SNHR: Report Regarding Prisoners and the Events of the Aleppo Central Prison

Documented by SNHR

The central prison in Aleppo contains more than 4,600 detainees, most of them political prisoners, human rights activists and media activists, in addition to felonies’ arrest.

Among the 4,600 prisoners, there are at least 1,300 political, media activist, or human rights activists who although finished serving arbitrary prison terms imposed by court, they remain in detention and no one is set to be released.

Prison management committed severe torturing and humiliating methods, such as holding dozens in very tight rooms, and another torture method that SNHR issued different reports on.  All that pushed the detainees to participate in acts of civil disobedience on July 2012.  Prison management replied to the disobedience with sit-firing directly at the political and media activists section, it led to many injuries among them.

After the disobedience, prison management punished detainees by totally preventing visits, increased torture, and reduce food and medicine quantities.

Armed rebel made a decision in 13 May 2013 to release all detainees in Aleppo central prison, started military operation by the name: “releasing prisoners,” and began besieging the prison and attacked it.

When the detainees heard the news, they carried out Intractability inside the prison, where the security forces attacked them and fired live bullets against them, it led to the deaths of 2 victims directly and more than 60 injuries, most of them killed later on different periods due to the lack of medicine and any treatment.

On 31 May 2013, and as a reaction of that intractability, prison management executed 49 political detainees:

The following link contains all names and details of Aleppo Central Prion’s Victims, that SNHR could document they are 60 prisoners, the real number is much higher, but because of communication difficulties we only could have these names:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9Bj18tlYYKBQVhtUnFtYUx3SUU/edit?usp=sharing 

Then, prison troops collected detainees’ bodies, who were killed inside cells, after the smell intensified and led to the spread of epidemics, and buried the bodies in a cemetery known to all prisoners who testified that it’s located in the eastern yard of the prison.

A large number of diseases spread inside the prison, due to the prevention of medicine which mostly was provided by prisoner’s families who visited their sons, the severity of diseases increased because of the lack of food and hygiene, SNHR estimated the number of prisons infected with Tuberculosis with more than 200 infected, 7 of them dead because of the lack of treatment.

Poisoned conditions accompanied with severe vomiting and diarrhea also appeared among prisoners, we knew that it was caused by the contamination of water tanks that were not cleaned or sterilized for more than 4 months and was filled with plankton, dirt, and worms.

In addition to all of these, prison troops starved prisoners, where they gave every prisoner only 150 grams of flour daily, then they reduced it to 73 grams.  It led the prisoners to collect their shares together and burn the plastic covers to cook the flour, so they could eat it, but it caused suffocation and acute respiratory infections due to thick smoke.

Monday 24 June 2013, and after an agreement between Free Syrian Army and Prison Troops through ICRC in order to provide cooked food to the besieged prison, where 11 cars carrying cooked food went to the prison, prison troops betrayed the agreement and shot the cars, it led to the injuries of Dr. Yaser Kaias in addition to another 5 paramedics.

Legal conclusions:

Art 3. In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each Party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following
provisions:

1) )Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria. To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:

(D) the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording. And all the judicial guarantees civilized peoples.

Based on the forgoing we note that the Syrian Government, by arresting civilians or armed had blatantly violated both international humanitarian law, the Geneva Convention III, and the international law of Human Rights.

Recommendations:

Syrian Government:

1-             Immediate termination of all human rights violations

2-             Respect its international obligations of Protection Civilian in Time of War, and respect the rules of international humanitarian law and international law of human rights

Human Rights Council:

1-       Pay more serious attention to the catastrophic situation of detainees in Syria

2-       Demand the Security Council and the concerned international institutions to hold their responsibilities towards this serious matter

3-      Pressure on the Syrian Government Troops to stop torturing and unlock the prisons and detention centers to see detainees and understand their conditions

4-      Hold allies and supporters of the Syrian Government Troops: Russia, Iran, and China, morally and physically responsible for what is happening to the Syrian people

Security Council:

1-      Decision to refer all the criminals and the involved to ICC

2-      Warn the Syrian Government Troops of the repercussions of using brutal methods on the stability of civil peace and coexistence between the people of the same society

Arab League:

1-      Demand the Human Rights Council and United Nations to give this serious issue the right attention and follow up.

2-      Political and diplomatic pressure on the Syrian Government Troops’ main allies – Russia, Iran and China – to prevent them from continuously providing cover and international and political protection for all the crimes committed against the Syrian people and hold them morally and physically responsible for all the excesses of the Syrian Government Troops

3-      Serious attention of this case and give it high priority, and try to take care of victims psychologically, physically, and educationally

Sergei Magnitsky Is Expected to Be Found Guilty in the First Ever Posthumous Trial in Russian History

PRESS RELEASE

10 July 2013 – Today, at the Tverskoi district court in Moscow, judge Igor Alisov, is expected to find Sergei Magnitsky guilty of tax evasion in the first ever posthumous trial in Russian history. It is also expected that judge Alisov will find William Browder guilty of the same crimes in absentia. The proceedings against Magnitsky and Browder have been condemned around the world as illegitimate, politically motivated andincompatible with international and Russian law.

“This show trial confirms that Vladimir Putin is ready to sacrifice hisinternational credibility to protect corrupt officials who murdered an innocent lawyer and stole $230 million from the Russian state,” said a Hermitage Capital representative.

The motivation for the posthumous trial has been to cover-up the complicity of Russian tax officials, police officers and judges in the largest tax theft in the history of Russia.

In June 2007, police officers raided the offices of Hermitage and its law firm and seized corporate documents that were then used by corrupt officials and criminals to steal $230 million from the Russian state. Hermitage complained to the Russian authorities in December 2007 about the involvement of Interior Ministry officers in the crime. Two months later, some of the same officers opened a retaliatory criminal case againstMr Browder. In June and October 2008, Sergei Magnitsky testified to the Russian authorities about the involvement of the same Interior Ministry officers in the theft. Shortly thereafter, he was added to the same criminal case as Browder and arrested. In pre-trial detention, Sergei Magnitsky was held for 358 days, denied medical care, family visits, access to clean and hot water, and sleep, in order to force him to retract his testimony. He refused and was subsequently beaten by riot guards with rubber batons, until he was found dead on the cell floor on November 16th 2009.

In response to the impunity of all the Russian officials involved in SergeiMagnitsky’s false arrest, torture and death, the US Congress passed thethe Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, which imposes visa and financial sanctions on all the Russian officials involved in the ill-treatment and death of Mr Magnitsky and in other gross human rightsabuses in Russia. In July 2012, the OSCE Parliamentary Assemblypassed the Magnitsky Resolution calling on all OSCE countries to impose similar sanctions as the US. In June 2013, the Rapporteur to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe issued a report on the Magnitsky case in which he found the allegations by the Russian government to be legally and factually unfounded.

Specifically the Rapporteur to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe found that:

“The detailed and well-documented replies received have gone a long way to convince us that Hermitage did not violate the law. This was also confirmed by an audit carried out by the competent tax authorities…“

He went on to say that the case couldn’t be tried because the statute of limitations had already elapsed:

 

“Legal pursuits for any tax underpayments concerning 2001 would also appear to be time-barred…Consequently, the formal indictments dated 22 March 2013 and the posthumous trial against Sergei Magnitsky and the trial in absentia against Bill Browder appear to violate Russian law.”

Lawyers for Mr Browder have identified numerous violations of the law and falsifications in the criminal case file. After they filed a series of complaints against the Russian authorities detailing the falsifications, the Russian court denied them any further access to case files, thereby preventing them from fulfilling their professional duties. Subsequentlystate-funded lawyers were appointed for the posthumous trial to create an impression of a legal representation.

For further information, please see:

Law and Order in Russia

Deadly Shooting Results From Protest in Support of Ousted Egyptian President Morsi

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – In the wake of former Egypt President Mohamed Morsi being overthrown, turmoil has spread throughout Egypt and the Middle East.  Early Monday morning, outside of the barracks holding President Morsi, a deadly shooting ensued between the army and protesters.

Dozens were killed and hundreds injured during a protest in support of President Morsi (photo courtesy of BBC News)

Reports of up to fifty one people killed and more than three hundred injured during what has been termed a “massacre,” have flooded newsstands and human rights organizations.  Many have called upon the rest of the world to intervene and prevent Egypt from becoming the next Syria.

Great Britain has been insisting for an investigation into the shooting, in support of a democratic constitution in Egypt to provide free and fair elections.  The European Union has heavily regulated its funds pledged to carry out aid in Egypt while also condemning the killings.

The United States has issued a statement asking the Egyptian army to exercise “maximum restraint” and extreme caution when condemning the uprisings along with condolences for those who were killed and injured.

“We remain deeply concerned about the increasing violence across Egypt.  We strongly condemn any violence or any incitement to violence,” stated Jen Psaki, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman.

Protesters outside of the barracks were members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who were staging a “peaceful” protest in support of President Morsi.  However, the army claimed that a “terrorist group” attempted to storm the barracks, attacking first with “heavy gunfire.”

“The Republican Guard fired tear gas, but the thugs came for the side.  We were the target,” stated Mahmud al Shili, a protestor member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Every police force in the world understands how to disperse a sit-in.  This is just a criminal activity targeting protesters,” claimed a Muslim Brotherhood spokesman, Gehad Haddad.

Daily protests by the Muslim Brotherhood have been held since the ousting of President Morsi last Wednesday.  The Brotherhood has denounced his overthrow as a military coup and has been expressing their resistance against the “usurper authorities.”

Footage has been released contradicting the army’s claim that the gates of the barracks were attacked by protestors.  However, the army has also released footage of the protestors attacking and shooting at the troops.

Army Colonel Ahmed Mohammed Ali reported that they suffered deaths and injuries as well.  Two policemen and an army officer were killed along with another forty two troop members injured in the shooting.

“Deep sorrow” over the loss of lives and a call for restraint has been voiced by Egypt’s office of the interim president Adly Mansour.

For more information, please see the following: 

Aljazeera – Massacre in Cairo deepens Egypt crisis – 08 July 2013

BBC News – Egypt unrest: Tensions soar amid Cairo killings – 08 July 2013

Guardian – Dozens killed in Cairo after gunmen open fire on pro-Morsi protesters – 08 July 2013

Sky News – Egypt: Brotherhood calls for further protests – 08 July 2013

 

 

 

 

Prominent Russian Journalist Gunned Down in Perilous Region for Media

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – A Russian journalist was shot dead outside of Mackhachkala, the capital of the violent Russian Republic of Dagestan, on Tuesday.

Akhmednabiev was hit in the head after several shots were fired into his car Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of RIA Novosti)

Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, deputy editor for the local newspaper Novoe Delo and a contributor to Kavkazky Uzel, an online news publisher, was fired on while in his car just outside of his house at about 7:00AM local time.

While no particular motive or any specific articles authored by Akhmednabiyev are currently tied to the murder, the Investigative Committee has stated the “most likely version is that Akhmednabiyev’s murder is linked to his professional activities.”

Akhmednabiyev was notorious for accusing local authorities of persecuting and kidnapping Muslims in an extrajudicial manner. He also regularly reported on human rights violations during counterterrorism operations. According to Khadzhimurad Sagitov, editor in chief of Novoe Delo, Akhmednabiyev regularly received threatening phone calls and text messages from anonymous sources.

“We expected this… We knew that if not today, then it would happen tomorrow, or the next day,” Sagitov stated.

Russia is widely considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, as 55 assassinations of individuals in the media have been confirmed since 1992. Just last month, a preliminary hearing was held in Moscow for the trial of five men charged with the murder of prominent investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was similarly gunned down near her apartment back in 2006.

The North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan is viewed as a particularly perilous region for journalists, as Akhmednabiyev is the 17th journalist to be killed in the region since 1993. The region has reportedly seen continuing low-level Islamist insurgency, high levels of organized crime, and regional corruption.

In 2009, Akhmednabiyev’s name was included on a “hit-list” of individuals that were being targeted allegedly as revenge for the deaths of security forces and civilians. The list was distributed on leaflets in Mackhachkala.

Another journalist included on the list, Khadzhimurad Kamalov, the founder of the Chernovik newspaper, was shot to death outside the newspaper’s office in Mackhachkala in 2011.

Akhmednabiyev survived an assassination attempt earlier this year, when his car had been shot at in a similar fashion to the incident Tuesday, but the police only investigated property damage in that case.

“He said that he will remain here, no matter what. I think he understood something like this could happen to him,” Sagitov stated.

Hundreds of mourners carried Akhmednabiyev’s body in a procession from a mosque to a local cemetery in Mackhachkala on Tuesday.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Journalist Shot Dead in Russia’s Dagestan – 9 July 2013

The Independent – Russia: Journalist Murdered in Dagestan – 9 July 2013

New York Times – Journalist Assassinated in Violent Russian Republic – 9 July 2013

Reuters – Journalist Shot Dead in Russia’s Dagestan Province – 9 July 2013

RIA Novosti – Journalist Gunned Down in Dagestan – 9 July 2013

Impunity Watch – Five Defendants in Russian Journalist’s Murder Are Granted Jury Trial – 4 June 2013

Impunity Watch – Human Rights Watch Researcher’s Life Threatened – 8 October 2012