A Voice for the Voiceless

Nine Lawyers Accused of Terrorist Affiliations

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

ANKARA, Turkey — Yesterday, a court in Istanbul ordered the pre-trial detention of nine human rights lawyers.  Turkish authorities had charged them under anti-terror laws, claiming that the lawyers were affiliated with the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party (RPLP), a banned terrorist organization.  The nine were among twelve lawyers arrested, eleven during early morning raids conducted on January 18, and one arrested on January 20.

Human Rights Lawyers who advocated those accused under anti-terror laws were charged and detained under such laws themselves. (Photo Courtesy of Hurriyet Daily News)

The RPLP, a pro-Marxist organization, is responsible for many assassinations and bombings since the 1970’s.  They have not been as active in recent years.  Nearly 70 people accused by the Turkish government for being affiliated with the RPLP were also detained for questioning.  Among those targeted in the crackdown, aside from activist lawyers, were journalists and musicians.

Opposition parties expressed their outrage to the arrests, including the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD), in which all nine lawyers were members of.  “Police raids against lawyers at 4 a.m., their arrest and imprisonment are part of a wider clampdown on those who oppose the government,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, the senior Turkey researcher for Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Mahmut Tanal, the deputy to the main opposition party, Republican People’s Party (CHP), said that he believed the attorneys were detained because of the part they played in advocating for those accused in some of Turkey’s most controversial human rights abuse incidents.  “This is an attempt to put lawyers on trial for artificial links with terror organizations.  This is intimidation for all lawyers and citizens.  Accusations and questions addressed to the lawyers show that there’s no legal protection for citizens in Turkey,” said Tanal.

Hasip Kaplan, a lawmaker for the Peace and Democracy Party, said that charging human rights lawyers under anti-terror laws prevent them from diligently defending people accused under anti-terror laws, or speaking critically of the Turkish government.  “The first message given to lawyers is that lawyers defending the suspects of [alleged terrorist] organizations could be put on trial for links with the same organizations.  The second message is that their participation in public demonstrations could be considered evidence of being a member of an illegal organization…,” said Kaplan.  Kaplan said that the Turkish government’s incentive in charging people under anti-terror laws is to spread fear in society from participating in protests, and, for lawyers especially, to not defend anyone accused under such laws.  “Those lawyers were detained just because of their professional activities…,” said Kaplan.

Human Rights groups frequently criticize Turkey for charging activists and journalists under their broad anti-terrorism laws.  The charges are often accompanied by prolonged pretrial detention.

For further information, please see:

Committee to Protect Journalists — Several Journalists Jailed in new Turkish Crackdown — 22 January 2013

Human Rights Watch — Turkey: Nine Human Rights Lawyers Imprisoned — 22 January 2013

Turkish Weekly — More Lawyers Arrested in Crackdown on Leftists — 22 January 2013

Hurriyet Daily News — Nine Lawyers Arrested on Alleged Terrorism Links — 21 January 2013

Washington Post — Lawyers Arrested in Turkey for Alleged Links to Leftist Militants — 21 January 2013

 

Russia Pushes Forward Anti-Gay Law

By Alexandra Sandacz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – The Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church move forward with a bill that makes it illegal to provide minors with information that is defined as “propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism.” The law will also ban holding public events that promote gay rights.

Russian police arrests a homosexual activist during a protest. (Photo Courtesy of DailyMail)

Russia’s new anti-gay bill is part of President Putin’s effort to promote traditional Russian values. The Kremlin and the Orthodox Church believe Western liberalism is corrupting the Russian youth.

Supporters of the bill deem minors unable to critically evaluate “homosexual propaganda”. The bill states, “This propaganda goes through the mass media and public events that propagate homosexuality as normal behavior.”

Pavel Samburov, founder of the Rainbow Association, which unites gay activists throughout Russia, describes the anti-gay bill as the Kremlin’s way to politically, religiously, and sexually control minorities. Furthermore, the bill is designed to divert public attention from growing discontent with President Putin’s rule.

Samburov’s gay rights group joined various anti-Putin marches all over Moscow. During one protest in front of the Russian parliament, Samburov received 30 hours of detention and a $16 dollar fine for kissing his boyfriend. However, if the Russian anti-gay bill becomes a law, such a public kiss could be defined as illegal “homosexual propaganda” and earn a fine of up to $16,000.

Denis Volkov, a sociologist, believes the anti-gay bill fits the “general logic” of a Putin’s government’s intent to limit various rights.

Although many oppose the new anti-gay bill, there are also many others who either view the bill indifferently or with open enthusiasm.

Levada Center, an independent pollster, found that almost two-thirds of Russians find homosexuality “morally unacceptable and worth condemning.” Nearly half are against gay rallies and same-sex marriage, and almost a third believe  homosexuality is the result of “a sickness or a psychological trauma.”

Various lawmakers blame the gay community for the severe decrease in Russia’s already low birth rates and state, “[gays] should be barred from government jobs, undergo forced medical treatment or be exiled.” A Russian executive in a government-run television network company said in a nationally televised show that the gay community should be prohibited from donating blood, sperm, and organs for transplants.

While the estimated number of gays and lesbians that live in Russia is unknown, gay individuals continue to face persistent widespread homophobia. Furthermore, only a few big cities, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, have gay nightclubs and gyms. However, even in these accepting atmospheres, their safety is not guaranteed.

For further information, please see:

Daily Mail – Russia to outlaw ‘homosexual propaganda’ and ban public events that promote gay rights – 22 January 2013

RFE/RL – Protest Against Russian Antigay Bill Turns Violent – 22 January 2013

The Associated Press – Russia moves to enact anti-gay law nationwide – 21 January 2013

Global Post – Russia to move forward with anti-gay bill – 21 January 2013

Colombian Ceasefire Ends, Hostilities Escalate

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTÁ, Colombia – After months of negotiations, and two months of a ceasefire, Colombia’s FARC Marxist resistance army has taken up arms again. While talks have not broken down between FARC leadership and the Colombian government, the ceasefire initiated by the FARC ended on January 20th after the Colombian government refused to lay down their arms.

Colombian negotiators address the media concerning the end to the FARC ceasefire and public concern of the negotiations.  (Photo Courtesy of the BBC)

Generally the Colombian government believed that FARC had complied with their ceasefire, President Juan Manuel Santos stated “The fact is that the number of operations carried out by the group decreased significantly, the number of police and soldiers killed or injured decreased,” showed compliance with the self-initiated cease-fire. While the military registered at least 52 violations of the truce, it was unclear if whether the guerrillas were attacking or defending themselves.

As the ceasefire ended Ivan Marquez, chief negotiator for FARC told the press “With heartache again we must admit the return of the military phase of the war, which nobody wants.” A short time later FARC rebels reignited hostilities. Within hours FARC rebels began assaulting municipalities in Tarra (near the Venezuelan border) with mortars and machine guns. The first assault left 3 soldiers wounded, while the second attack claimed the first FARC attributed death since the ceasefire ended.

Beyond assaults on military targets, Guerrillas have targeted and blew up two oil pipelines in Southern Colombia and attacked a coal train. These attacks are indicative of the FARCs attempts to disrupt the economic infrastructure of the Latin American country.

Some have criticized for not following suit and agreeing to a bi-lateral ceasefire, the government argued that historically the rebels would use the opportunity to rearm. A decade ago when the Colombian government entered into peace talks with the FARC rebels, they agreed to a bilateral military ceasefire. The rebels used this opportunity to rearm and launch a new offensive which took the Colombian military by surprise. This lead to a ten year offensive which has since displaced an additional 600,000 civilians and whittled the Rebels forces from over 16,000 fighters to under 9,000.

While the ceasefire has ended, peace negotiations continue. However until everything is agreed upon, nothing will be solved. Until the government of Colombia and FARC can agree on kidnapping compensation, the political nature of FARC, Redistribution of land , drug trafficking and end to the conflict, the negotiations will continue.

The two sides have been fighting since the formation of the FARC as a communist movement in 1964 in what is now Latin America’s longest-running insurgency.

For further information, please see:

Noticias Terra – FARC Attack Pipelines And Bomb Throwing Coal Train – 22 January 2013

Colombia Reports – FARC Kills 1st Soldier After Temporary Truce Comes To End – 21 January 2013

BBC – Colombia Farc Rebels End Unilateral Ceasefire – 20 January 2013

Yahoo – Colombia’s FARC Rebels End Ceasefire – 20 January 2013

Al Jazeera – Colombia Refuses To Extend Farc Ceasefire – 20 January 2013

BBC – Farc Ceasefire ‘To End’ As Peace Talks Resume In Cuba – 14 January 2013

This Week in Syria Deeply : 18 January 2013

Lithuania Freezes Bank Accounts and Joins Three Other European Countries in Launching Investigation into Magnitsky Case

Press Release
Hermitage Capital

21 January 2013 – The authorities of Lithuania have joined three other European countries in launching money laundering investigations into the funds stolen from the Russian treasury through a scheme exposed by late Hermitage Fund’s lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, according to Business Week magazine.

The Lithuanian authorities have also frozen funds in Lithuanian banks following the complaint filed by Hermitage Capital Management in July 2012, said Business Week in an article “A Russian Lawyer’s Death Triggers a Global Money Hunt” (http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-17/a-russian-lawyers-death-triggers-a-global-money-hunt#p2).

The article quotes Donatas Puzinas, a Lithuanian prosecutor, on the investigation currently underway.

“It’s quite complex analytical work,” Mr. Puzinas told Business Week.

“The money generally is split up among several companies. Some of the money, after being transferred, goes back to the original account and then is transferred somewhere else,” said prosecutor Puzinas.

Now authorities in four European countries – Switzerland, Cyprus, Latvia, and Lithuania – are investigating the trail of $230 million stolen money from the Russian budget through a sophisticated scheme involving Russian officials and criminals which has been exposed by Sergei Magnitsky. After Mr Magnitsky testified against officials involved, he was himself arrested and killed in Russian police custody.

Through investigations carried out by Hermitage and a team of investigative journalists from the NGO, Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, $130 million of the stolen $230 million have been traced to eight foreign jurisdictions. That information formed the basis for criminal complaints filed in those eight countries.

For further information please contact:

Hermitage Capital
Phone:             +44 207 440 1777
Email:              info@lawandorderinrussia.org
Website:          http://lawandorderinrussia.org
Facebook:        http://on.fb.me/hvIuVI
Twitter:           @KatieFisher__
Livejournal:     //hermitagecap.livejournal.com/