Canadians Freed but Banned From Leaving Egypt

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – On Sunday, two Canadians were prevented from flying out of Egypt after their names appeared on a “stop-list” issued by prosecutors. Earlier that morning, the two were released from prison after being held for fifty-one days without charges.

John Greyson (left) and Tarek Loubani (right) are currently being forced to remain in Egypt despite no formal charges. (Photo Courtesy of CBC)

John Greyson, a Toronto filmmaker and York University professor, and Tarek Loubani, a physician from London, Ontario, were arrested during a violent protest  in Ramses Square in Cairo. The two Canadians claim that, during the violence, Loubani stopped to help wounded protesters while Greyson videotaped. The men have said they witnessed at least fifty demonstrators killed and after leaving the protest they were beaten and arrested.

On Monday, the Canadians’  lawyer Marwa Farouk filed an application with the Prosecutor General to have the travel ban lifted. The application claimed that the investigation lacks any substantial evidence and that Greyson and Loubani should be allowed to return home.

Greyson’s sister, Cecilla, was optimistic about the their release and said that Canadian consular officials were dealing the “red tape.”

“Until they are safely back in Canada we are just going to be a little bit on edge,” she said. “We’ve had contact with them throughout the day today. We’re relieved they are out of prison. We’re immensely encouraged by that.”

Despite the optimism, CBC Middle East Correspondent Saša Petricic  reported that “it’s not just a question of red tape as we were led to believe originally.” The investigation of the two Canadians is considered on going and they will not be allowed to leave until it is over.

“If that needs to run its course, it could be a very long wait even though they are now in a hotel room instead of a jail cell,” added Petricic.

Greyson and Loubani have alleged that while in prison they were subject to physical abuse and degrading treatment at the hands of their Egyptian captors. The pair also said they were kept in cramped, filthy, and cockroach infested cells.

Spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, has publicly denied that the Canadians had suffered any mistreatment. He also stated that it is standard penal procedure to prevent individuals under investigation from leaving the country. The ministry also added that the Canadians were formally charged under Egyptian penal code, but only the prosecution has the right to announce formal charges and has refrained from doing so.

For further information, please see:

CBC News – John Greyson, Tarek Loubani may not be free to leave Egypt – 7 October 2013

Daily News Egypt – Canadians banned from travel, case still open –  7 October 2013

Al Jazeera – Freed Canadians barred from leaving Egypt – 6 October 2013

Guardian – Egypt: released Canadians prevent from leaving the country – 6 October 2013

Chinese Police Open Fire on Peaceful Protesters in Tibet

By Brian Lanciault
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China– Chinese police opened fire on a crowd of Tibetan residents gathered in protest of the detention of a fellow villager who refused to comply with orders to display the national flag. Reports indicate that at least 60 people were injured.

An activist holds up a “Free Tibet” banner in protest. (Photo Courtesy of Getty Images)

Although the use of force by police to disperse unwanted crowds of protesters is common in China, shooting into crowds and causing mass injury has garnered global attention. According to the London-based Free Tibet organization, police aggressively fired at the crowd with tear gas and bullets. Local government officials have yet to comment on the incident.

Security forces had been deployed in mass beginning October 1 in response to reports that local authorities were struggling contain unrest surrounding a government order that all houses must display the national flag in commemoration of National Day. Government teams reported to the Biru region of Tibet in order to compel villagers to follow the order.

China has claimed Tibet as its own territory for centuries, but Tibetans claim that the region was an independent nation until Chinese communist soldiers began to occupy the territory in the 1950s.

The protests began after government officials detained local resident Dorje Draktsel, who was arrested last week for protesting the flag order.

The self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-exile, based in India, said it has received reports of the firing in Biru, but had little information surrounding the incident. Spokesman Tashi Phuntsok said that the exiled Tibetans had heard protesters were injured, but did not know how many.

Many Tibetans, who resent the Chinese government’s crackdown on Tibetan and Buddhist culture, believe that Beijing’s economic policies in the Himalayan region have largely benefited Chinese migrants, at the expense of Tibetan natives. China, in return, says it has made vast investments to boost the region’s economy and improve Tibetans’ quality of life.

Tensions in the region have increased since protests were organized in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, in March of 2008. Then, approximately 20 people were killed, followed by another 100 people, mostly Buddhist monks, who committed suicide in protest against Chinese colonization.

For more information, please see:

Global Post– 60 Wounded by police during Tibet protest — 8 October 2013

Radio Free Asia– Chinese Police Fire on Unarmed Tibetan Protesters in Driru — 8 October 2013

Al Jazeera– Chinese police fire at Tibetan protesters — 8 October 2013

ABC News– Reports: Chinese Police Fire at Tibetan Protesters — 8 October 2013

Voice of America– Activists: Chinese Police Fire on Protesters in Tibet, Wounding Dozens — 8 October 2013

Disabled Chinese Activist Released From Jail

By Kevin M. Mathewson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China — Ni Yulan, a disabled Chinese land rights activist has been released from jail after serving 30 months of her two and a half year sentence.

Ni Yulan is helped by her husband Dong Jiqin. (Photo courtesy of AP Photo)

Yulan, a lawyer who was working to defend property rights, was detained during a wave of arrests in 2011. While her initial sentence handed down was 32 months imprisonment for “causing a disturbance” and fraud, an appeals court dismissed her fraud conviction in 2012, reducing her sentence by two months.

Yulan’s supporters said the charges were spurious and her true crime in the eyes of the government was protesting against controversial land grabs to make way for development, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and launch legal battles for people forcibly evicted from their homes.

“Of course the sentence was unfair … Ni is innocent,” her lawyer Cheng Hai said after his client’s sentencing.

Yulan’s husband, Dong Jiqin, was also jailed for two years in April 2012 for “causing a disturbance”.

Yulan alleged that, while in prison, she became ill and was not afforded medical treatment resulting in her now poor health. Yulan uses a wheelchair because of the ‘mistreatment by police’ over the years. Yet, the 54 year old insists she will fight on, and has threatened to sue the Beijing public security bureau in the Xicheng district.

“If we don’t fight for our rights, we will just have to wait for our death,” Yulan said. “I want them to return my assets. They’ve torn down my home without giving any compensation, leaving us homeless,” she further states.

According to BBC, the imprisonment of Yulan has caused international concern.

Yulan’s daughter, Dong Xuan, said about 10 supporters of Ni who greeted her mother outside the prison with a red banner were detained by police.

Both Yulan and her husband are known for providing legal help to people whose homes have been seized by the government.

For further information, please see:

Asian News – Ni Yulan, disabled activist opposed to land grabs in China, has been released – 7 October 2013

Yahoo! News – Disabled Chinese land rights activist released after two-and-a-half-years in jail – 6 October 2013

Aljazeera – China lawyer says disability ignored in jail – 6 October 2013

BBC News – China land rights activist Ni Yulan released from jail – 5 October 2013

The Telegraph – Disabled human rights lawyer jailed in China for ‘provoking trouble’ – 10 April 2012

Three attacks target Egyptian Security forces after a bloody day of clashes with anti-government activists

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt–Ten people, mostly police offers and soldier, were killed in three separate attacks Monday in Egypt. An attack in the city of Ismailiya on the Suez Canal killed six soldiers when a gunman opened fire on a military patrol. Attackers allows fired rocket-propelled grenades in Maadi, a suburb of Egypt’s Capital.  Four people were killed and 55 injured in a suicide car bombing attack on the security headquarters in the Sinai Peninsula city of El-Tor.

Tires burn as supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi clash with security forces in downtown Cairo on Sunday (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Attacks have escalated in the Sinai Peninsula during the months following the military coup that took President Mohamed Morsi out of power. The latest attack in El-Tor was one of the first attacks to occur in the Southern Sinai region which is a popular tourist destination in Egypt. A senior security official told the Associated Press that Egyptian authorities are “expecting worse” attacks in the future.

The attacks followed a bloody day of demonstrates in Egypt. At least 53 people were killed and 268 more were injured across the country on Sunday. Thousands of Egyptians celebrated the October 6 holiday commemorating the start of the October 1973 War, the Yom Kippur Warm, against Israel in the streets across the country. Anti-government activities organized counter-protests against the military and attempted to occupy Tahrir Square where protesters gathered calling for an end to the Mubarak regime. However, the square was heavily guarded by state security forces.

Egyptian authorities had issued a warning to potential anti-government demonstrates that would protest during the states planned commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the October 1973 War. Ahmed al-Muslimani, a spokesperson for the Egyptian interim president said that protests against the Egyptian state military would not be tolerated on the anniversary of the October War. He said the protesters would be viewed as “carrying out the duties of agents, not activists,” and that “It is not befitting to go from a struggle against authorities to a conflict with the nation.”

On Saturday security forces fired teargas to break up a crowd of an estimated 1,000 anti-government activist who had tried to reach Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque in northeaster Cairo. The Mosque was the site of the brutal military crackdown on a protest camp in August.

Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said in a statement that “evil elements” still posed a threat to the nation though they had lost most of their power; this appears to have been a reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, on Monday panel of judges recommended the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood’s status as a political organization, the Freedom and Justice Party. The recommendation appears to be another crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist elements with Egypt that have been targeted by state authorities since the ouster of President Morsi on July 3.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Multiple Attacks Target Egypt State Security – 8 October 2013

BBC News – Egyptian Soldiers Killed In Ismailiya And Sinai Attacks – 7 October 2013

New York Times – Egyptian Attacks Are Escalating Amid Stalemate – 7 October 2013

Al Jazeera America – In Egypt, Demonstrations, Death Mark Anniversary Of 1973 War – 6 October 2013