Morocco: Address Unfair Convictions in Mass Terror Trial
(New York) – The Moroccan court currently hearing the appeal of 35 people convicted on terrorism-related charges should address allegations that confessions were falsified or obtained through torture and other violations of their right to a fair trial, Human Rights Watch and Adala, a Moroccan organization working for judicial independence, said today.
United States: End Detention of Refugees for Failure to File Forms
(Washington, DC) – US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arbitrarily detains refugees and holds them indefinitely for failing to meet paperwork requirements, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. People who have already been accepted as refugees face an often confusing requirement to apply for a green card for legal permanent resident status, after a year in the United States.
Letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Regarding the Deportation of Lao Hmong Asylum Seekers and Refugees
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
Government House
Pitsanulok Road, Dusit
Bangkok 10300
Thailand
Re: Prevent Deportation of Lao Hmong Asylum Seekers and Refugees
Dear Prime Minister,
Iran must end slide into bloodshed
Amnesty International has condemned the “wholly avoidable” deaths of up to 15 people in Iran during the ‘Ashoura religious commemorations.
The organization called on the authorities to ensure that those attending funerals and commemorations in the coming days and weeks are guaranteed the right to assemble peacefully and to express their opposition to the current government.
"The spiral of violence is growing in Iran and the excessive force by the security forces appears to be meeting unprecedented resistance from protestors,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
Demonstrations on 27 December were policed by the Basij, a plain-clothed, volunteer paramilitary force under the control of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Special Forces units of the police. In the unrest following June’s presidential elections, Basij personnel used firearms.
“The loss of life during ‘Ashoura was wholly avoidable and this slide to more bloodshed must end now," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.
Amnesty International has only been able to contact people in central Tehran who spoke of day-long clashes, from Vali Asr Square, College and Hafez Bridges – the latter of which security personnel used to hurl rocks at vehicles below – and Revolution Square (Meydan-e Enghlab) in the day to Mir-Damad street late into the evening as swathes of the city with covered in the smoke from the tear gas.
The funeral of 35 year old Seyed Ali Mousavi, the nephew of former presidential candidate and political leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, is expected to take place along with others in the coming days.
Iran is bound by international human rights treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that guarantee the right of peaceful assembly and expression.
"Despite Amnesty International’s and others’ advance appeals, in far too many places the authorities singularly failed to respect the rights of those Iranians taking part in ‘Ashoura commemorations to peacefully assemble and to express themselves, even in opposition to the government. We deplore the increased levels of violence and renewed killing on ‘Ashoura that was wholly avoidable.”
“The Supreme Leader and government must instruct the police to end the use of force while leaders of the Revolutionary Guard must withdraw the Basij from demonstrations since time and time again it has been shown that their actions are fuelling conflict, leading to the loss of life.”
Amnesty International again urged the authorities to invite to Iran independent human rights experts, such as those from the UN, in order to make an independent investigation into ongoing human rights violations.
"Inquiries announced by the authorities so far have been confusing and opaque and are simply not believed by most Iranians,” Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said.
Amnesty International also expressed concern at reports of arrests that are said to have taken place on 28 December. Reports indicate that political leader had once again been detained along with three advisors to Mir Hossein Mousavi and Ayatollah Mousavi Tabrizi, a religious leader.
Human rights activist was detained at 06:45 in the morning, reportedly by four plain-clothed and armed men who are said to have forcibly entered Baghi’s residence. A Dubai TV correspondent, a Syrian national, appeared to be unaccounted for in the course of 27 December.
Amnesty International considers Emadeddin Baghi and Ebrahim Yazdi to be prisoners of conscience.
Background
The unrest on ‘Ashoura was the worst since the days following the June 2009 presidential election. As then, the mobile phone networks and internet services appeared largely disabled.
‘Ashoura, the 10th day of the Islamic month of Moharram, is a Shi’a Muslim religious occasion marking the killing, or martyrdom, of Hossein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad and an important religious and community leader.
By around 21:00 GMT on 27 December the Acting Head of the Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) for Greater Tehran, Ahmad Reza Radan had admitted to four deaths in Tehran, adding that there were 300 hundred arrests.
One person was said to have fallen off a bridge; two in car accidents and only one man – whose identity was not revealed – was said to have been shot. It is widely believed that this was a reference to Mir Hossein Mousavi’s nephew.
Commander Ahmad Reza Radan of the Iranian police called the shooting suspicious since the police were not equipped with guns. During the unrest in June and July 2009, it appeared that only the Basij militia and members of the Revolutionary Guards were armed.
The authorities have claimed that some of those arrested belonged the illegal People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), banned since the early 1980s.
The Jonbesh-e Rah-e Sabz (JARAS) news outlet issued five names of individuals who were said to have been killed on ‘Ashoura: Mehdi Farhadinia, Mohammad Ali Rasekhinia, Amir Arshadi, Shahram Faraji and Seyed Ali Mousavi, who is said to be the nephew of Mir Hossein Mousavi, one of the presidential candidates in June’s election. Amnesty International has not been able to confirm the names issued.
Confrontation between thousands of mourners marking what is believed by Shi’a Muslims to be the martyrdom of Emam Hossein on the tenth (‘ashoura) day of the month of Moharram and security officials were reported from Tabriz, Babol and Mashhad in the north of Iran; Tehran, Qom, Najaf Abad and Esfahan in the centre and Shiraz in the south.
Israel/Gaza: One Year After Hostilities, Abuses Unpunished
(Jerusalem) – One year after the start of major hostilities in Gaza, both Israel and Hamas have failed to punish members of their own forces forlaws-of-war violations during the fighting, Human Rights Watch said today. Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza has also created massive humanitarian need and prevented the reconstruction of schools, homes, and basic infrastructure.
Victims of Gaza and Southern Israel conflict still await justice
One year after Israel’s major military offensive on the Gaza Strip, Amnesty International has again urged all parties to meet their obligations to pursue accountability for war crimes and serious human rights violations that occurred during the conflict.
"Impunity, if it is allowed to persist, not only undermines justice and the rule of law but makes it all the more likely that further, grave human rights violations will be committed," said Malcolm Smart, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.
No one has been held accountable for the war crimes and other grave violations of international law reported by a UN Fact Finding Mission, Amnesty International and Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights organizations.
After the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel, the distinguished South African jurist Judge Richard Goldstone was mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to head a Fact Finding Mission to investigate allegations of war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.
In a report published last September, Judge Goldstone and his team concluded that both the Israeli military forces and Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
Following the Goldstone report, the UN General Assembly asked both the Israeli government and the Palestinian side to conduct their own investigations that are credible, independent and conform to international standards.
Amnesty International said on Sunday that if they fail to do so the international community must step in and take the measures necessary to ensure that those who perpetrated war crimes or other crimes under international law are held to account.
"There must be accountability for what happened in Gaza and southern Israel one year ago," said Malcolm Smart. "Those responsible, on both sides, cannot be allowed to evade accountability for the crimes that were committed. If the Israelis and Palestinians cannot – or will not – deliver justice themselves, the international community must ensure that the perpetrators are held to account."
Meanwhile, Gaza remains effectively cut off from the outside world by the continuing Israeli military blockade, which limits the amount of food, fuel, and other essential items that are allowed into the Gaza Strip, rendering reconstruction and recovery from the war virtually impossible.
The Israeli government launched its offensive on the Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008, with the declared aim of stopping Palestinian armed groups from firing indiscriminate rockets into southern Israel.
In the three weeks that followed, the population of Gaza was subjected to aerial and ground attacks by the Israeli military that left some 1400 Palestinians dead, including hundreds of unarmed civilians and more than 300 children.
Thirteen Israelis were killed during the conflict, including three civilians killed in rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups.
An Amnesty International research team in southern Israel and Gaza during and in the immediate aftermath of the fighting found compelling evidence of war crimes and other serious violations by Israeli forces and by Palestinian armed groups.
The hundreds of unguided rockets fired by Palestinian armed groups at Israeli towns and villages were incapable of being directed at specific targets. They killed three civilians, injured others, damaged civilian buildings in southern Israel, and displaced thousands from their homes.
In Gaza, the Israeli military used a range of imprecise weapons and munitions in densely-populated civilian areas; these included artillery shells and mortars, and flechette shells fired from tanks.
Israeli forces repeatedly fired highly incendiary white phosphorus shells, many of which burst in the air over densely-populated areas showering people and buildings beneath with burning wedges impregnated with white phosphorus. The use of white phosphorus is strictly restricted under international law because of its highly incendiary nature; when it lands on human skin it burns deeply through the skin, muscle tissue and into the bone.
Some Israeli attacks were directed against UN compounds, including on buildings where Palestinian civilians had fled in search of sanctuary.
Many Palestinian civilians were killed with high-precision weapons which can strike with extreme accuracy, relying on surveillance drones which have exceptionally good optics, allowing those watching to see their targets in detail. Israeli officials have yet to explain adequately why so many civilians were killed in these types of attacks.
During the 22 days of the offensive, Israeli forces frequently obstructed medical care and humanitarian aid from those wounded and trapped. They prevented ambulances and medical staff from attending to the wounded and transporting them to hospital and in several cases targeted ambulance and rescue crews and others who were trying to evacuate the wounded.
Thousands of homes in Gaza as well as hospitals, schools, and the water and the electricity infrastructure were destroyed or damaged by the Israeli military.
Stop Zim’s abusive diamond trade
You would think that, with its vibrant diamond trade, South Africa would be first in line to prevent the smuggling of diamonds from Zimbabwe. Instead, South Africa has played a more equivocal role with its neighbour. The result is that South Africa is at risk of endangering its own diamond industry.
Libya: Free Prominent Rights Advocate
(New York) – Libyan authorities should immediately release and drop all charges against Jamal el-Haji, a political prisoner arrested on December 9, 2009, for publicly criticizing human rights violations in Libya, Human Rights Watch said today. The case highlights the need to reform oppressive criminal laws curtailing free expression, Human Rights Watch said.
Iran must allow peaceful gatherings during ‘Ashoura
Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities to ensure that freedom to gather peacefully is assured during ’Ashoura religious celebrations this month.
“Iran’s government must make ‘Ashoura the time to end the practice of preventing peaceful demonstrations – including by making pre-emptive, arbitrary arrests – and ensure that excessive force is not used in the event that those taking part in ‘Ashoura commemorations gather to voice their opposition to the government,” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa programme.
“We call on the Supreme Leader to ensure that no one faces arrest or the batons of plain-clothed Basij for merely taking part in a peaceful demonstration on such a solemn occasion.”
Amnesty International has repeatedly condemned mounting repression of dissent in Iran and the excessive use of force.
It has called for the Basij not to be used in the policing of demonstrations on account of the violence they have meted out against those taking part in ongoing demonstrations.
Protests have continued since the disputed June election, sometimes on days marking other events of national significance.
‘Ashoura, the 10th day of the Islamic month of Moharram, is a Shi’a Muslim religious occasion marking the killing, or martyrdom, of Hossein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad and an important religious and community leader. It will be marked by a national holiday in Iran on 26 and 27 December.
Tunisia: President, Emboldened by Vote, Cracks Down on Critics
(New York) – Tunisian authorities should quash the convictions on the journalists Taoufik Ben Brik and Zouhair Makhlouf after unfair trials and immediately set them free, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should also investigate an attack on another journalist, Slim Boukhdir, and halt the harassment of journalists, Human Rights Watch said.