israeli leaders.

On Thursday Catherine Ashton, the head of foreign affairs for the European Union addressed Europe’s concerns over the announcement that Israeli’s decision to allow the construction of more than 1,5000 homes in the West Bank, which she feels can damage the peace process. She said “The EU deplores the latest settlement announcement and calls on the Israeli government to reverse its decision.”

Ashton also said in a statement that the European Union has “repeatedly stated that settlements are illegal under international law and that bold and decisive leadership is needed for the current peace negotiations to succeed,” and that the planed actions that “could hamper or undermine the ongoing negotiations must be avoided.”

Secretary Kerry met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday. According to his spokesman, President Abbas told the Secretary of State that “the Palestinians are committed to negotiations that would lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.” He also said that the Palestinians consider all Israeli settlements to be illegitimate.

An anonymous senior Palestinian official said that Palestinian officials would refuse to continue the talks with Israel as long as Jewish settlement on the West Bank are allowed to continue to proliferate. He said “The Israeli side is determined to continue its settlement and we cannot continue negotiations under these unprecedented settlement attacks,” he said after a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian negotiators.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – EU Deplores Israel’s New Settler Homes Plan – 7 November 2013

Al Jazeera – Kerry: Israeli Settlements are Illegitimate – 6 November 2013

The Jerusalem Post – Kerry: US Considers Israeli Settlements to Be Illegal – 6 November 2013

The New York – Kerry Presses Israel on Settlement Construction – 6 November 2013

Major violations of media freedom in Syria, October 2013

Special report: documenting the most prominent violations against media activists in Syria regarding murder, torture, arrest, and abduction.

Killing  22 media victims including 2 who were tortured to death by security forces

Prepared by Syrian Network for Human Rights:

Date of Report: 4 November 2013

Subject: documenting major violations against Media Activists in Syria.

Period covered: from 1/10/2013 to 31/10/2013

Report consists of five basic paragraphs:

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First: Summary

Violations committed against media activists for this month distributed as follows:

1- Killed: 22 victims of media activists and journalists, Syrian regime killed 21 of them including 2 under torture, Islamic state of Iraq and Levant killed one.

2- Detention and Abduction: 6 media activist have been abducted this month: 2 of them were kidnapped by the Islamic state of Iraq and Levant and the other 4 by unidentified armed groups.

3- Injured: 7 media activists were injured while covering the fight in Dier ez-Zoor.

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Second: Introduction

The continuous violations committed against media freedom and the workers in this field and method caused fear and anxiety, especially with the increased quantity and quality of those crimes that lasted daily and instantaneously for long months with the intensification of the armed conflict between the two parties on the Syrian territories.

It seems that we are not saying any new fact or information if we point out to the Syrian government as being mainly responsible of the huge loss in souls and properties, as nothing is new when we mention the superiority of government forces against armed and extremist groups in the quantity and quality of targeting media activists with systematic and widespread killing, arbitrary arrests, and torture.  In what appeared to be a State policy since the beginning of the Syrian revolution and until this moment in gagged, block reports and picture, and pursuing journalist and media activists.

SNHR reaffirmed its condemnation of the continuous violations against media freedom  and convey the truth of any party and whatever type or size disparity.

As the network seeks actively from all parties, to respect media freedom and to ensure the safety of media activists, with accounting involved in violations against journalists and media activists.

SNHR also underlines the need to hard and fast move for civil society organizations and bodies to press on the Syrian Government and armed opposition, and deter them by appropriate means.

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Third: Major violation against media freedom committed by government forces in Syria during October 2013:

SNHR monitored during October 2013, raise of media activists’ victims number in Syria, where 21 media activists including 1 under the age of 18 were killed and 2 have been tortured to death, and at least 6 were injured.

The arrest context:

On the other hand government forces released the French writer journalist Jean-Pierre Duthion in Paris Match magazine  after detention lasted for 4 days,  as they issued a decis! ion to release the blogger Tal Almalohi, but it didn’t carried out until this moment.

1- The bloody events of this month started with the murder of media activist Odai Mohamad Bardan: a founder of Tafas city coordination of Daraa governorate, 1/10/2013.

2- Media activist Abdulnaser Alshanbour affected in his wounds after he was injured in Tafas of Daraa, 2/10/2013.

3-Media activist Siwar Marwan Alissa, cause of shelling his town Noaemah of Daraa , 4/10/2013

4-Media activist Mohammad Deiri, Media office manager of Furqan Brigade, during covering clashes in Mork of Hama , 6/10/2013.

5- Media activist Mohamad Sharifa, responsible and media office manager of Qabon free congregation, on shelling on Qabon , 6/10/2013.

6- Media activist Maher Hamzah, shelling during covering massacre in Hamoria of  Damascus countryside , 7/10/2013.

7-Media activist Ayham Aldimashqi, a member of Media office south Damascus during covering clashes in Saida Zainab of Damascus countryside , in 8/10/ 2013

8- Journalist Abdulhadi Katish , tortured to death in Air force intelligence branch of Aleppo , 8/10/2013.

9-Child Media activist Ahmad Saleh, killed during covering clashes in Abu Jirin of Aleppo countryside , 10/10/2013.

10-Media activist Osama Swidani, killed in a mine explosion between villages of Nawa and Jasim of Daraa , 12/10/2013.

11- Media activist Amine Kojo,  killed during covering clashes in Hfiria of Damascus countryside, in 13/10/2013.

12-Media activist Khair Abdulrahman Alkhair, killed during covering clashes in Rashidiah neighborhood of Dier ez-Zoor, 14/10/2013.

13- Media activist Moumen Dalati, shelling on Zabadani 14/10/2013.

14-Media activist Abu Abdulrahman, killed during covering clashes in Alaasali neighborhood of Damascus, 14/10/2013.

15- Media activist Abdullah Abu Mohamad , shelling on Moazameah of Damascus countryside , 15/10/2013.

16-Media activist Yousef Alsaer , killed during covering clashes in Sinaa neighborhood of Dier ez-Zoor, 15/10/2013.

17-Media activist Mohamad Khalaf Alazzo ” the small media activist”, killed during covering clashes in Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo , 21/10/2013.

18- Media activist Abdullah Barghout, killed in shelling on Nabk of Damascus countryside , 26/10/2013.

19-Media activist Mohanad Obaid ” known as Mohamad Hababina”, after one day in his kidnapped, suspected to be killed by elements of the regime in Raqqa, 21/10/2013.

20- Media activist Hasan Othman, during covering clashes in Nubbal and Zahraa villages of   Aleppo, 28/10/2013.

21-  Media Activist Hasan Qasem, correspondent in Qalamon media centre, tortured to death in Harasta military branch after transferring him from Branch 148 of Damascus, 30/10/2013.

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SNHR also documented at least 7 injuries, in during covering clashes in Dier ez Zoor , and they are:

Media activist Abo Marouf  correspondents in Sham News Network in Hamidiah neighborhood 13/10/2013

Media activist Hamoud, known as freedom prisoner “a founder of Dier ez-Zoor rebel brigade, and member of Media office of Dier ez Zoor free radio station “, shelling on Takaya neighborhood, 14/10/2013.

Correspondent of Dier ez Zoor channel Nedal Alharbi in Sinaa neighborhood, 15/10/2013.

Media activist Issa Harb ,Almojahidne fi Sabil Allah brigade in Rasafa , 15/10/2013.

Media activist Rami Abdulaziz, Mouata brigade media activist, 15/10/2013

Media activist Ahmad Alhajr, Rashidiah neighborhood, 18/10/2013

Media activist Rabeaa Hmidi in military airport, 27/10/2013.

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Fourth: Major violation against media freedom committed by armed opposition in Syria during October 2013:

It looks that the incidents during this month is the least bloody and violence when compared with the last few months, although dramatically violations committed by armed opposition against free practice of media work in Syria.

One media has been killed and six have been kidnapped.

1- Kill of Media activist Mohammad Saed Alkhatib,  correspondent of Al Arabiya channel , shot by masked gunmen, elements of Islamic state of Iraq and Levant are suspected of his kill, in Hritan of Aleppo countryside, 26/10/2013.

As kidnapped the following:

– Rami AlZarrouk, “media activist and responsible in Radio Ana’ by elements of  Islamic state of Iraq and Levant in Raqqa 1/10/2013, then they broke into Ana organization and confiscation of transmission devices and especial equipments of the office 15/10/2013.

– Photographer Ziad Homsi , by elements of  Islamic state of Iraq and Levant in the North of Syria, 12/10/2013.

– Russian Photographer Constantine Juravljev, by armed groups in Aleppo countryside , 12/10/2013.

– Media activist: Hazem Alhusain in Raqqa by masked armed groups 9/10/2013

– Mauritanian journalist Isaac Mokhtar “Sky News correspondent” and his colleague Lebanese correspondent  Samir Kassab by unknown armed groups, while covering the field events in Aleppo.

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Fifth: Attachments:

Pictures and videos of media activities that are mentioned in the report

A- Victims and wounded by Government’s forces :

activist Odai Mohamad Bardan

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBaDRyMW5IYXR1SXc/edit?usp=sharing

Abdulnaser Alshanbour

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBSDFEMmpJQkpncEU/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBaDVYOVJTRnVRN3c/edit?usp=sharing

Abdulnaser Alshanbour

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBYXRzLVVQWG9qSEU/edit?usp=sharing

Mohamad Sharifa

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBZGFiU0N2QldnWWc/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBQU82T0otWll2ak0/edit?usp=sharing

Maher Hamzah

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBbDh1S1dmLVBFOVU/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBMFFJY3ZQd0M5b2c/edit?usp=sharing

Abdulhadi Katish tortured to death

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBUzRUV2JGMGRHZ3M/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBUWZ3dUtXQzNfSVU/edit?usp=sharing

Child Ahmad Saleh

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBa1RFUExhNVh0cUU/edit?usp=sharing

: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBZHNiWTVoUFE0Uk0/edit?usp=sharing

Osama Swidani

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBN194VFY0SkRRd3M/edit?usp=drive_web

Amine Kojo

http://youtu.be/mPOBlXkG_OU

Moumen Dalati

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBOXhkOXlrNXBLLWs/edit?usp=sharing

Yousef Alsaer

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBakNPYW51cm5nTzQ/edit?usp=sharing

http://youtu.be/rAZ7gajrHds

http://youtu.be/r7lFqqJsTec

Abdullah Abu Mohamad

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBN1FJdUEwQmhkX3c/edit?usp=sharing

Mohamad Khalaf Alazzo

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4PBLuuH0DW_SHZLXzBlYXFpM2c/edit?usp=sharing

Abdullah Barghout

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBSDM2S2FwUmtMVzg/edit?usp=sharing

Mohanad Obaid

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBTF9FNUJyNzM4alU/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBTVFKNnNnMDUybDA/edit?usp=sharing

Hasan Othman

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBOWJKcmJweVJidTg/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBRGh3Vm5feWtMc28/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBRGh3Vm5feWtMc28/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4PBLuuH0DW_RGhEa3JvTjlWX0k/edit?usp=sharing

Jean-Pierre Duthion

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBdUZ3aThwYWdpcnM/edit?usp=sharing

Blogger Tal Almalohi

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBd3lucDU1OGtsWEU/edit?usp=sharing

===========================================

 

Injuries

Media activist Abo Marouf

http://youtu.be/vNQxkhekv1g

Nedal Alharbi

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBd3I5djNVblV6TEU/edit?usp=sharing

===========================================

A- Victims and Kidnapped  by Armed groups :

Mohammad Saed Alkhatib

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBd2dQamV0THF6eVU/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBRjVZb0loVUVXcm8/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBazJUZXNCNnVJVVU/edit?usp=sharing

http://youtu.be/ot-q9WNHmFE

http://youtu.be/fJBw4Xrfc6k

http://youtu.be/Ujd4uWp9OGI

http://youtu.be/IxFl9MJRwXY

===============================

Rami AlZarrouk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBdGdqNDU4X0Z2OHM/edit?usp=sharing

Ziad Homsi

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBX1ZuU0FObTU5WFk/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBdXVXaVpCZUNUZms/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBbGVNdmpKQWVEX00/edit?usp=sharing

Russian Photographer Constantine Juravljev

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBZjVNd2dDRm04WFU/edit?usp=sharing

Isaac Mokhtar

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBb1JvY1IzSGphTms/edit?usp=sharing

Samir Kassab

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBb1JvY1IzSGphTms/edit?usp=sharing

Hazem Alhusain

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBa1VNTXlaSHRTV2M/edit?usp=sharing

M23 Rebels End Insurgency in Democratic Republic of the Congo

By Erica Smith
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo–  The rebel group, M23, announced on Tuesday that it is ending its insurgency in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  The announcement came just hours after the government claimed military victory over the group. It its statement, made on the group’s Facebook page, M23 claimed that it would seek to accomplish its aims through “purely political means”. The group also urged its fighters to disarm and demobilize.

An army officer stands outside an enclosure filled with M23 rebel fighters who have surrendered in Uganda. (photo courtesy of Reuters)

M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa announced that “the chief of general staff and the commanders of all major units are requested to prepare troops for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration on terms to be agreed with the government of Congo”.

The government claims that the last remaining rebels had either been capture or fled to neighboring countries overnight.  The announcement also comes after an agreement signed by African leaders for M23 to make a public declaration renouncing the rebellion.

M23 has been has been fighting with the DRC military since April 2012. The group is primarily made up of former military members who defected because they believed the government did not honor a peace agreement with the National Congress for the Defense of the People signed March 23 2009. The primarily  Tutsi groups is widely believed to be back by Rwanda and Uganda.

At least 800,000 people have fled their homes since the fighting began but many may not be able to return home because there are still other rebel groups active in Eastern Congo. “We now speak to other armed groups to surrender because if they don’t want to, then we will disarm them by force,” Army spokesman Colonel Olivier Hamuli told the BBC. The Information Minister Lambert Mende told AFP news agency that “There is no more place in our country for any irregular group”

The M23 has now been replaced at “top of the list” by the Rwandan Hutu FDLR militia. Rwanda has invaded DRC twice claiming it wanted to stop Hutu groups, such as the FDLR, from attacking it. Analysts believe that if the FDLR were defeated, Rwanda would lose its main justification for its involvement in Congolese affairs. Both Rwanda and Uganda deny aiding rebel groups in DRC.

M23 is set to sign a peace agreement with the DRC government on Monday.

For further information, please see:

Reuters — Congo says to sign peace deal with M23 rebels on Monday — 8 November 2013

Wall Street Journal — Congo M23 Rebels Set to Sign Peace Deal With Government — 9 November 2013

Christian Science Monitor — M23 surrender alone won’t end Congo war: 7 thoughts from US envoy — 7 November 2013

ABC News — Official: M23 Chief, Rebels Surrender to Uganda — 6 November 2013

Aljazeera — DR Congo army defeats M23 rebels — 6 November 2013

BBC News — DR Congo M23 rebels ‘end insurgency’ — 5 November 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highest European Court Approves Homosexuality as Grounds for Asylum

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BRUSSELS, European Union – Applicable to all EU states, the European Court of Justice ruled that fear of imprisonment on the basis of homosexual status is grounds for asylum; particularly, for nationals of Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Senegal.

ECJ ruling allows persecuted homosexuals from African countries to claim asylum in EU member states. (Photo courtesy of Deutsche Welle)

In October 2013, the Netherlands and Russia fought when masked assailants entered a Moscow apartment, beat a Dutch diplomat who lived there, and scrawled “LGBT” in lipstick on his mirror. The attack followed a similar attack in which Dutch police entered a Russian diplomat’s flat and “roughed him up.”

In early November 2013, Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans stated that Russia’s prohibition on “homosexual propaganda” may be grounds for asylum in the Netherlands, which is a leader in protecting LGBT rights. Russia’s law has angered many activists worldwide, who have called for a Winter Olympics boycott since the law’s June 2013 enactment.

The Dutch Council of State, a top advisory body, asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) whether homosexuals could be considered a particular social group, and whether criminalization and possible imprisonment amounted to persecution of them. Dutch policy had suggested that homosexuals could exercise “restraint” to avoid persecution.

Particular social groups with a well-founded fear of persecution can claim refugee status under international law, if the persecution constitutes a severe violation of human rights.

In response, the ECJ ruled that laws specifically targeting homosexuals do make them a separate group; however, national authorities must determine “whether, in the applicant’s country of origin, the term of imprisonment…is applied in practice.” For instance, merely banning homosexuality is not grounds for approving an asylum request.

While it is unclear how persons claiming refugee status can prove their homosexuality, the ECJ is not scheduled to rule on that issue within the coming year.

In its ruling, the ECJ discussed that expecting concealment of one’s sexual identity was not reasonable: “A person’s sexual orientation is a characteristic so fundamental to his identity that he should not be forced to renounce it.”

The Dutch Council’s request stemmed from a case of three Africans seeking asylum on grounds that they feared persecution for their sexual orientation if returned to their homelands. Currently, homosexual acts are illegal in most African countries, including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, and other Western allies.

In Uganda and other countries, suggested punishments for homosexuality have included the death penalty.

In June 2013, Amnesty International reported dangerous levels of homophobic attacks in sub-Saharan Africa, where 38 countries criminalize homosexual acts, and stated that such attacks must stop.

Until the ECJ visits the question of how EU states may reasonably inquire as to a refugee’s sexual orientation, a larger question looms: in the pursuit of happiness and a greater quality of life, does a person’s specific reason for wanting to leave an oppressive regime really matter?

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Top EU Court Ruling Backs Gay African Asylum Bids – November 7, 2013

Deutsche Welle – European Court Rules Homosexuals Can Seek Asylum in EU – November 7, 2013

RadioFreeEurope Radio Liberty – ECJ Rules Homosexuality Can Be Grounds for Asylum – November 7, 2013

Reuters – Anti-Gay Discrimination Could Be Grounds for Asylum: EU Court – November 7, 2013

TIME – European Court: Gay Refugees May Have Grounds for Asylum – November 7, 2013