Syrian Network for Human Rights and Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies: Violations Report 17 July 2012

Casualties and Wounded:
Homs | Al-Khaldiya
As the violent shelling by the Syrian army continues on the region of Homs, many victims have either died instantly or by inflicting wounds; just like the corpse in the following video whose corpse was charred after completely burning as a result of heavy bombardment:

**WARNING: VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES**

Idlib | Al-Rami
The security checkpoints all across the towns and cities of Syria are carrying out daily arrests to civilians who are being subject to the harshest types of torture under the hands of Syrian security forces in prisons. Some of these civilians come out with torture marks across their bodies, others come out as a dead corpse just like Mousa and his son Tariq, whose corpses can be seen in the following video:

**WARNING: VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES**

 

Assaults and Human Rights Violations:
Homs | Al-Rastan
As soon as the bombardment comes to a halt, the citizens of Al-Rastan begin to search for the wounded and the corpses of people from in between the rubble.  This is mainly because ambulances and specialists are not able to enter city due to the siege imposed by the Syrian army forces.  In the video below civilians search through a home shortly after it was shelled, finding the wounded and bodies:

**WARNING: VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES**

Children along with their families are always suffering even in the shelters from the situation as outside from the lack of food, water and electricity; milk for infants is not available and the children are feeding on dry bread. In addition to all of this, the children have to go endure the pain each time they witness a friend has been killed.

Daraa | Daael
One of harshest sufferings which the civilians are going through in the towns and cities affected by bombardment and gunfire are in the field hospitals where the simple capabilities which they offer are sometimes not enough to cure a single wounded civilians:

 

Bombardment and Destruction:

Homs | Jourat Al-Shiyah
As we enter day 41 of the ongoing bombardment across the region of Homs by the Syrian army, who also imposed a complete blockade around Homs; the civilians are living the life of suffering through the sounds of bombardment, gunfire and living in-between the rubble of their homes made by bombardment.  Many neighborhoods like, the Jourat Al-Shiyah neighborhood, are completely empty of people due to bombardment.

Hama | Al-Araba’ein
Tanks belonging to the Syrian army are indiscriminately shelling the homes and buildings in the neighborhood of Al-Araba’ein.

Damascus | Nahr Aeisha
The Syrian forces bombarded a number of neighborhoods inside the heart of Damascus today, including Nahr Aeisha, causing the people to flee their homes and leading to heavy smoke throughout the city.

Aleppo | Mari
Syrian forces also shelled the town of Mari’ using missiles which caused the destruction of civilians’ homes and caused heavy smoke to rise in the area.

All information and videos published in this report provided by:

Syrian Network for Human Rights

Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies in Syria

Violence in Damascus Proceeds Into Second day

By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — Fierce fighting continued in Damascus between Syrian troops and rebels for the second day in a row.  According to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR), the clashes that occurred across the country last Sunday left 105 dead including 48 civilians, 16 rebels, and 41 soldiers.

Neighborhoods
Clashes between government and rebel forces broke out in several Damascus neighborhoods. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News)

The fighting on Monday briefly closed the highway between the capital and Damascus International Airport, which is located to the city’s south.  Troops backed by armored vehicles are said to have advanced through the central neighbourhood of Midan, driving out rebels who had secured a foothold within striking distance of major state installations.  The military deployment has been described as the largest one in the capital since the start of the uprising.  Monday’s offensive reportedly battered several other neighbourhoods in the capital, including Midan, Tadamon, Kfar Souseh, Nahr Aisha, and Sidi Qadad.

Fighting between government and rebel forces also occurred in the town of Qatana, 20 kilometers away from the capital.  Elsewhere, government troops shelled the besieged Homs districts of Khaldiyeh, Jourat al-Shiah, and Qarabees.  SOHR also reported that government forces raided the city of Hama, just north of Damascus.

UN observers again visited the central Syrian village of Treimsa, where, according to SOHR, Thursday’s shelling and fighting left more than 150 people dead, including dozens of rebels.  The opposition and part of the international community declared it a “massacre.”  In a statement made Sunday night, the UN mission said that “more than 50 houses were burned and/or destroyed” in Treimsa, stating the presence of “pools of blood and body parts.”

On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused the west of “elements of blackmail,” warning that the UN observer mission would not see its mandate extended later this month if Moscow did not agree to UN sanctions.  Russia, which has strong ties with Syria and has vetoed several calls for foreign intervention , circulated its own draft resolution calling for the mandate’s extension  but without the threat of sanctions.  Mr. Lavrov said that it was “not right” to say that pressure should only be brought upon the government of Bashar Al-Assad and not on the opposition.

“We do not support Assad,” he said.  “We support what has been agreed on by all sides.”

Mr. Lavrov also said it was unrealistic to expect Russia to persuade Assad to step down.

Kofi Annan, who is acting as the UN and Arab League’s special envoy for Syria, arrived in Moscow on Monday.  He will meet with Mr. Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.  Mr. Annan is expected to urge Russia to put more pressure on Syria’s leaders to begin a political transition.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will meet with Chinese leaders in Beijing next week.  Like Russia, China has also vetoed several Western-backed UN draft resolutions.  Friday is the deadline for the end of the UN observer mission’s mandate will expire.

For further information, please see:

Al Bawaba — Clashes in Damascus as Over 100 Dead Across Syria — 16 July 2012

Al Jazeera — Violence Rages in the Syrian Capital — 16 July 2012

BBC News — Syria Unrest: Second day of Fierce Damascus Clashes — 16 July 2012

The Guardian — Syria: Fierce Fighting in Damascus — 16 July 2012

Human Rights Watch Urges Russian Authorities to Investigate Estemirova’s Murder

By Connie Hong
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia –  Last year, Human Rights Watch joined other rights groups in demanding an investigation into the murder of rights activist Natalia Estemirova.  Little has been done in the past year and the group, once again, urged Russian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, including an inquiry into possible official involvement, of her death.

Human rights activist, Natalia Estemirova. (Photo courtesy of Human Rights Watch)
Human rights activist, Natalia Estemirova. (Photo courtesy of Human Rights Watch)

Estemirova reported on human rights abuses committed by the Chechen government, such as extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances.  On July 15, 2009, Estemirova was kidnapped outside her home in Grozny.  Her body was later discovered in Ingushetia, covered with multiple gunshot wounds.

Although three years have passed since her murder, those responsible for her death have yet to be identified.  Russian authorities stated that investigations are still ongoing, but believed that Estemirova’s death was likely caused by Chechen insurgents as a result of her exposing some of their crimes.

Their preliminary conclusion left both leading Russian human rights activists and Human Rights Watch unconvinced.  Human Rights Watch criticized the authorities for failing to conduct an in-depth investigation that considered more plausible theories, including one that involved government officials.  The group also pointed to the number of discrepancies in the evidence that the authorities have provided in order to bolster their belief that Estemirova was murdered by insurgents.

The group called the authorities to reveal and make public all the steps that were taken to examine the possibility of official involvement in the killing.

The situation for human right defenders in the region continues to worsen after Estemirova’s death.  Aside from Estemirova, Maksharip Aushev, Zarema Sadulayeva, Alik Dzhabrailov, Andrei Kulagin, and Stanislav Markelov have also been slain.

In its recent statement, Humans Rights Watch expressed concern regarding the safety of other Russian rights activists and groups.  It noted that the Chechen authorities have repeatedly harassed rights groups providing legal aid and assistance to victims of law enforcement abuses in Chechnya.

One rights group being targeted is the Joint Mobile Group, which sends rotating teams of human rights lawyers to Chechnya to provide legal assistance.  The group was founded in response to the death of Estemoriva.  Igor Kaliapin, one of the co-founders of the Joint Mobile Group, have been threatened with criminal proceedings for allegedly disclosing confidential information in his blog, articles, and interviews about cases of human rights abuses.

Human Rights Watch have called on the authorities to cease all criminal inquiry against Kaliapin, and instead, focus their investigations on the attacks and murders of other activists in the region.

 

For further information, please see:

Amnesty International — Russia must deliver justice for Natalia Estemirova and other murdered activists — 14 July 2012

Human Rights Watch — Russia: Bring Natalia Estemirova’s Murderers to Justice — 13 July 2012

Jurist — HRW: Russia authorities must investigate rights activist’s murder — 13 July 2012