President Putin States Activists Who Protested on Russian Oil Rig Are Not Pirates

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

SALEKHARD, Russia – Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Wednesday that thirty activists who were arrested for protesting on Russia’s first Arctic offshore oil platform in Prirazlomnaya violated international law, but indicated that he did not believe they should be charged with piracy.

The Activists were set to be questioned on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of The Moscow Times)

Thirty activists from Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organization, were towed aboard their ship to shore after two of the individuals aboard attempted to climb aboard the Russian oil rig to protest Russia’s plans to conduct Arctic oil drilling.

Russian authorities seized their ship, the Arctic Sunrise, and led the activists to detention centers in Murmansk.

“All thirty people were sent to different investigative detention facilities in Murmansk and the Murmansk region. Today questioning continues, but lawyers and diplomatic representatives are not allowed to visit the activists,” Greenpeace-Russia spokeswoman Tatyana Vasilyeva said.

The activists were to be questioned on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Russian investigators stated they had opened a criminal investigation on suspicion of piracy, which is punishable by up to fifteen years in jail.

“It is absolutely evident that they are, of course, not pirates,” stated President Putin.

Greenpeace is concerned with Russia’s plan to conduct Arctic oil drilling, as they contend it poses a threat to the fragile eco-system. They stated that scientific evidence shows any oil spill from Prirazlomnaya would affect more than 3,000 miles of Russia’s coastline

The Russian Federal Investigative Committee called the protest an “attack” and said it violated Russian sovereignty.

Russian authorities believe that protests like this one at the Prirazlomnaya platform, owned by state-controlled energy giant Gazprom, would soil efforts to draw foreign investment and tap rich Arctic resources.

President Putin further stated “Our law enforcement institutions, our border guards didn’t know who was trying to seize this platform under the guise of Greenpeace. It would have been better if representatives of this organization had sat in this room and voiced their attitude to the issues we are discussing.” Putin was coincidently attending the Arctic Forum in Salekhard in western Siberia, with the presidents of Finland and Iceland, as well as officials from other Arctic nations.

The Investigative Committee stated it had questioned three activists on Tuesday and planned on questioning more pending the arrival of translators and lawyers.

Greenpeace said the boarding of the oil rig by Russian authorities was illegal as they were conducting a peaceful protest, and denied the piracy allegations.

For more information, please see:

The Moscow Times – Putin Says Greenpeace Activists Aren’t Pirates But Broke The Law – 26 September 2013

BBC News – Greenpeace Activists Broke The Law, Says Putin – 25 September 2013

The Independent – President Putin: Greenpeace Activists Were ‘Obviously’ Not Pirates – 25 September 2013

The New York Times – Putin Defends Seizure of Activists’ Ship But Questions Piracy Charges – 25 September 2013

Four Police Mexico City Police Implicated in Heaven Bar Mass Killings

by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Mexican authorities have arrested a total of 18 people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 12 young men and women from the Heaven after-hours bar late last May.  Arrests made Tuesday brought the number of Mexico City police officers implicated in these crimes to four.

Relatives of the 12 kidnapped youths protested in front of the Mexican Attorney General’s office, asserting that Mexican authorities were covering up police involvement in the crimes. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

The 12 youths went missing from the after-hours bar in the Zona Rosa district of Mexico City on May 26.  Their bodies were discovered in a mass grave in August, where evidence implicated a local gang in the murders.

However, on September 19, prosecutors arrested Edgar Ernesto Gutierrez Vera, a patrolman from the Zona Rosa district, for “active and direct participation” in the mass kidnapping and murder.  Authorities had been looking into Gutierrez Vera on suspicions of protecting the gang implicated in the mass killings, which eventually led prosecutors to evidence of police involvement in the crimes.

Security Chief Jesus Rodriguez Almeida said the arrests of his four officers reflected poorly on Zona Rosa police department’s reputation, a force that had one of the better reputations in a city rife with allegations of police corruption.  Almeida said all four officers had passed department vetting processes but refused to comment on specific procedures for security reasons.

Mexican authorities investigating the four officers still urge that the kidnappings were likely the result of clashes between rival drug cartels, asserting that the 12 youths were linked by involvement in drug trafficking.

Ricardo Martinez, attorney for the victims’ families, believes there to be elements to truth on both sides.  “There are both criminals and public servants involved,” Martinez said.

That the Heaven kidnappings occurred in Zona Rosa, widely regarded as a safe district, and not in a border town, has shaken beliefs that the area is safe from drug related crimes.  The kidnappings occurred in broad daylight and just a block from the US embassy.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Mexico Heaven bar murders: Three police officers arrested – 24 September 2013

CNN – Fourth officer arrested in Mexico mass kidnapping case – 25 September 2013

ABC News – 4th Mexico City Officer Arrested in Bar Kidnapping – 24 September 2013

Fox News – Alleged involvement of police in mass kidnap, killing of 12 a blow for Mexico City’s image – 25 September 2013

Latin Times – Three More Police Officers Arrested In Connection With Mexico Heaven Bar Kidnapping And Murders – 24 September 2013

At Least Seven Killed in Nigerian Shootout

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

ABUJA, Nigeria – Suspected Islamist militants have opened fire on security forces in Nigeria’s capital this past Friday, killing at least seven. Security forces state this shootout was with Boko Haram, but witnesses claim it was an attack of unarmed squatters.

The military say it has killed Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau (photo courtesy of AFP)

The State Security Service (“SSS”) did not give any details as to how many people were killed in the attack. A witness told BBC that he saw nine bodies.

The SSS intelligence service said its forces had been searching an area behind the Apo Legislative Quarters for weapons after a tip-off from arrested members of the anti-government Boko Haram group when they came under fire and shot back.

It mentioned injuries, but no deaths.

This will be the first clash involving Islamists in the capital this year if Boko Haram did open fire. Boko Haram is a group that wants to impose sharia or Islamic law in northern Nigeria.

Boko Haram is most active in north-eastern Nigeria, where a state of emergency was imposed in May.

Attacks in the north-east have increased recently despite a massive military deployment to the worst-affected areas.

However, other witnesses claim that the shooting came during an attempt to move squatters. Six witnesses told Reuters the house was owned by a military man who wanted them to leave his property.

The BBC’s Mohammed Kabir Mohammed in Abuja says the shooting occurred at a two-story building which has been built, but not yet complete. Young men have been using the building to sleep at night.

Although witnesses claim a different number of bodies seen, a doctor who declined his name because he was not authorized to speak to the news stated that there were seven dead.

A Reuters reporter saw a police vehicle dump three bodies and then drive off, “leaving a trail of blood.”

Also, there was no security presence at the hospital, as might have been expected if there had been Boko Haram suspects among the wounded.

A statement from the SSS said: “No sooner had the team commenced digging for the arms than they came under heavy gunfire attack by other Boko Haram elements. Some persons were injured and 12 others have been arrested in connection with the incident.”

However, a 28-year old witness being nursed for leg wounds stated that he was one of the squatters during the attack. He further said that the owner had come on Wednesday and told them to leave, but they refused because they were paying a security guard to be there.

The witness, Mohammed, further stated that the security guard left on Thursday and then around midnight five pick-up trucks arrived carrying armed personnel.

“They began firing. It was crazy,” Mohammed said. “We were running helter skelter and bullets were flying.”

Last month, the army said it had killed Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau but this has not been confirmed and the militants’ attacks have continued.

For more information, please visit:

BBC News – Nigeria’s ‘Boko Haram’: Abuja sees security forces targeted – 20 September 2013
Aljazeera – Deaths reported in Nigeria shootout – 21 September 2013
Chicago Tribune News – Nigerian forces raid building in Abuja, seven killed – 20 September 2013
Africa Review – Boko Haram attack’: Abuja sees security forces targeted – 20 September 2013
War News Updates – Multiple Attacks By Boko Haram And A Massacre Are Being Reported In Nigeria – 20 September 2013

U.N. Weapons Inspectors Return to Syria Wednesday

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – U.N. chemical weapons inspectors are expected to return to Syria on Wednesday according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. Ryabkov addressed the inspector’s return on Tuesday when he spoke to the Russian parliament regarding the unfolding situation in Syria.

U.N. chemical weapons inspectors research the use of sarin gas in Syria following an attack on 21 August. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

“We are satisfied that our persistent calls for the return of the UN inspectors for an investigation of the previous episodes have finally borne fruit,”  said Ryabkov.

The weapons experts will be the same team that visited the country during August to investigate the reports of chemical weapons use. The team, led by Ake Sellstrom, presented their report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon just over a week ago. The report confirmed that a ‘large scale’ sarin gas attack occurred on 21 August just outside of Damascus.

Before the 21 August attack, the UN weapons inspectors were tasked to investigate several other reports of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. However, when the 21 August attack occurred, the team delayed their research and was relocated to focus exclusively on the Damascus attack.

In a statement Tuesday, the U.N. said the investigation will include gathering evidence specifically from the village of Khan al-Assal. The village, just outside of Aleppo, was reportedly the target of a chemical weapons attack on 19 March of this year. Not surprisingly, the rebel opposition and the Assad government adamantly deny responsibility and blame the other.

There have been a total of fourteen alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria since the revolution against the Assad government began in 2011. Two locations of particular interest to United Nations chemical weapons inspectors are Sheikh Maqsoud and Saraqeb. Inspectors received permission from the Assad government to visit the sites back in July, but have been unable to inspect the sites yet.

In late August, the inspectors were to continue there research at sites other than just the Damascus location, but inspectors left the country as the threat U.S. military intervention increased. Since, the U.S. and Russia have come to a general agreement regarding the removal of all chemical weapons from Syria. The passage of an official resolution via the United Nations is expected soon.

For further information, please see:

BBC – UN chemical weapons inspectors ‘to return to Syria’ – 24 September 2013

Huffington Post – UN Chemical Weapons Inspectors Returning To Syria – 24 September 2013

RT – UN chemical weapons experts to return to Syria Wednesday – Moscow –  24 September 2013

Voice of America – Russia: UN Investigators Heading Back to Syria – 24 September 2013