Dutch Foreign Minister Issues Apology After Arrest of Russian Diplomat Violates Vienna Convention

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

The Hague, Netherlands – The Netherlands has issued a statement apologizing to Russia regarding the arrest and detention of a Russian diplomat by Dutch police at The Hague.

Timmermans stated on Wednesday that the two countries remain in talks about the incident. (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Dutch police have refrained from commenting on the case, but Dutch media reports have cited police documents alleging that Russian Diplomat Dmitry Borodin was detained late on Saturday night after police found him intoxicated and barely able to stand.

Witnesses also stated that Borodin was mistreating his two young children. According to various claims, Borodin was “totally drunk” and had dragged his children by their hair throughout his house and garden.  His wife also allegedly collided with several vehicles while driving intoxicated.

Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans stated on Wednesday that an investigation revealed that the arrest of Borodin was a actually a breach of the Vienna Convention that regulates diplomatic relations between nations. Borodin’s arrest violated his diplomatic immunity, also stressed by Timmermans.

For the illegal arrest and detention, “the state of the Netherlands offers the Russian Federation its apologies,” Timmermans stated on Wednesday.

Timmermans also stated that he “understands” the action of the police officers who arrested Borodin, given the development of the situation on Saturday night after reviewing the case.

“They acted in accordance with their professional responsibilities with regard to the situation they found after the report,” Timmermans stated. He added that the Netherlands and Russia “remain in talks” about the incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Borodin’s detention “the most gross breach of the Vienna Convention”, and demanded an apology on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, the Russian foreign ministry accused Dutch police officers of raiding Borodin’s apartment in The Hague and assaulting him before bringing him to the police station for hours of questioning regarding the accusations.

Relations between the Netherlands and Russia have deteriorated promptly since Russian investigators charged thirty crew members of a Dutch-flagged Greenpeace ship, the Arctic Sunrise, with piracy last week over a protest against Arctic oil drilling.

The Netherlands had responded by launching legal action to free the activists, who face up to fifteen years in jail.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Dutch Apologize for Russian Diplomat Arrest – 9 October 2013

BBC News – Dutch Sorry on Russia Diplomat Case – 9 October 2013

Dutch News – The Netherlands Apologize to Russia for Diplomat’s Arrest – 9 October 2013

The Moscow Times – Dutch Apologize to Moscow for Detention of Russian Diplomat – 9 October 2013

The United States to Cut Military Aid to Egypt amid Rising Violence

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt–According to the White House, the United States is planning to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Egypt. The move appears to be a direct response to the Egyptian military’s violent crackdown on supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. However, despite the uptick in violence the United States will maintain some military aid to the Egyptian state.

A riot police officer moves into position during clashes with protesters on October 6 in Cairo Egypt. (photo Courtesy of CNN)

The Obama administration has already made some cuts to Egyptian military aid. In August the Administration cut aid in response to the violent clashes between activists in protest camps and military security forces that followed the overthrow of President Morsy in July.

Despite the violence the Obama Administration has so far mainlined its relationship with Egypt sense President Morsy was removed from power on 3 July. The Administration yet to label the removal of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy from office a military Coup which would regime the administration to cut all aid to the country except humanitarian aid. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement that “as a result of the review directed by President Obama, we have decided to maintain our relationship with the Egyptian government, while recalibrating our assistance to Egypt to best advance our interests.”

The administration’s decision to halt a $260 million cash transfer to Egypt and suspend the sale of military systems, including the F-16 aircraft, M1A1 tank parts, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Apache helicopters may single a changing tide in US relations with Egypt.

Despite criticism of the Egyptian Military’s violent tactics to suppress the views of the Muslim Brotherhoods and other Islamist groups in the state The US will maintain some Military aid to Egypt. According to a senior US official that will be earmarked to allow the state to uphold its obligations under its peace treaty with the State of Israel. Egypt has been involved counterterrorism and security efforts in the Sinai Peninsula where attacks have escalated during the months since Morsy was removed from power. The United States will also maintain non-military funding that earmarked for the promotion of democratization in Egypt.

The Obama Administration’s announcement comes as the death toll in Egypt counties to rise as the military violently cracks down on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsy and anti-government protesters. At least 51 people were killed across the country Sunday during a day of protests led by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Interim government has essentially returned the Muslim Brotherhood to the illegal status it held during the regime of Hosni Mubarak, an Egyptian court banned the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood and froze the organization’s financial assets.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Egypt Sets November Trial Date for Morsi – 9 October 2013

CNN – U.S. to Cut Some Military Aid to Egypt After Coup, Turmoil – 9 October 2013

CNN – U.S. Suspends Significant Military Aid to Egypt – 9 October 2013

The New York Times – Obama Expected To Reduce Military Aid to Egypt – 9 October 2013

30 Dead Due to Violence in Central African Republic

By: Danielle L. Gwozdz
Impunity Watch News Reporter, Africa

BANGUI, Central African Republic – At least 30 people died and dozens wounded in clashes in the Central African Republic (“CAR”), officials say.

A truck with former Seleka coalition rebels drives by in Bangui on October 7, 2013 (photo courtesy of AFP)

The clashes were between armed civilians and the rebels who control CAR. They left those dead in a remote village in the country’s northwest.

The rebels were ex-rebels of the Seleka coalition and the armed civilians were local self-defense groups.

“Fierce fighting has claimed at least 30 lives . . . but the clashes were still going on as of mid-morning,” a security source close to the military high command in Bangui told AFP.

The fighting broke out on Monday and continued into Tuesday.

Reports say vigilantes attacked Garga village, 125 miles northwest of the capital, Bangui.

Waves of attacks on villages in Ouham province have forced more than 170,000 people to flee their homes, according to the U.N. Humanitarian Agency. Although it was not immediately possible to independently corroborate the military’s death toll of 30 people; however, witnesses claimed that twice this amount of people actually died.

The self-defense groups began attacking the village on Monday, the security source said, leaving three dead and a dozen injured. They were then beaten back by rebels who were the ones that distributed the weapons to the local population.

Seleka was disbanded in name but continues to operate as a pro-militia in the region.

The Agence France-Presse news agency quoted an official saying the village had been “emptied of its residents.”

Many had sought refuge in nearby bush land, it further said.

“A witness described having seen at least 40 people killed by the Seleka fighters who had begun searching for the men in town,” a Roman Catholic priest who works in the country’s northwest said, pointing out that the casualty figures did not include Seleka personnel.

The Seleka forces involved in the violence included fighters from neighboring Sudan, local residents were quoted by the AP news agency as saying.

CAR was one of the poorest and most unstable countries on the continent even before thousands of armed rebels descended on the capital in March and forced the president of a decade into exile.

In the months since, they have seized power, the country has devolved into a state of near-anarchy, and human rights groups have accused the rebel fighters of scores of atrocities, including committing massacres against civilians.

For more information, please visit:

BBC News – Central African Republic violence leaves 30 dead – 8 October 2013
Miami Herald – Army: Central African Republic clashes kill 23 – 8 October 2013
Yahoo! News – Central Africa clashes ‘leave 30 dead’ – 8 October 2013
News UK 24 – Central African Republic violence leaves 30 dead – 8 October 2013
DailyMe – BBC News – Central African Republic violence leaves 30 dead – 8 October 2013