Yemenis Demand an End to Saleh Immunity

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen — Lawyers representing victims and family members of those who died in last year’s Friday of Dignity Massacre have requested that the appellate court in Sana’a add the names of thirteen defendants to a list of others who were potentially involved in the tragic event.  The slaughter took place on March 18, 2011, when more than fifty people were killed during a protest for reform near Sana’a University.  Charges were also filed against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.  He lost control of Yemen during last year’s revolution.

Gunmen targeted protesters during last year’s revolution. One such incident has been dubbed the Friday of Dignity Massacre. (Photo Courtesy of Al Jazeera).

Among those charged is Saleh’s nephew, Yehya Abdullah Syed, who still holds a senior position in the country’s central security services.  He is charged with “inciting and participating in the killing of young protesters.”  The list of defendants also includes others affiliated with the former president, such as his top aides, who are also accused of playing a part in attempting to quell last year’s revolution.  Former Interior Minister Motahar Rashad Al-Masri and the former Head of Central Security Services, Abdulmalik Al-Taieb, were also named.

On the day of the massacre, gunmen, who witnesses described as hired “thugs” working for Saleh, shot at protesters from the rooftops around a square at Sana’a University, killing 52 and wounding many others.  Relying on eyewitness accounts, lawyers alleged on Saturday that the gunmen were driven to the site in cars bearing presidential license plates.  The act was scorned and condemned by Western powers and human rights groups.  Hundreds of people were killed during the revolution. It ended when Saleh promised to leave office after he accepted a Gulf-brokered power transfer deal that offered immunity from prosecution for himself and his aides.

Faisal Al-Majid, a member of the prosecuting team that represents the victims and their families, said that even though Saleh bargained for immunity when he left office, it does not mean that an investigation cannot be carried out.  He also claims that Saleh could still be brought to trial.

“U.N. Charters don’t allow human rights-related crimes to be exempt from prosecution,” said Al-Majid.  “We will see in the next days the seriousness of the Yemeni judiciary in dealing with this issue in a fair and effective way.”

Youth groups who want to see Saleh and his former aides stripped of their immunity continue to stage rallies.  Mohammed Saeed Al-Sharabi, a pro-democracy protester who witnessed the carnage, labeled the trial a “farce,” believing that it will not result in jail time for Saleh or anyone else who is immune from prosecution.

“Many revolutionaries are completely unsatisfied with this trial.  How are they conducting a trial while the main defendants are released?”  he asked.

The next hearing in this case is scheduled for November 23.

For further information, please see:

The News International — Yemenis Demand Saleh Trial — 14 October 2012

Yemen Times — Lawyers Seek to put Ousted Saleh on Trial — 14 October 2o12

Al Jazeera — Families of Killed Yemenis Demand Saleh Trial — 13 October 2012

Khaleej Times — Yemenis Demand Saleh Trial — 13 October 2012

Wounded Pakistan Teen Relocated to the United Kingdom

By Alexandra Sandacz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, United Kingdom – On Monday, a wounded teenage activist, who was shot by the Taliban, was airlifted from Pakistan to the United Kingdom for more specialized medical treatment. The teenager was also transferred to the UK to protect her from potential various other militant attacks.

Malala Yousufzai’s arrival in the United Kingdom. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News)

A week ago, in Pakistan, 14-year-old Malala Yousufzai was returning home from school when the Taliban targeted her for promoting girls’ education and criticizing the militant take over of Swat Valley. Two armed men stopped the van Malala was in, asked which girl was Malala, and opened fire. One of the shots hit her in the head and wounded two others.

The Taliban admitted they sent assassins, despite a tribal code forbidding the killing of women. The Taliban threated to continue targeting Malala until she is killed because she promotes “Western thinking.”

Due to continuing threats, the Pakistani military released a statement, “It was agreed by the panel of Pakistani doctors and international experts that Malala will require prolonged care to fully recover from the physical and psychological effects of trauma that she has received.” The military also suggested that Malala be transferred to a center in the United Kingdom that has the ability to provide adequate care to children who have undergone serious injuries.

The decision to relocate Malala was also determined with her family. Malala was flown from Pakistan on an air ambulance and accompanied by a full medical team. She will be treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The Pakistani government confirmed they would pay for her treatment.

Before Malala was moved to the UK, Pakistani doctors had already removed a bullet from Malala’s body. Malala’s initial recovery was described as satisfactory, and she is able to move her legs and hands.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said, “The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism. Malala’s bravery in standing up for the right of all young girls in Pakistan to an education is an example to us all.”

Yousufzai, a schoolgirl, became a symbol of resistance against the Taliban’s efforts to deprive girls of an education.

Former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, launched a petition in Malala’s name “in support of what Malala fought for.” He stated, “The petition calls on Pakistan to ensure that every girl like Malala has the chance to go to school.” He also called on the international community to guarantee that all children will have access to education by the end of 2015.

For further information, please see:

BBC News — Malala Yousafzai, schoolgirl shot by Taliban, now in UK – 15 October 2012

The Independent — Pakistani girl Malala Yousufzai who was wounded in an assassination attempt by the Taliban arrives in Britain for NHS treatment – 15 October 2012

Reuters — Pakistani schoolgirl shot by Taliban sent to UK for treatment – 15 October 2012

The Washington Post — Pakistan airlifts girl activist shot by Taliban to the United Kingdom for treatment – 15 October 2012

Syrian Revolution Digest – Sunday October 15 2012

Cluster This!

Use of cluster bombs by Assad falls short of violating the Obama Redline. As such, the development might at best generate a condemnation, but no action should be expected.

Sunday October 14, 2012

Today’s Death toll: 220. The Breakdown: death toll includes 8 children and 3 women. 140 martyrs fell in Damascus and suburbs (including 100 found in local hospital between Daraya and Moadamia), 21 in Idlib, 12 in Aleppo, 12 in Lattakia, 12 in Deir Ezzor, 11 in Homs, 9 in Daraa, 9 in Tartous, and 2 in Hama (LCC).

News

Special Reports

Turkey and Syria share a meandering border over 500 miles long, where in places the villages seem to merge, families share their names and pedigrees, if not their passports, and twisted olive trees roll out over the hillsides. Here, amid the quiet rhythms of rural life, people are witnessing what for 19 months had been one of the gravest concerns about the war next door: that it would spill over the border, draw in neighboring nations and, in a flash, become a regional conflagration. War, it becomes clearer by the day, is inching closer to home.

President Bashar Assad’s embattled regime is believed to have one of the largest chemical weapons stockpiles in the world. Fears have risen that a cornered Assad might use them or that they could fall into the hands of extremists, whether the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, an Assad ally, or al-Qaida-inspired militants among the rebels.

What are we worried about? That Syria will become a state sponsor of terrorism? That it will be hostile to the US and to Israel? That it will be a repressive dictatorship that jails and murders thousands of people? That it will be an ally of Iran, our principal enemy in the region? Syria is already all of those things.

Ammar Abdulhamid & Khawla Yusuf: The Shredded Tapestry: The State of Syria Today

Alawite Defections

In regarding to high level defections among Alawites, it should be noted that Col. Zubaidah Almiqi is not the highest ranking Alawite officer to defect. We know there are more. But Col. Almiqi seem to have been selected to come out in the open because she is one of the few Alawites who hail from the Golan Heights, an area far from the Alawite heartland along the Syrian coast. Being surrounded by rebel bases her family might be safe from loyalist retributions. As we have seen from the situation in Qardaha, dissention in the ranks will be followed by immediate clashes and retributions, as such, it requires careful management. In tactical terms, Alawites who grew disillusioned cannot just “dissent,” they have to plan an uprising and stick with it. This requires careful planning, something that might already be taking place.

Chemical Obama

If the Obama Administration were seriously concerned over the issue of Syrian WMDs falling in the wrong hand, they had a strange way of showing it. Indeed one would have expected a more proactive attitude towards managing the entire situation, including working closely with the opposition to form a transitional government and agreeing on a transitional plan, working closely with the rebels to establish a clear command structure and supervising all efforts meant at arming and training the rebels. This approach would have undercut any attempt at building radical networks by Jihadists in Syria. Instead, the Obama Administration remained aloof, and failed to lead on any front, even from behind. American officials and experts were missing in action throughout the crisis, other western officials followed their lead. This left the doors wide open for a variety of regional actors to approach the conflict on the basis of their own particularistic priorities and in the manner to which they were accustomed: building up radical Islamist networks on the ground (the main backers here are Saudi and Qatar, but always with Turkish support) and using Islamists in exile to lead all work on political transition abroad (Turkey’s work with the Muslim Brotherhood, and Gulf support going to Salafist groups and figures).

Consequently, fear of WMDs falling into the wrong hand are now more justified than they have ever been before, but, at this late stage, there may not be a way for the U.S. to secure the WMDs’ without employing a foot-on-the-ground approach. But if such an approach is used without rebel support and withoutsupporting rebels in their fight against Assad, than any U.S. involvement in this regard could have negative repercussion on the situation and will further radicalize sentiments.

The Obama Administration has recently sent troops to Jordan reportedly as part of a potential future operations meant to secure Syria’s WMDs. But it is not clear that such an operation would entail considering the fact that WMDs locations are scattered throughout the country, and seeing that contact with rebel groups remain too sporadic to allow for efficient coordination of efforts. Little can be achieved without active support from rebels, but rebels are unlikely to help the Administration achieve its objectives, if the Administration is not willing to help them achieve theirs.

By doing nothing, the Obama Administration has, in fact, done plenty to make its own worst scenario in Syria come true, and we all have to live with the consequences of its folly.

Video Highlights

In Idlib and Aleppo rebels bring down two more MIGs: Idlibhttp://youtu.be/xta_ojZbgsY

More towns and villages are being liberated by rebels in Aleppo and Idlib: Heesh (Idlib) http://youtu.be/6YTdUePAQDA

Jabhat Al-Nusrah takes part in liberating a missile base in Aleppo Provincehttp://youtu.be/vGJ50S-9ogE , http://youtu.be/3xjMXSlCvCc

Leaked video shows pro-Assad militias “arresting” a local activisthttp://youtu.be/57XVLLd78UU Another shows a cold-blooded summary executionhttp://youtu.be/uuUcuQ2wL3g

The historic Omayad Mosque in Aleppo City was set on fire as result of shelling by pro-Assad militias. The mosque was used at first as a base by pro-Assad militias who wrote offensive graffiti on its walls, leading to a push by local rebel unit to liberate it, which, in is turn, encouraged pro-Assad militias to shell it.  Like every choice made by rebels and activists since the beginning of this revolution; it always boils down to a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” type situationhttp://youtu.be/F9m1Xb4pEAU

In this TV interview with a Gulf-based channel, the Salafist Scholar Adnan Arour, addresses the issues of foreign fighters and the nature of the desired state in Syria: he says that rebels do not need foreign fighters coming to fight and die on their land, because they have enough men. Rebels needs money, not men, he says and insists that this is the right way for interpreting Sharia law in this regard. He also says that the state that rebels want to establish and that he supports is a state that respects the right of all for dignity, freedom and justice, not an Islamic state. He adopts this point of view, he says, not because he does not believe in an Islamic state, but because he believes that it cannot be established by force but by admonishment http://youtu.be/3w5LPysbUSc. This is a marked diversion from his earlier stands: at the beginning of the revolution, Shaikh Arour even issued a fatwa against challenging the ruling regime, but, he quickly reversed his position, lent support to the revolution and called for retribution against the Alawites. He, then, reversed that position as well. Over the last few months, Shaikh  Arour seems to be trying to become a more acceptable figure to a larger swath of Syria’s Sunni population by carefully calibrating his positions and moderating his views. His strategy seems to be working: he has more followers in Syria now than he had ever enjoyed. His ability to bring material support to the rebels has boosted his popularity as well. Indeed, Arour’s recent venture into the liberated areas in the north was fruitful and resulted in the establishment of the Union of Military Revolutionary Council. Though the Union is not as large as its other Islamist rivals: the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Syria, the Tawhid Brigades, the Jabhat Al-Nusrah (the Syrian incarnation of Al-Qaeda) or its pragmatist rivals, especially the Syria martyrs Brigades, much could change in the days and weeks ahead as facts on the grounds remain in flux.

A bomb in the plush Mazzeh Autostrad Neighborhood targets In-House, a Starbucks-type coffeehouse. The explosion took place at dawn, making clear that the intention was to spread fear rather than produce casualtieshttp://youtu.be/HEHnibCOU6Y

Thousands of Muslims Protest Anti-Islam Film Outside Google’s London HQ

By Madeline Schiesser
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, U.K. – Several thousand British Muslims gathered outside Google’s London offices Sunday to demand that the company remove the anti-Islamic film, “The Innocence of Muslims,” from its subsidiary website, YouTube.

Muslim protestors gathered outside Google’s London HQ, on Buckingham Palace Road. (Photo Courtesy of The Telegraph)

For several hours Sunday, protesters filled the street in front of Google’s London headquarters, forcing Buckingham Palace Road to be closed for at least three hours almost up to the Palace gates.  Barricades were erected, and protestors carried signs with messages such as “We love our prophet more than our lives” and “Prophet Muhammad is the founder of freedom of speech.”

Khalid Mahmood, of campaign group Voyce, explained that the demonstration against Google was the first in the UK, and that other acts would follow.  He said: “This is a demonstration against hate speech on the internet and YouTube in particular.”

The protestors specifically want the 14 minute video from the allegedly forthcoming “Innocence of Muslims” film, which has caused great controversy in the Muslim world in the last month, permanently blocked.

The protest comes only a few days after al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri called for a holy war against the US and Israel over the same video.

Organizer Masoud Alam explained that the video presents an issue not of freedom of speech, but rather of religious intolerance.  He stated: “This is not freedom of expression, there is a limit for that. This insult of the Prophet will not be allowed.”

Muslims came to London for the protest from many corners of the U.K., including some reported from Birmingham, Blackburn, Manchester, Peterborough, and even Glasglow.  Around 800 imams in British mosques took part in organizing the protest.

It is estimated that between 3,500 Muslims, according to BBC News, and 10,000 Muslims, according to the Telegraph, participated in the protest.

Women are difficult to spot in protest photographs and video.  However, according to one protestor, they were present nonetheless “right at the back.”

Organizers plan further protests in the city in coming weeks, including a one million-strong march in London’s Hyde Park.

“Until it is banned we will keep protesting,” Alam affirmed.

“The Innocence of Muslims” video was uploaded on YouTube in July by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, a California-based Egyptian-American, who is now in custody for the unrelated charge of violating the terms of his probation for a pre-existing fraud offense.

Violence surrounding the video erupted in September when an Arabic-language version became available on YouTube.  Amid the resulting violence, four Americans, including the US ambassador to Libya, were killed in an attack on the US consulate in Benghazi.

Thereafter, Google and YouTube restricted access to the video in Egypt and Libya.  However, Google continues to assert that this video is not hate speech because hate speech is speech against individuals, not against groups, according to the New York Times.  Because the video criticizes Islam, but not the Muslim people, YouTube finds it to be allowable.

A Spokesperson YouTube said: “We work hard to create a community everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different opinions. . . This video – which is widely available on the Web – is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube.”

However, the protestors feel differently.  Sheikh Faiz Al-Aqtab Siddiqui, an imam, explained the severity of the situation: “Terrorism is not just people who kill human bodies, but who kill human feelings as well. The makers of this film have terrorized 1.6 billion people. Organizations like Google are key players and have to take responsibility for civility. You can’t just say it doesn’t matter that it’s freedom of speech. It’s anarchy.”

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Anti-Islam Film Protest Outside Google’s London HQ – 14 October 2012

Global Post  – 10,000 Muslims Rally Outside Google’s London HQ Over US-made Anti-Islam Film: Report – 14 October 2012

The Telegraph – Muslims Protest ‘Age of Mockery’ as Thousands Descend on Google HQ – 14 October 2012

The Guardian – Al-Qaida leader calls for holy war on US and Israel over anti-Islamic film – 13 October 2012

The Telegraph – US Filmmakers Banned from Britain over Anti-Mohammed Video – 12 October 2012

The New York Times – As Violence Spreads in Arab World, Google Blocks Access to Inflammatory Video – 13 September 2012

16-Year-Old Boy Killed in Ghana During Round-Up of Illegal Miners

By Heba Girgis
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

ACCRA, Ghana—Today, police in Ghana began investigating the death of a young Chinese boy who was killed during a security crackdown of illegal gold mining in Ghana. The security officials arrested approximately 100 Chinese nationals in Ghana during a round-up in the Ashanti region of Ghana which is rich in gold and near Ghana’s second largest city of Kumasi. These Chinese nationals remain detained in Ghana. The Ghanaian military argue that the death was an accident, but that further investigation is under way.

Ghanaian Police Investigate Death of 16-Year-Old Chinese Boy. (Photo Courtesy of Updated News)

Chris Kpodo, Ambassador of Ghana said, “We have received reports about the death of a 16-year-old boy of Chinese nationality. It is regrettable, and the government has ordered an investigation into the incident.” He also noted, “We will be granting the ambassador (of China) a diplomatic access to visit the detainees and speak with them.”

Any Chinese men and women in poor health have been released on bail. The rest of the individuals who were arrested were given water and medicine and provided with health checks.

In the past year, there have been many incidents of Chinese citizens being detained and arrested for illegal gold mining. The Ghanaian security officials have just recently vamped up their efforts in cracking down on these types of activities.

Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Gong Jianzhong, said last month that many Chinese miners are also victims. They lack poor paperwork and therefore become trapped in Ghana by local agents and mine owners. Jianzhong hopes that Ghana can solve this problem at its root rather than only arresting illegal Chinese miners and possible killing some of them.

According to Ghanaian law, foreign companies in Ghana are only allowed to work independently in certain large and open-pit mines. Dai Yan, the former counselor to Ghana, noted that China is not a colonizer “as the West has historically been, and mining cooperation is supposed to be mutually beneficial as Ghana is rich in resources and China can provide technology, equipment and funding.” He also added that this type of cooperation may work to expand job creation.

The Chinese Embassy has now called on all Chinese nationals in Ghana to fully abide by Ghanaian related laws and regulations in order to safeguard and protect their own interests.

 

For further information, please see:

China Daily – Ghana Detains 100 Chinese for Illegal Mining – 14 October 2012

Global Times – Ghana Killing Protested – 14 October 2012

Reuters – Ghana Investigating Death of Chinese Boy During Miner Round-Up – 14 October 2012

Updated News – Ghana Investigating Death of Chinese Boy During Miner Round-Up – 14 October 2012