EXERTS FROM A LETTER TO THE INDEPENDENT POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMISSION- UNITED KINGDOM
Dear Tim Ashton
I have gone from here to the end of every legal avenue in your country to rectify this matter. If you are not to hold this corruption accountable then who is? The police officer were found by your findings to be culpable of oppressive and harassing treatment of me last year warranting the complaint against them, which
they have once again slipped thought the cracks of justice. They have yet to be ever held accountable as per their flogging me off annually leading up to last years finding by the IPCC.
You confirmed that my complaint against the Met for having not expunged my record was not included in the complaint filed against them last year and therefore making this obviously a new complaint now. Especially, as the criminal record held against me is tarnishing my very namesake and ever criminal background check conducted there and in that of my own home country of the United States.
This is in spite of the fact that my record was to due be expunge of a dubiously brought against me charges and even more flimsy conviction TWO YEARS ago.
Charges they attempted to punish me with under further malicious arrest in 2003 after I made complaints which led to formal complaint charges brought against them in 2002 are still stood on my record as active. I happened to be found not guilty so why oh why are the two charges moronically brought against me charges by the police officers named in last years formal complaint against not expunged. They should have those charges I was found not guilty of FOUR YEARS later removed from active status and removed all together!
Do I have to physical entered into the police records department to personally expunge my record myself? I will happily do so. However, I just might bring along with a film or camera crew to document the occasion just in case the police wished to try another malicious fast one on me.
Meanwhile, I am writing a book about my horrendous ordeal with a view of publication over the next few months. I do not intend to change the names of any malicious or corruptly involved police officer or Metropolitan Official who has allowed this to happen to me.
I will not be denied justice in this matter no matter how many doors the London Met think they have the power to block or close on my effort to vindicate myself. I will speak with a voice that will be heard loudly against their deliberate attempts to be held accountable to everyone person upon this earth living or decease knows my story and witness the true power of courage in the face of such horrendous abuse of power.
I trust that it is not your commission’s intention to not hold those responsible for what has happened to me accountable in some form or another. As no one on their side has been prosecuted, not even the false witnesses against me, no one has been demoted quite the opposite from what I understand, I have not received compensation, an out of court settlement, nor the expunging of my police record. I do not think it is out my own human rights to demand an apology from the police officers themselves and the London Met Police on a whole. For they all should be ashamed, they have grossly gone after me and to their shock I have withstood it all and still stand against them.
I want to get on with my life and forget them, the UK, the past ten years of my life which ironically the only one thing worth remembering is in fact the very man whom this sorry situation was spurred on because of. That man is Alastair Burlingham. He I will never forget and cherish always. The rest can all go to hell as it were!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Kesha Coggins
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The names of the MAIN police officers at the heart of the abuse of power I suffered for eight years are the following
DC Driss Hayoukane-Kensington and Chelsea Police Station, London UK
DC Asheworth-Collingdale Police Station, London UK
DC Fryer-Marylebone Police Station, London UK
DC Pagne-Marylebone Police Station, London UK
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL-EU PRESS RELEASE
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
EU PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: EUR 46/046/2007 (Public)
Date: 26 October 2007
EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT:
HUMAN RIGHTS REQUIRE A COHERENT MESSAGE WITH ONE EU VOICE
(Brussels, 26 October) The EU should use today's Summit with the Russian Federation to press for progress on a number of key human rights issues, says Amnesty International.
One year since the killing of journalist and human rights defender Anna Politkovskaya, civil society activists and media continue to suffer pressure and intimidation, particularly those working on the North Caucasus. At least one journalist has reportedly had to flee the country in order to protect herself and her family.
This is only one side of the difficulties experienced by those who dare to speak out. In the North Caucasus, especially Ingushetia, the security situation has seriously deteriorated and there are accusations that the Federal Security Service has been involved in arbitrary detentions, torture, disappearances and extra-judicial executions.
The way racist crimes have been addressed by Russian authorities is another serious concern. Despite some progress, violent racist attacks continue to occur in Russia with alarming regularity and there is an apparent reluctance from authorities to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.
"These are just some examples of the grave violations of human rights that occur in Russia today and undermine the country's credibility as a key actor and partner of the international community," said Dick Oosting, Director of Amnesty International's EU Office.
"At the last Summit, in May in Samara, the EU was able to speak with one voice and firmly address the human rights problems in Russia. It is necessary to maintain that as an important signal to ordinary Russian citizens who want to live in a society that respects their rights", he added.
In a briefing (available at www.amnesty-eu.org) the human rights organization lists the key concerns which it asks the EU to address, namely:
Ø On-going human rights violations by state officials in the North Caucasus, particularly Ingushetia;
Ø The deterioration of freedom of expression and assembly in Russia, which has especially targeted civil society organizations;
Ø Cases of racist violence and apparent police inaction when faced with these crimes.
********
EU PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: EUR 46/046/2007 (Public)
Date: 26 October 2007
EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT:
HUMAN RIGHTS REQUIRE A COHERENT MESSAGE WITH ONE EU VOICE
(Brussels, 26 October) The EU should use today's Summit with the Russian Federation to press for progress on a number of key human rights issues, says Amnesty International.
One year since the killing of journalist and human rights defender Anna Politkovskaya, civil society activists and media continue to suffer pressure and intimidation, particularly those working on the North Caucasus. At least one journalist has reportedly had to flee the country in order to protect herself and her family.
This is only one side of the difficulties experienced by those who dare to speak out. In the North Caucasus, especially Ingushetia, the security situation has seriously deteriorated and there are accusations that the Federal Security Service has been involved in arbitrary detentions, torture, disappearances and extra-judicial executions.
The way racist crimes have been addressed by Russian authorities is another serious concern. Despite some progress, violent racist attacks continue to occur in Russia with alarming regularity and there is an apparent reluctance from authorities to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.
"These are just some examples of the grave violations of human rights that occur in Russia today and undermine the country's credibility as a key actor and partner of the international community," said Dick Oosting, Director of Amnesty International's EU Office.
"At the last Summit, in May in Samara, the EU was able to speak with one voice and firmly address the human rights problems in Russia. It is necessary to maintain that as an important signal to ordinary Russian citizens who want to live in a society that respects their rights", he added.
In a briefing (available at www.amnesty-eu.org) the human rights organization lists the key concerns which it asks the EU to address, namely:
Ø On-going human rights violations by state officials in the North Caucasus, particularly Ingushetia;
Ø The deterioration of freedom of expression and assembly in Russia, which has especially targeted civil society organizations;
Ø Cases of racist violence and apparent police inaction when faced with these crimes.
********
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA-Press Release
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, Oct. 26, 2007, 2007
Amnesty International Calls for Probe in Killings of Somali Journalists
Situation for Journalists is Worst Since 1991 State Collapse, with Eight Killed this Year
(Washington) -- In the wake of the Oct. 19 murder of journalist Bashir Nur Gedi, Amnesty International has said that attacks on Somali journalists are higher this year than in any other year since the overthrow of the Siad Barre government in 1991. The organization called on Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to begin an immediate investigation into the killings of eight journalists and bring those responsible to justice.
Since Ethiopian forces captured Mogadishu from the Union of Islamic Courts in December 2006, the situation for journalists and other civilians has continued to deteriorate; eight journalists have been killed this year and others threatened with violence. No arrests have been made. The most recent killing was of Bashir Nur Gedi, acting manager of the Shabelle Media Network, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his house on Friday, Oct. 19.
"Intimidating and harming journalists has apparently become a tool of war for armed parties in the Somali conflict," said Lynn Fredriksson, AIUSA advocacy director for Africa. "Attacks on journalists violate their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and press, as recognized in international human rights laws and treaties. The U.S. government must press the TFG to take concrete actions to stop these violations immediately."
In addition to journalists, humanitarian workers have also been subjected to attacks. The extraordinary raid on the U.N. compound in Mogadishu by more than 50 officers of the TFG's National Security Service on Oct. 17 and the arbitrary detention of Idris Osman, the local director of the U.N. World Food Program from Oct. 17-23, demonstrate a flagrant disregard for the rights of humanitarian workers acting to provide for the essential needs of vulnerable populations.
Amnesty International calls on the TFG to conduct prompt, effective and impartial investigations into the killings and threats of violence against journalists, humanitarian workers and other civilians and to bring those responsible to justice through fair trials and without the application of the death penalty.
The TFG must also end its repeated closings of media organizations and the arrests of journalists by its security forces, the organization said. These actions have created an environment where attacks against journalists assumed to be in reprisal for their reporting have become commonplace.
Since Amnesty International's last statement on the dangers faced by journalists in Somalia, particularly in Mogadishu (Urgent need for protection of journalists, Sept. 7, 2007), attacks on journalists have continued and include the following:
The attempted shooting of Radio Shabelle's acting manager Jafar Mohammed "Kukay" in Mogadishu on Sept. 24 and the siege of Radio Shabelle's building on Sept. 18, during which TFG security forces fired automatic weapons at windows, injuring a security guard. The U.N. Special Envoy to Somalia later reported that TFG leaders had stated this was an accident and gave assurance that it would not happen again.
The temporary closure of Radio Garowe in the Puntland capital of Garowe on Oct. 19 and the arrest of three members of its staff by Puntland security forces. All were released on Oct. 20 and the station has resumed broadcasting.
The closure for 24 hours of Radio Simba, a Mogadishu-based radio station and the arrest of two Radio Simba journalists by TFG security forces on Oct. 11. Abdullahi Ali Farah and Mohammed Farah were released the next day.
The arbitrary detention of Mr. Mohamed Hussein Jimale, a Mogadishu-based journalist from the news website www.puntlandpost.com, who was detained by TFG police in the prison adjacent to the President's Office in Villa Somalia Sept. 12-16.
Numerous other incidents in recent weeks of journalists being harassed, intimidated and arrested for short periods of time in Mogadishu by TFG security forces.
Amnesty International has also called on the TFG Minister for Information, Madobe Numow Mohamed, to respect the legitimate role of journalists. Amnesty International is concerned to note that the minister, in a letter dated Oct. 3, 2007, declared that the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) was not recognized by the TFG and had no right to represent and organize journalists. The NUSOJ has been a strong and impartial advocate for the rights of Somali journalists, documenting attacks on journalists and calling for action.
Amnesty International urges the international community to press the TFG to prioritize the protection of journalists. The United Nations, the United States, the European Union and the African Union have all invested considerable energy and resources in the development of the Transitional Federal Institutions of Somalia. It is essential that they use their resulting influence to uphold press freedom and freedom of expression in Somalia, and the right to physical integrity for all journalists in Somalia.
# # #
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, 212-633-4150
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, Oct. 26, 2007, 2007
Amnesty International Calls for Probe in Killings of Somali Journalists
Situation for Journalists is Worst Since 1991 State Collapse, with Eight Killed this Year
(Washington) -- In the wake of the Oct. 19 murder of journalist Bashir Nur Gedi, Amnesty International has said that attacks on Somali journalists are higher this year than in any other year since the overthrow of the Siad Barre government in 1991. The organization called on Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to begin an immediate investigation into the killings of eight journalists and bring those responsible to justice.
Since Ethiopian forces captured Mogadishu from the Union of Islamic Courts in December 2006, the situation for journalists and other civilians has continued to deteriorate; eight journalists have been killed this year and others threatened with violence. No arrests have been made. The most recent killing was of Bashir Nur Gedi, acting manager of the Shabelle Media Network, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his house on Friday, Oct. 19.
"Intimidating and harming journalists has apparently become a tool of war for armed parties in the Somali conflict," said Lynn Fredriksson, AIUSA advocacy director for Africa. "Attacks on journalists violate their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and press, as recognized in international human rights laws and treaties. The U.S. government must press the TFG to take concrete actions to stop these violations immediately."
In addition to journalists, humanitarian workers have also been subjected to attacks. The extraordinary raid on the U.N. compound in Mogadishu by more than 50 officers of the TFG's National Security Service on Oct. 17 and the arbitrary detention of Idris Osman, the local director of the U.N. World Food Program from Oct. 17-23, demonstrate a flagrant disregard for the rights of humanitarian workers acting to provide for the essential needs of vulnerable populations.
Amnesty International calls on the TFG to conduct prompt, effective and impartial investigations into the killings and threats of violence against journalists, humanitarian workers and other civilians and to bring those responsible to justice through fair trials and without the application of the death penalty.
The TFG must also end its repeated closings of media organizations and the arrests of journalists by its security forces, the organization said. These actions have created an environment where attacks against journalists assumed to be in reprisal for their reporting have become commonplace.
Since Amnesty International's last statement on the dangers faced by journalists in Somalia, particularly in Mogadishu (Urgent need for protection of journalists, Sept. 7, 2007), attacks on journalists have continued and include the following:
The attempted shooting of Radio Shabelle's acting manager Jafar Mohammed "Kukay" in Mogadishu on Sept. 24 and the siege of Radio Shabelle's building on Sept. 18, during which TFG security forces fired automatic weapons at windows, injuring a security guard. The U.N. Special Envoy to Somalia later reported that TFG leaders had stated this was an accident and gave assurance that it would not happen again.
The temporary closure of Radio Garowe in the Puntland capital of Garowe on Oct. 19 and the arrest of three members of its staff by Puntland security forces. All were released on Oct. 20 and the station has resumed broadcasting.
The closure for 24 hours of Radio Simba, a Mogadishu-based radio station and the arrest of two Radio Simba journalists by TFG security forces on Oct. 11. Abdullahi Ali Farah and Mohammed Farah were released the next day.
The arbitrary detention of Mr. Mohamed Hussein Jimale, a Mogadishu-based journalist from the news website www.puntlandpost.com, who was detained by TFG police in the prison adjacent to the President's Office in Villa Somalia Sept. 12-16.
Numerous other incidents in recent weeks of journalists being harassed, intimidated and arrested for short periods of time in Mogadishu by TFG security forces.
Amnesty International has also called on the TFG Minister for Information, Madobe Numow Mohamed, to respect the legitimate role of journalists. Amnesty International is concerned to note that the minister, in a letter dated Oct. 3, 2007, declared that the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) was not recognized by the TFG and had no right to represent and organize journalists. The NUSOJ has been a strong and impartial advocate for the rights of Somali journalists, documenting attacks on journalists and calling for action.
Amnesty International urges the international community to press the TFG to prioritize the protection of journalists. The United Nations, the United States, the European Union and the African Union have all invested considerable energy and resources in the development of the Transitional Federal Institutions of Somalia. It is essential that they use their resulting influence to uphold press freedom and freedom of expression in Somalia, and the right to physical integrity for all journalists in Somalia.
# # #
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, 212-633-4150
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA-Press Release
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
PRESS RELEASE
Embargoed until October 25, 2007 00:01 GMT
Amnesty International Calls on Russian Federation to Adhere to the Rule of Law in Ingushetia and Avoid Repeating Mistakes Made in Chechnya
(Washington, DC)--Amnesty International warned that Russian and Ingush government authorities must not repeat mistakes made in Chechnya. There are an increasing number of enforced "disappearances," abductions and other human rights violations as the situation in Ingushetia, Chechnya's neighbor in the Russian Federation, rapidly deteriorates.
"After their blunders in Chechnya, the Russian authorities cannot afford to defy the law in dealing with the explosive situation in Ingushetia," said Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA executive director. "The Russian Federation government must ensure that any detention of Ingush detainees is performed in accord with Russian law and international human rights standards.
"Russian forces frequently disregarded the law during the Chechnya conflict and conducted 'disappearances' and torture of civilians. These shameful actions have damaged the lives and psyche of the civilians and also undercut the Federation's global credibility. The rule of law must be the center of any response to the security crisis in Ingushetia. Anything less is not only illegal but immoral," said Cox.
On the eve of the forthcoming European Union-Russia summit in Portugal on October 26, Amnesty International urges the Russian Federation to abide by international treaties to which it has agreed. Russian and Ingush authorities must ensure that their security forces' actions are carried out according to international standards and Russian law.
Law enforcement officials are reportedly conducting document checks and detentions in Ingushetia without identifying themselves, and in some cases wearing masks. In an apparently punitive raid on the village of Ali Yurt in July 2007, villagers were reportedly rounded up and beaten, while seven men were detained and taken to the building of the Federal Security Services in Magas where some were reportedly ill-treated. At least three men have been shot dead in the town of Nazran by law enforcement officers over the course of the year. While the authorities have stated that these men had put up armed resistance, witnesses to the killings claim that the men were summarily executed. Similar incidents have been reported in the towns of Malgobek and Karabulak.
Three men are still missing after being abducted by Russian security forces in Ingushetia this year. A fourth man's whereabouts remain unknown, after he went missing in March 2007. Other men have been released after having been abducted. Some of these detainees have been ill-treated or held in secret detention, including in pits dug in the ground. A number of other ethnic Ingush men are reported to have gone missing in neighboring North Ossetia. Their relatives believe they may have been detained by law enforcement officials and subsequently disappeared.
Ibragim Gazdiev, an ethnic Ingush, was, according to witnesses, seized by armed men in camouflage, at 12:54 pm on August 8, 2007, in Karabulak, in the Russian Republic of Ingushetia. He has not been seen or heard from since and according to unofficial information, may be held in incommunicado detention in Ingushetia or in a neighboring North Caucasus republic. The authorities however have officially denied that Gazdiev is being held in detention, and Amnesty International has grave concerns for his safety. The prosecutor's office is reported to have opened a criminal investigation into Gazdiev's abduction.
"U.S. government policy must not overlook the harmful results of Russia's violations related to the armed conflict in Chechnya," said Maureen Greenwood-Basken, Amnesty International USA advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia. "The lack of accountability for Russian security forces and armed groups appears to be spreading from Chechnya to Ingushetia. The U.S. government should address this impunity with Russian authorities and continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered North Caucasus and support for the human rights defenders in the region."
Amnesty International is also concerned about human rights abuses reportedly committed by armed groups against civilians, including abductions. The organization has also received information that unknown gunmen are committing numerous attacks against members of ethnic Russian families and then detonating a bomb at the funeral of one of the victims. In addition, members of a Roma family, two Korean men and a Dagestani family have also been killed during such attacks. At the same time, armed groups have launched attacks, often fatal, against members of law enforcement agencies in Ingushetia.
Contact: Sharon Singh, 202-544-0200x302
PRESS RELEASE
Embargoed until October 25, 2007 00:01 GMT
Amnesty International Calls on Russian Federation to Adhere to the Rule of Law in Ingushetia and Avoid Repeating Mistakes Made in Chechnya
(Washington, DC)--Amnesty International warned that Russian and Ingush government authorities must not repeat mistakes made in Chechnya. There are an increasing number of enforced "disappearances," abductions and other human rights violations as the situation in Ingushetia, Chechnya's neighbor in the Russian Federation, rapidly deteriorates.
"After their blunders in Chechnya, the Russian authorities cannot afford to defy the law in dealing with the explosive situation in Ingushetia," said Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA executive director. "The Russian Federation government must ensure that any detention of Ingush detainees is performed in accord with Russian law and international human rights standards.
"Russian forces frequently disregarded the law during the Chechnya conflict and conducted 'disappearances' and torture of civilians. These shameful actions have damaged the lives and psyche of the civilians and also undercut the Federation's global credibility. The rule of law must be the center of any response to the security crisis in Ingushetia. Anything less is not only illegal but immoral," said Cox.
On the eve of the forthcoming European Union-Russia summit in Portugal on October 26, Amnesty International urges the Russian Federation to abide by international treaties to which it has agreed. Russian and Ingush authorities must ensure that their security forces' actions are carried out according to international standards and Russian law.
Law enforcement officials are reportedly conducting document checks and detentions in Ingushetia without identifying themselves, and in some cases wearing masks. In an apparently punitive raid on the village of Ali Yurt in July 2007, villagers were reportedly rounded up and beaten, while seven men were detained and taken to the building of the Federal Security Services in Magas where some were reportedly ill-treated. At least three men have been shot dead in the town of Nazran by law enforcement officers over the course of the year. While the authorities have stated that these men had put up armed resistance, witnesses to the killings claim that the men were summarily executed. Similar incidents have been reported in the towns of Malgobek and Karabulak.
Three men are still missing after being abducted by Russian security forces in Ingushetia this year. A fourth man's whereabouts remain unknown, after he went missing in March 2007. Other men have been released after having been abducted. Some of these detainees have been ill-treated or held in secret detention, including in pits dug in the ground. A number of other ethnic Ingush men are reported to have gone missing in neighboring North Ossetia. Their relatives believe they may have been detained by law enforcement officials and subsequently disappeared.
Ibragim Gazdiev, an ethnic Ingush, was, according to witnesses, seized by armed men in camouflage, at 12:54 pm on August 8, 2007, in Karabulak, in the Russian Republic of Ingushetia. He has not been seen or heard from since and according to unofficial information, may be held in incommunicado detention in Ingushetia or in a neighboring North Caucasus republic. The authorities however have officially denied that Gazdiev is being held in detention, and Amnesty International has grave concerns for his safety. The prosecutor's office is reported to have opened a criminal investigation into Gazdiev's abduction.
"U.S. government policy must not overlook the harmful results of Russia's violations related to the armed conflict in Chechnya," said Maureen Greenwood-Basken, Amnesty International USA advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia. "The lack of accountability for Russian security forces and armed groups appears to be spreading from Chechnya to Ingushetia. The U.S. government should address this impunity with Russian authorities and continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered North Caucasus and support for the human rights defenders in the region."
Amnesty International is also concerned about human rights abuses reportedly committed by armed groups against civilians, including abductions. The organization has also received information that unknown gunmen are committing numerous attacks against members of ethnic Russian families and then detonating a bomb at the funeral of one of the victims. In addition, members of a Roma family, two Korean men and a Dagestani family have also been killed during such attacks. At the same time, armed groups have launched attacks, often fatal, against members of law enforcement agencies in Ingushetia.
Contact: Sharon Singh, 202-544-0200x302
Monday, October 22, 2007
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - Iran
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Public Statement
AI Index: MDE 13/122/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 200
18 October 2007
Iran: Amnesty International condemns new wave of executions
Amnesty International today expressed alarm at the new wave of executions in Iran and said that it has already recorded almost 250 executions since the beginning of 2007, although the true total of those put to death could be significantly higher.
The victims of the latest executions include a woman who was apparently convicted for a murder which took place as she sought to protect herself from an attempted rape, and one or possibly three child offenders.
On Wednesday 17 October alone, at least nine people were executed in Tehran's Evin Prison, all of them convicted of murder, and at least another three in Shiraz, who were convicted for the kidnapping and rape of two women. On 10 October, two Iranian Kurds were hanged in Sanandaj Prison for the murder of a security official, which took place in January 2007.
With the executions in Sanandaj, Shiraz and Tehran, Amnesty International has, to date, recorded 244 executions in the course of 2007, although the organisation fears that the true figure could be significantly higher.
The execution of at least nine people in Tehran's Evin Prison included Fakhteh S, a 24 year old, who was sentenced to death for the murder of a man, aged 80, at his house. Fakhteh S reportedly worked as a caretaker at the man's residence and was found by the court to have stolen some of his property. She alleged that he was trying to rape her when she stabbed him. She was hanged inside Evin Prison at 5:30 on the morning of 17 October 2007.
Babak, 23, was sentenced to death for the murder by suffocation of his room-mate, which took place on 12 January 2002. It is unclear whether he was under 18 years of age at the time, or if either of two others convicted in the same case were under 18; if so, they were the latest child offenders to have been executed in Iran in violation of international standards prohibiting the use of the death penalty for persons who commit crimes while under 18..
Amnesty is gravely concerned at reports that six members of Iran's Arab minority are also at risk of imminent execution. According to their families, Rasool 'Ali Mezrea', 65, Hamza Sawari, 20, Zamel Bawi, 'Abdul-Imam Za'eri, Nazem Bureihi and Ahmad Marmazi, 35, all held in Karoun Prison, Khuzestan, have been moved to a cell reserved for those soon to be executed.
Rasool 'Ali Mezrea' is a member of the Ahwazi Liberation Organization (ALO) and is recognized as a refugee by the United Nations High commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and had been accepted for resettlement in a third country, but was forcibly returned to Iran from Syria on 16 May 2006.
Hamza Sawari, Zamel Bawi, 'Abdul-Imam Za'eri and Nazem Bureihi had their death sentences confirmed on 10 June 2006 by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz, Khuzestan. At the end of July 2006 the Supreme Court upheld the sentences of Abdul-Imam Za'eri and Nazem Bureihi.
The five men have reportedly been accused of being "mohareb" (at enmity with God) which can carry the death penalty. Other charges include "destabilising the country," "attempting to overthrow the government," "possession of home made bombs," "sabotage of oil installations," and carrying out bombings in Ahvaz, which took place between June and October 2005 and caused the deaths of at least six people and wounded more than a hundred others.
Nazem Bureihi has reportedly been in custody since 2000 having been arrested on charges of "insurgency". Though he was serving a 35 year prison sentence, he was among nine men shown on Khuzestan Provincial television on 1 March 2006, "confessing" to involvement in the October 2005 bombings.
Zamel Bawi was reportedly convicted of hiding seven home-made time bombs, which he allegedly defused before his arrest.
Amnesty International recognizes the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences, but opposes the death penalty as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. The organisation is calling on the Iranian authorities to commute all death sentences with a view to establishing a moratorium.
In view of the irreversible nature of the death penalty, the organisation is once again urging Iran's judiciary to review all cases of those sentenced to death to ensure that the all international standards protecting the right to a fair trial were scrupulously observed in these cases.
In light of Amnesty International's long-standing concerns relating to the administration of justice in Iran, the organisation urges the judicial authorities to ensure that all safeguards and due process guarantees set out in international standards applicable during pre-trial, trial and appellate stages must be fully respected.
Amnesty International reminds the Iranian authorities that Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party, states that the sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes in accordance with the law in force at the time of the commission of the crime, and that this means that crimes punishable by death should not go beyond intentional crimes with lethal or other extremely grave consequences and that all mitigating factors must be taken into account.
Public Statement
AI Index: MDE 13/122/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 200
18 October 2007
Iran: Amnesty International condemns new wave of executions
Amnesty International today expressed alarm at the new wave of executions in Iran and said that it has already recorded almost 250 executions since the beginning of 2007, although the true total of those put to death could be significantly higher.
The victims of the latest executions include a woman who was apparently convicted for a murder which took place as she sought to protect herself from an attempted rape, and one or possibly three child offenders.
On Wednesday 17 October alone, at least nine people were executed in Tehran's Evin Prison, all of them convicted of murder, and at least another three in Shiraz, who were convicted for the kidnapping and rape of two women. On 10 October, two Iranian Kurds were hanged in Sanandaj Prison for the murder of a security official, which took place in January 2007.
With the executions in Sanandaj, Shiraz and Tehran, Amnesty International has, to date, recorded 244 executions in the course of 2007, although the organisation fears that the true figure could be significantly higher.
The execution of at least nine people in Tehran's Evin Prison included Fakhteh S, a 24 year old, who was sentenced to death for the murder of a man, aged 80, at his house. Fakhteh S reportedly worked as a caretaker at the man's residence and was found by the court to have stolen some of his property. She alleged that he was trying to rape her when she stabbed him. She was hanged inside Evin Prison at 5:30 on the morning of 17 October 2007.
Babak, 23, was sentenced to death for the murder by suffocation of his room-mate, which took place on 12 January 2002. It is unclear whether he was under 18 years of age at the time, or if either of two others convicted in the same case were under 18; if so, they were the latest child offenders to have been executed in Iran in violation of international standards prohibiting the use of the death penalty for persons who commit crimes while under 18..
Amnesty is gravely concerned at reports that six members of Iran's Arab minority are also at risk of imminent execution. According to their families, Rasool 'Ali Mezrea', 65, Hamza Sawari, 20, Zamel Bawi, 'Abdul-Imam Za'eri, Nazem Bureihi and Ahmad Marmazi, 35, all held in Karoun Prison, Khuzestan, have been moved to a cell reserved for those soon to be executed.
Rasool 'Ali Mezrea' is a member of the Ahwazi Liberation Organization (ALO) and is recognized as a refugee by the United Nations High commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and had been accepted for resettlement in a third country, but was forcibly returned to Iran from Syria on 16 May 2006.
Hamza Sawari, Zamel Bawi, 'Abdul-Imam Za'eri and Nazem Bureihi had their death sentences confirmed on 10 June 2006 by Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz, Khuzestan. At the end of July 2006 the Supreme Court upheld the sentences of Abdul-Imam Za'eri and Nazem Bureihi.
The five men have reportedly been accused of being "mohareb" (at enmity with God) which can carry the death penalty. Other charges include "destabilising the country," "attempting to overthrow the government," "possession of home made bombs," "sabotage of oil installations," and carrying out bombings in Ahvaz, which took place between June and October 2005 and caused the deaths of at least six people and wounded more than a hundred others.
Nazem Bureihi has reportedly been in custody since 2000 having been arrested on charges of "insurgency". Though he was serving a 35 year prison sentence, he was among nine men shown on Khuzestan Provincial television on 1 March 2006, "confessing" to involvement in the October 2005 bombings.
Zamel Bawi was reportedly convicted of hiding seven home-made time bombs, which he allegedly defused before his arrest.
Amnesty International recognizes the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences, but opposes the death penalty as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. The organisation is calling on the Iranian authorities to commute all death sentences with a view to establishing a moratorium.
In view of the irreversible nature of the death penalty, the organisation is once again urging Iran's judiciary to review all cases of those sentenced to death to ensure that the all international standards protecting the right to a fair trial were scrupulously observed in these cases.
In light of Amnesty International's long-standing concerns relating to the administration of justice in Iran, the organisation urges the judicial authorities to ensure that all safeguards and due process guarantees set out in international standards applicable during pre-trial, trial and appellate stages must be fully respected.
Amnesty International reminds the Iranian authorities that Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party, states that the sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes in accordance with the law in force at the time of the commission of the crime, and that this means that crimes punishable by death should not go beyond intentional crimes with lethal or other extremely grave consequences and that all mitigating factors must be taken into account.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
PRESS RELEASE
October 18, 2007
Human Rights Groups Say Congress Should Keep Hold on Military Aid to Colombia
Visiting Colombian Defense Secretary Must Explain Rise in Reports of Extrajudicial Executions, Say Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch
(Washington)--Amnesty International USA and Human Rights Watch today called on members of Congress to question Colombian Defense Secretary Juan Manuel Santos during his two-day trip to Washington about the steep rise in reports of extrajudicial executions by the Colombian military.
The organizations urged Congress to maintain a hold on $55 million in military assistance until substantial progress is made in addressing key human rights concerns. Defense Secretary Santos is currently in Washington on a two-day visit.
"Colombia's Defense Secretary must explain to Congress why there has been a dramatic rise in reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by the armed forces over the past several years, and why these killings continue to this day," AIUSA and HRW said. "By maintaining the hold on military aid, Congress will continue to send a clear signal that US money will not flow freely to the military until these reports are thoroughly investigated and appropriate remedial action is taken."
Last March, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice certified the release of $55.2 million in military funds to Colombia after vouching for the country?s progress in human rights in a 56-page "Memorandum of Justification." Only one paragraph in the document made reference to cases of extrajudicial executions.
Earlier that month, however, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that the executions were not isolated events but rather were occurring "in various units over a large area of the country" and were becoming "increasingly common." The UN High Commissioner demanded "far-reaching measures." Congress then put a hold on the release of the funds.
Some of the executions are reportedly being committed by military units that have received US military aid and by units operating under the guidance of US military advisers, according to Amnesty International.
An international mission of legal experts accompanied by Colombian organizations recently traveled to different parts of the country to examine the reports of extrajudicial executions and impunity for members of the security forces. A coalition of Colombian human rights groups had previously documented the serious human rights violations. AIUSA and HRW have also gathered information on such cases.
"This is an extremely delicate time in Colombia," the two organizations said. "Congress needs to send the clear message that, consistent with U.S. law, the release of the funds will depend on Colombia making substantial progress on human rights."
Reports of extrajudicial executions are thought to be in the hundreds annually. Various reports show a pattern of soldiers allegedly killing civilians and presenting them as guerrillas killed in combat. Investigations, when pursued, are often done under military jurisdiction, and more often than not, are inadequate.
AIUSA and HRW said the US government, which has advised Colombia on reforming its military justice system, must now tell the Colombian government that cases implicating the security forces in human rights violations must once and for all be excluded from military courts.
Rather than take the issue of extrajudicial executions seriously, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in a July speech claimed that "the guerrillas have another strategy: every time there is a casualty in the guerrillas, they immediately mobilize their chorus leaders in the country and abroad to say that it was an extrajudicial execution."
Uribe has repeatedly made statements attempting to link human rights groups to Colombia?s guerrilla groups, which for decades have been responsible for serious and repeated violations of international humanitarian law.
AIUSA and HRW also noted that there has been no significant progress in a number of high-profile cases of human rights violations implicating the military. One example is the case of General Rito Alejo del Río, whose US visa was revoked several years ago due to evidence that he had collaborated with paramilitaries in human rights violations when he commanded the 17th Brigade of the Colombian Army. Early in the Uribe administration, the investigation was summarily closed. Paramilitary commander Salvatore Mancuso has recently stated in hearings before prosecutors that Del Río had, in fact, collaborated with his group. Prosecutors have yet to reopen any investigation into the allegations against Del Río.
Another case of concern to the organizations is the February 2005 massacre of eight people in the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó. AIUSA and HRW welcome the decision of the Attorney General?s office to call on 69 soldiers to testify in connection with the massacre.
"Unfortunately, instead of fully supporting this serious investigation, Minister of Defense Santos questioned the prosecutors' decision," said AIUSA and HRW.
Concerns also remain about the over 160 killings of Peace Community members since 1997, most of which were reportedly committed by paramilitaries and the security forces who have not been prosecuted.
Given concerns about military aid and the critical human rights situation in the country, the Colombian government should fully comply with repeated UN human rights recommendations.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel (AIUSA),(212)-633-4150, Maria McFarland (HRW),(508)757-0357
In Washington: Jose Miguel Vivanco (HRW),(917)-519-8363
PRESS RELEASE
October 18, 2007
Human Rights Groups Say Congress Should Keep Hold on Military Aid to Colombia
Visiting Colombian Defense Secretary Must Explain Rise in Reports of Extrajudicial Executions, Say Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch
(Washington)--Amnesty International USA and Human Rights Watch today called on members of Congress to question Colombian Defense Secretary Juan Manuel Santos during his two-day trip to Washington about the steep rise in reports of extrajudicial executions by the Colombian military.
The organizations urged Congress to maintain a hold on $55 million in military assistance until substantial progress is made in addressing key human rights concerns. Defense Secretary Santos is currently in Washington on a two-day visit.
"Colombia's Defense Secretary must explain to Congress why there has been a dramatic rise in reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by the armed forces over the past several years, and why these killings continue to this day," AIUSA and HRW said. "By maintaining the hold on military aid, Congress will continue to send a clear signal that US money will not flow freely to the military until these reports are thoroughly investigated and appropriate remedial action is taken."
Last March, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice certified the release of $55.2 million in military funds to Colombia after vouching for the country?s progress in human rights in a 56-page "Memorandum of Justification." Only one paragraph in the document made reference to cases of extrajudicial executions.
Earlier that month, however, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that the executions were not isolated events but rather were occurring "in various units over a large area of the country" and were becoming "increasingly common." The UN High Commissioner demanded "far-reaching measures." Congress then put a hold on the release of the funds.
Some of the executions are reportedly being committed by military units that have received US military aid and by units operating under the guidance of US military advisers, according to Amnesty International.
An international mission of legal experts accompanied by Colombian organizations recently traveled to different parts of the country to examine the reports of extrajudicial executions and impunity for members of the security forces. A coalition of Colombian human rights groups had previously documented the serious human rights violations. AIUSA and HRW have also gathered information on such cases.
"This is an extremely delicate time in Colombia," the two organizations said. "Congress needs to send the clear message that, consistent with U.S. law, the release of the funds will depend on Colombia making substantial progress on human rights."
Reports of extrajudicial executions are thought to be in the hundreds annually. Various reports show a pattern of soldiers allegedly killing civilians and presenting them as guerrillas killed in combat. Investigations, when pursued, are often done under military jurisdiction, and more often than not, are inadequate.
AIUSA and HRW said the US government, which has advised Colombia on reforming its military justice system, must now tell the Colombian government that cases implicating the security forces in human rights violations must once and for all be excluded from military courts.
Rather than take the issue of extrajudicial executions seriously, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in a July speech claimed that "the guerrillas have another strategy: every time there is a casualty in the guerrillas, they immediately mobilize their chorus leaders in the country and abroad to say that it was an extrajudicial execution."
Uribe has repeatedly made statements attempting to link human rights groups to Colombia?s guerrilla groups, which for decades have been responsible for serious and repeated violations of international humanitarian law.
AIUSA and HRW also noted that there has been no significant progress in a number of high-profile cases of human rights violations implicating the military. One example is the case of General Rito Alejo del Río, whose US visa was revoked several years ago due to evidence that he had collaborated with paramilitaries in human rights violations when he commanded the 17th Brigade of the Colombian Army. Early in the Uribe administration, the investigation was summarily closed. Paramilitary commander Salvatore Mancuso has recently stated in hearings before prosecutors that Del Río had, in fact, collaborated with his group. Prosecutors have yet to reopen any investigation into the allegations against Del Río.
Another case of concern to the organizations is the February 2005 massacre of eight people in the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó. AIUSA and HRW welcome the decision of the Attorney General?s office to call on 69 soldiers to testify in connection with the massacre.
"Unfortunately, instead of fully supporting this serious investigation, Minister of Defense Santos questioned the prosecutors' decision," said AIUSA and HRW.
Concerns also remain about the over 160 killings of Peace Community members since 1997, most of which were reportedly committed by paramilitaries and the security forces who have not been prosecuted.
Given concerns about military aid and the critical human rights situation in the country, the Colombian government should fully comply with repeated UN human rights recommendations.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel (AIUSA),(212)-633-4150, Maria McFarland (HRW),(508)757-0357
In Washington: Jose Miguel Vivanco (HRW),(917)-519-8363
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - China: Reform
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: ASA 17/051/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 197
18 October 2007
Embargo Date: 18 October 2007 01:00 GMT
China: Reform of abusive detention law vital to Beijing Olympics human rights commitments
Amnesty International today published an open letter to the Standing Committee of China's legislature, the National People's Congress, calling for an end to 'Re-education Through Labour' (RTL), a form of detention imposed without charge, trial or judicial review for up to four years.
According to official Chinese media, the Standing Committee is due to discuss a new law, the 'Illegal Behaviour Correction Law', to replace RTL this month. The reform of RTL, and the discussion on the new law, has been stalled for more than two years.
Meanwhile, in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing police have used China's hosting of the Games as a pretext to extend abusive detention practices such as RTL and 'Enforced Drug Rehabilitation', in the name of 'cleaning up' the city.
"Efforts to 'clean up' the city ahead of the Games through extending detention without trial raise serious questions about the commitment Chinese officials have made to improve their human rights record at the awarding of the Games to China," said Catherine Baber, Head of the Asia-Pacific Programme at Amnesty International.
Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be held in RTL facilities, many in harsh conditions. RTL is used against people considered by the Chinese police to have committed offences not serious enough to be punished under the Criminal Law. These include petty criminals, critics of the government and followers of banned beliefs.
The proposed reform of RTL has been on China's legislative agenda for more than two years. Amnesty International has long raised concerns about the use of RTL, and urges the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in the lead-up to the Olympics to ensure that any legislation adopted to replace RTL complies fully with international human rights standards, including the right to fair trial.
"A positive Olympic legacy would mean fair trials according to international standards and an end to arbitrary police detention," said Catherine Baber. "We are less than one year from the start of the Beijing Games, and if the Chinese authorities are serious about the commitment they have made to improve their human rights record, they now have a unique opportunity to move one step closer to this, by ending these abusive detention practices."
Note to editors:
The National People's Congress (NPC) is distinct from the Chinese Communist Party which is holding its 17th Congress this week. The NPC is China's legislature and highest state body. It comprises around 3,000 delegates and meets every year for two weeks in March. The Standing Committee of the NPC exercises power between these sessions and meets every two months.
To download a copy of the open letter to the National People's Congress, please visit: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170202007
To download a copy of the media kit listing Amnesty International's concerns in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympic Games, please visit:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170432007
Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org
For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org
PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: ASA 17/051/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 197
18 October 2007
Embargo Date: 18 October 2007 01:00 GMT
China: Reform of abusive detention law vital to Beijing Olympics human rights commitments
Amnesty International today published an open letter to the Standing Committee of China's legislature, the National People's Congress, calling for an end to 'Re-education Through Labour' (RTL), a form of detention imposed without charge, trial or judicial review for up to four years.
According to official Chinese media, the Standing Committee is due to discuss a new law, the 'Illegal Behaviour Correction Law', to replace RTL this month. The reform of RTL, and the discussion on the new law, has been stalled for more than two years.
Meanwhile, in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing police have used China's hosting of the Games as a pretext to extend abusive detention practices such as RTL and 'Enforced Drug Rehabilitation', in the name of 'cleaning up' the city.
"Efforts to 'clean up' the city ahead of the Games through extending detention without trial raise serious questions about the commitment Chinese officials have made to improve their human rights record at the awarding of the Games to China," said Catherine Baber, Head of the Asia-Pacific Programme at Amnesty International.
Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be held in RTL facilities, many in harsh conditions. RTL is used against people considered by the Chinese police to have committed offences not serious enough to be punished under the Criminal Law. These include petty criminals, critics of the government and followers of banned beliefs.
The proposed reform of RTL has been on China's legislative agenda for more than two years. Amnesty International has long raised concerns about the use of RTL, and urges the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in the lead-up to the Olympics to ensure that any legislation adopted to replace RTL complies fully with international human rights standards, including the right to fair trial.
"A positive Olympic legacy would mean fair trials according to international standards and an end to arbitrary police detention," said Catherine Baber. "We are less than one year from the start of the Beijing Games, and if the Chinese authorities are serious about the commitment they have made to improve their human rights record, they now have a unique opportunity to move one step closer to this, by ending these abusive detention practices."
Note to editors:
The National People's Congress (NPC) is distinct from the Chinese Communist Party which is holding its 17th Congress this week. The NPC is China's legislature and highest state body. It comprises around 3,000 delegates and meets every year for two weeks in March. The Standing Committee of the NPC exercises power between these sessions and meets every two months.
To download a copy of the open letter to the National People's Congress, please visit: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170202007
To download a copy of the media kit listing Amnesty International's concerns in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympic Games, please visit:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170432007
Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org
For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - Public Statement
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Public Statement
AI Index: ASA 33/023/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 201
19 October 2007
Pakistan: Amnesty International condemns bomb attacks on political rally in Karachi
Amnesty International condemns the bomb attacks on a peaceful political rally held by the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in Karachi on 18 October which reportedly resulted in the death of more than 130 people and the injury of over 500.
Amnesty International condemns all deliberate attacks against civilians. Such attacks are absolutely prohibited under international law and can never be justified. They demonstrate an utter disregard for the most fundamental principles of humanity, and must be immediately, totally and unconditionally stopped.
The nature of the bomb attacks have yet to be confirmed, but most media reports state that suicide bombers caused the blasts. No group, as yet, has claimed responsibility.
The attacks took place when Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's former Prime Minister, was leading a rally of her party supporters on her return to Pakistan after more than eight years of self-imposed exile.
In recent months, Pakistan has suffered a series of suicide attacks across the country which have killed at least 100 civilians, including in the capital Islamabad and in Rawalpindi and Peshawar. Armed political groups have been suspected of carrying out these attacks, including at least one other peaceful political gathering.
Amnesty International calls upon all parties -- state and non state actors -- to respect every person's right to life, as well as their right to peacefully exercise their freedom of expression, association and assembly, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The organization regards respect for and protection of these rights as of critical importance as political tension rise in the run up to the general elections expected to be held by January 2008.
Amnesty International urges the Government of Pakistan to ensure that the bomb attacks on the Karachi rally and previous attacks on civilians are investigated promptly, independently and impartially. Those suspected of perpetrating the attacks must be brought to justice, in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness and without the imposition of the death penalty.
Background Information:
The latest attacks come against a backdrop of increasing political tensions in the country following the suspension by President Musharraf of the Chief Justice in March 2007, which resulted widespread mass protests, with over 40 people killed in violent clashes in Karachi in May. In June hundreds of political activists in Punjab province and other parts of the country were subject to arbitrary arrest and detention as they sought hold peaceful rallies in support of the Chief Justice - who was reinstated in July 2006.
Political violence, including suicide attacks, increased again following operations by the security forces to flush out armed militants from Islamabad's Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) in July. In recent months there has been an upsurge in armed attacks in Warziristan in the Tribal Areas, which border Afghanistan, between radical militants and the Pakistan security forces, with both sides reportedly resorting to indiscriminate attacks in which many of civilians have reportedly died.
Additionally political tensions have mounted in the run-up to Presidential elections (held in October) and general elections (expected by January 2008). There have been repeated reports of excessive use of force by the authorities against largely peaceful demonstrations by political activists, lawyers and others.
Public Statement
AI Index: ASA 33/023/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 201
19 October 2007
Pakistan: Amnesty International condemns bomb attacks on political rally in Karachi
Amnesty International condemns the bomb attacks on a peaceful political rally held by the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in Karachi on 18 October which reportedly resulted in the death of more than 130 people and the injury of over 500.
Amnesty International condemns all deliberate attacks against civilians. Such attacks are absolutely prohibited under international law and can never be justified. They demonstrate an utter disregard for the most fundamental principles of humanity, and must be immediately, totally and unconditionally stopped.
The nature of the bomb attacks have yet to be confirmed, but most media reports state that suicide bombers caused the blasts. No group, as yet, has claimed responsibility.
The attacks took place when Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's former Prime Minister, was leading a rally of her party supporters on her return to Pakistan after more than eight years of self-imposed exile.
In recent months, Pakistan has suffered a series of suicide attacks across the country which have killed at least 100 civilians, including in the capital Islamabad and in Rawalpindi and Peshawar. Armed political groups have been suspected of carrying out these attacks, including at least one other peaceful political gathering.
Amnesty International calls upon all parties -- state and non state actors -- to respect every person's right to life, as well as their right to peacefully exercise their freedom of expression, association and assembly, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The organization regards respect for and protection of these rights as of critical importance as political tension rise in the run up to the general elections expected to be held by January 2008.
Amnesty International urges the Government of Pakistan to ensure that the bomb attacks on the Karachi rally and previous attacks on civilians are investigated promptly, independently and impartially. Those suspected of perpetrating the attacks must be brought to justice, in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness and without the imposition of the death penalty.
Background Information:
The latest attacks come against a backdrop of increasing political tensions in the country following the suspension by President Musharraf of the Chief Justice in March 2007, which resulted widespread mass protests, with over 40 people killed in violent clashes in Karachi in May. In June hundreds of political activists in Punjab province and other parts of the country were subject to arbitrary arrest and detention as they sought hold peaceful rallies in support of the Chief Justice - who was reinstated in July 2006.
Political violence, including suicide attacks, increased again following operations by the security forces to flush out armed militants from Islamabad's Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) in July. In recent months there has been an upsurge in armed attacks in Warziristan in the Tribal Areas, which border Afghanistan, between radical militants and the Pakistan security forces, with both sides reportedly resorting to indiscriminate attacks in which many of civilians have reportedly died.
Additionally political tensions have mounted in the run-up to Presidential elections (held in October) and general elections (expected by January 2008). There have been repeated reports of excessive use of force by the authorities against largely peaceful demonstrations by political activists, lawyers and others.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - EU-Africa Summit
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: AFR 01/003/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 202
22 October 2007
EU-Africa Summit: Amnesty International denies reports of call for Sudanese exclusion
Amnesty International today denied reports that it had issued a call for Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir to be excluded from attending the upcoming EU-Africa Summit, scheduled to take place in Lisbon in December this year.
The reports were carried by the Portuguese news agency LUSA and Agence France Presse (AFP) on 19 October.
Amnesty International said that it welcomes dialogue and urged leaders from both Africa and the EU to ensure that human rights are a key part of the talks planned for December.
"Regardless of who attends the EU-Africa Summit, we would like to see a positive human rights outcome of the meeting and believe that human rights in both Africa and the EU countries should be at the heart of any EU-African dialogue," said Erwin van der Borght, Director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme.
Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org
For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org
PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: AFR 01/003/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 202
22 October 2007
EU-Africa Summit: Amnesty International denies reports of call for Sudanese exclusion
Amnesty International today denied reports that it had issued a call for Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir to be excluded from attending the upcoming EU-Africa Summit, scheduled to take place in Lisbon in December this year.
The reports were carried by the Portuguese news agency LUSA and Agence France Presse (AFP) on 19 October.
Amnesty International said that it welcomes dialogue and urged leaders from both Africa and the EU to ensure that human rights are a key part of the talks planned for December.
"Regardless of who attends the EU-Africa Summit, we would like to see a positive human rights outcome of the meeting and believe that human rights in both Africa and the EU countries should be at the heart of any EU-African dialogue," said Erwin van der Borght, Director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme.
Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org
For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org
Thursday, October 18, 2007
HRF Honors Iranian Women's Leader, TV’s 'Criminal Minds' and Retired Military Leaders at Annual Awards Dinner
HRF Honors Iranian Women's Leader, TV’s 'Criminal Minds' and Retired Military Leaders at Annual Awards Dinner
By Human Rights First
Release: October 16, 2007
Human Rights First brought together Iranian human rights advocates, retired U.S. generals and admirals, celebrities, and philanthropists for its 2007 Human Rights Award Dinner, recognizing extraordinary work in the past year to end human rights violations around the world. Dinner host Meredith Vieira of NBC’s “Today” show and HRF board member Sigourney Weaver were among the 1,000 people at the annual gathering, held at New York’s Chelsea Piers.
Iranian women’s leader Fariba Davoodi Mohajer, one of the founders of the One Million Signatures Campaign for women’s rights, received the 2007 Human Rights Award for dedicating her life to challenging laws that discriminate against Iranian women, including the lack of legal recourse for victims of violence.
Sam Waterston of “Law and Order” presented the Award for Excellence in Television to the CBS program “Criminal Minds” for its realistic depictions of torture and interrogation.
The retired generals and admirals, including speakers Gen. Joseph Hoar and Rear Adm. John Hutson, were recognized for their leadership in bringing prisoner treatment back into line with the Geneva Conventions and ensuring that torture is never again a part of U.S. policy. In April 2007, they began meeting individually with presidential candidates to discuss the need for policies that honor the values American servicemembers fight to protect.
By Human Rights First
Release: October 16, 2007
Human Rights First brought together Iranian human rights advocates, retired U.S. generals and admirals, celebrities, and philanthropists for its 2007 Human Rights Award Dinner, recognizing extraordinary work in the past year to end human rights violations around the world. Dinner host Meredith Vieira of NBC’s “Today” show and HRF board member Sigourney Weaver were among the 1,000 people at the annual gathering, held at New York’s Chelsea Piers.
Iranian women’s leader Fariba Davoodi Mohajer, one of the founders of the One Million Signatures Campaign for women’s rights, received the 2007 Human Rights Award for dedicating her life to challenging laws that discriminate against Iranian women, including the lack of legal recourse for victims of violence.
Sam Waterston of “Law and Order” presented the Award for Excellence in Television to the CBS program “Criminal Minds” for its realistic depictions of torture and interrogation.
The retired generals and admirals, including speakers Gen. Joseph Hoar and Rear Adm. John Hutson, were recognized for their leadership in bringing prisoner treatment back into line with the Geneva Conventions and ensuring that torture is never again a part of U.S. policy. In April 2007, they began meeting individually with presidential candidates to discuss the need for policies that honor the values American servicemembers fight to protect.
Pavee Lackeen
Pavee Lackeen
Date: Tue 19 February 2008
Directed by Perry Ogden
Running time 88 mins, (cert 15)
This event is part of our Behind the Screen series
"Life is like a bank: what you put in you get out." So says a fortune teller in the opening scene of Pavee Lackeen. By rights, the world should lie open before the 10-year-old girl whose palm has just been read. However Young Winnie is an Irish Traveller, and the revelation in the following scene that her mother has just had to hock her own wedding ring for a small amount of cash suggests that Winnie may never have much capital to invest in the bank of life. And if Winnie's existence already seems precarious at the film's beginning, it is far more so by the end.
Played by a largely non-professional cast of Travellers, this is a funny and moving portrait of a community destined to remain in a trap of poverty, illiteracy and petty crime, engendered by uncaring bureaucracy and social exclusion.
Find out how to get to the Human Rights Action Centre
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Date: Tue 19 February 2008
Directed by Perry Ogden
Running time 88 mins, (cert 15)
This event is part of our Behind the Screen series
"Life is like a bank: what you put in you get out." So says a fortune teller in the opening scene of Pavee Lackeen. By rights, the world should lie open before the 10-year-old girl whose palm has just been read. However Young Winnie is an Irish Traveller, and the revelation in the following scene that her mother has just had to hock her own wedding ring for a small amount of cash suggests that Winnie may never have much capital to invest in the bank of life. And if Winnie's existence already seems precarious at the film's beginning, it is far more so by the end.
Played by a largely non-professional cast of Travellers, this is a funny and moving portrait of a community destined to remain in a trap of poverty, illiteracy and petty crime, engendered by uncaring bureaucracy and social exclusion.
Find out how to get to the Human Rights Action Centre
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Rosita
Rosita
Date: Tue 18 March 2008
'Horrific and heartbreaking, a must see piece of film making' Eye For Film
Directed by Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater
Running time 58 mins
This event is part of our Behind the Screen series
In January 2003, news spreads throughout Central and South America that a nine-year-old Nicaraguan girl has become pregnant as the result of a rape. Rosita is the only child of illiterate campesinos working in Costa Rica as coffee pickers at the time of the assault. Fearing for their daughter's life and mental health, Rosita's parents are determined to obtain an abortion for their child.
Their quest pits them against the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the medical establishment, and the Catholic Church. When their story gains international media attention, the repercussions ripple across Latin America and Europe.
This is a Women's Action Network screening.
There will be a voluntary donation requested of £5.
Find out how to get to the Human Rights Action Centre
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Date: Tue 18 March 2008
'Horrific and heartbreaking, a must see piece of film making' Eye For Film
Directed by Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater
Running time 58 mins
This event is part of our Behind the Screen series
In January 2003, news spreads throughout Central and South America that a nine-year-old Nicaraguan girl has become pregnant as the result of a rape. Rosita is the only child of illiterate campesinos working in Costa Rica as coffee pickers at the time of the assault. Fearing for their daughter's life and mental health, Rosita's parents are determined to obtain an abortion for their child.
Their quest pits them against the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the medical establishment, and the Catholic Church. When their story gains international media attention, the repercussions ripple across Latin America and Europe.
This is a Women's Action Network screening.
There will be a voluntary donation requested of £5.
Find out how to get to the Human Rights Action Centre
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Born Into Brothels
Born Into Brothels
Date: Tue 22 April 2008
Directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kaufman
Running time 82 mins
This event is part of our Behind the Screen series
Winner of the 2003 Academy Award for documentaries, Born Into Brothels follows the lives of a group of children in Sonagachi in the red light district in Calcutta.
Photojournalist and director Zana Briski gave the children cameras and taught them how to shoot and edit the world they knew: the crowded, filthy boarding house where their mothers live and toil. For this group of bright, energetic, curious kids, the only path out of the brothels leads to a decent boarding school, and Briski sees their photography as a means to fund their education.
The spectre of long odds and narrow choices shades every frame, yet the tone is often buoyant and inspirational, as when the class runs riot during a seaside field trip. Born Into Brothels testifies to the kids untaught resilience and hope, and to their mentor's selfless energy.
Find out more about our work on children's rights
More about human rights in India
Find out how to get to the Human Rights Action Centre
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Date: Tue 22 April 2008
Directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kaufman
Running time 82 mins
This event is part of our Behind the Screen series
Winner of the 2003 Academy Award for documentaries, Born Into Brothels follows the lives of a group of children in Sonagachi in the red light district in Calcutta.
Photojournalist and director Zana Briski gave the children cameras and taught them how to shoot and edit the world they knew: the crowded, filthy boarding house where their mothers live and toil. For this group of bright, energetic, curious kids, the only path out of the brothels leads to a decent boarding school, and Briski sees their photography as a means to fund their education.
The spectre of long odds and narrow choices shades every frame, yet the tone is often buoyant and inspirational, as when the class runs riot during a seaside field trip. Born Into Brothels testifies to the kids untaught resilience and hope, and to their mentor's selfless energy.
Find out more about our work on children's rights
More about human rights in India
Find out how to get to the Human Rights Action Centre
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Friday, October 12, 2007
Cross-border Conference on Human Rights Education 2007
Cross-border Conference on Human Rights Education 2007
Date: Thu 13 December 2007
To encourage the promotion human rights education in the education sectors in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To showcase examples of good practice and engage professionals in reflecting on the challenges and opportunities involved in integrating a human rights based approach to policy and practice.
Event Type Conference
Event venue Dublin castle
Time 9.30am
Contact Mary Kerr
Email mary.kerr@amnesty.org.uk
Website http://www.liftoffschools.com
Price £25.00
Date: Thu 13 December 2007
To encourage the promotion human rights education in the education sectors in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To showcase examples of good practice and engage professionals in reflecting on the challenges and opportunities involved in integrating a human rights based approach to policy and practice.
Event Type Conference
Event venue Dublin castle
Time 9.30am
Contact Mary Kerr
Email mary.kerr@amnesty.org.uk
Website http://www.liftoffschools.com
Price £25.00
Film screening: Water
Film screening: Water
Date: Tue 20 November 2007
Screening of Deepa Metha's latest film 'Water' (cert 12a). This powerful film examines the plight of widows forced into poverty in 1930s India. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q & with invited guests.
About the film
Following her husband’s death, wilful seven-year-old Chuyia is abandoned, kicking and screaming, at a widows’ ashram – and immediately silenced by the commanding Madhumati, mistress and madame of this impoverished, self-governing ‘prison’ of untouchables. Whether young, middle-aged or, like the cadaverous ‘auntie’, ancient, these widows are serving a virtual life sentence for innocent crimes against Hinduism’s harshest dictates. Naturally cheerful Chuyia is sustained by a precious, if delusional, belief in imminent rescue. But even that is threatened when beautiful ally Kalyani begins an affair with handsome Brahmin’s son Narayan, leaving only devout Shakuntala to offer friendship and hope in this living hell.
This is a Womens Action Network screening.
There will be a voluntary donation of £5 requested.
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Amnesty International UK, Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Date: Tue 20 November 2007
Screening of Deepa Metha's latest film 'Water' (cert 12a). This powerful film examines the plight of widows forced into poverty in 1930s India. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q & with invited guests.
About the film
Following her husband’s death, wilful seven-year-old Chuyia is abandoned, kicking and screaming, at a widows’ ashram – and immediately silenced by the commanding Madhumati, mistress and madame of this impoverished, self-governing ‘prison’ of untouchables. Whether young, middle-aged or, like the cadaverous ‘auntie’, ancient, these widows are serving a virtual life sentence for innocent crimes against Hinduism’s harshest dictates. Naturally cheerful Chuyia is sustained by a precious, if delusional, belief in imminent rescue. But even that is threatened when beautiful ally Kalyani begins an affair with handsome Brahmin’s son Narayan, leaving only devout Shakuntala to offer friendship and hope in this living hell.
This is a Womens Action Network screening.
There will be a voluntary donation of £5 requested.
Event Type Film
Dedicated event Behind the Screen
Event venue Amnesty International UK, Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Time 6.30pm
Price Free of charge
Online tickets Book this event
Friday, October 5, 2007
Amnesty International Film Festival Expose
By Amnesty International
The festival office is now closed. We will check email only occasionally during this time. Until further notice, film submissions will only be considered for our On Campus Film Festival, our educational outreach program of free screenings in High Schools and University campuses. Please see submissions information on this page.
MISSION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Few artistic media have the power to reach across cultures, languages, and even time itself to influence millions of people in the language of our daily lives. Film has such power. Each year dozens of talented filmmakers work against long odds, short finances, and threatening politics to bring to the screen powerful stories of human struggle, sacrifice, and triumph. Some documentary filmmakers have risked their very lives so that we may be moved by far-off stories that, once told, seem very much closer to home. The Amnesty International Film Festival is dedicated to bringing these stories to our communities so that our colleagues, neighbors, and friends can see for themselves the full-range of challenges facing people in every part of the world.
And while public education is at the center of the festival's mission, our goals do not stop there. As a program of the world's largest human rights organization, the Film Festival also draws heavily on Amnesty International's experience as a worldwide campaigning movement. We strive to offer concrete opportunities to create positive change for those who are moved by what they have seen.
From Urgent Actions® on individual cases of human rights abuses, to regional action networks focusing on specific areas of the world, to topical programs like OUTFront for LGBT human rights issues and the USA Domestic Human Rights Program, all festival goers will have an opportunity to become meaningfully involved. Whether on behalf of issues they have long cared about, or on behalf of causes they may just have learned about in the documentary screening, Amnesty International stands ready to help them channel their energy.
PROGRAMMING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Amnesty International Film Festival was launched in the United States in Seattle in 1992 with the purpose of showcasing the best in documentary and fiction filmmaking related to human rights. Both because of the tremendous global reach of Amnesty International, and because we have focused on building relationships directly with filmmakers, production companies, television stations, and other film festivals around the world, we are able to offer programming that in many cases will simply never be seen anywhere else in the U.S. These include dozens of documentary films—some feature length and others shorter—some fiction films, animated pieces, and occasionally foreign broadcasts that are otherwise inaccessible to U.S. audiences. In addition, we are also proud to screen some of the most noteworthy and celebrated documentary films made here in the U.S. each year, including many that will go on to air on PBS, HBO, or other networks. The festival also takes pains to include archive presentations of classic feature films from major studios with strong human rights content that help us to place today’s issues in an important historical context (Universal Pictures(c) "Missing" (2002 West Hollywood Festival) or Warner Bros.(c) "The Killing Fields" (2003 West Hollywood Festival).
SUBMISSIONS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Amnesty International Film Festival On Campus accepts submissions on a rolling basis throughout the year. The festival accepts documentary, feature, animated, and music video works for its annual programs. Submissions must be on VHS (PAL or NTSC) or DVD, and should be accompanied by a signed submission form. Please send all submissions to: Amnesty International Film Festival, 350 Sansome Street, Suite 630, San Francisco, CA 94104. There are no submission fees and the festival is not competitive.
We invite your submissions, comments, and appreciate your support!
Featured Film
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the bustling streets of Rangoon and the tranquility of Buddhist monasteries, Irene Marty takes us on a dangerous journey into Burma's jungle, where hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people flee from forced labor, murder, and torture at the hands of the ruling military junta. Defying the most potent weapon of the genocide - silence - Marty gives voice to Burma's ethnic minorities and political opposition, as they struggle for freedom and democratic rule.
VHS Tapes Of In The Shadow Of The Pagodas For Sale
We have copies of "In the Shadow of the Pagodas" for sale at $20 apiece plus postage. If you want to purchase a copy, please send an e-mail to filmfest@aiusa.org
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVALS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Continents Film Festival (Asia, Africa, Americas)
Derhumalc (Argentina)
One World (Czech Republic)
(A)lliance Cine' (France):
Perspective (Germany)
Human Rights Nights (Italy)
Amnesty International Film Festival (Netherlands)
Human Rights in Film (Poland)
Stalker (Russia)
Seoul Human Rights Film Festival (South Korea)
International Film Festival of Human Rights (Spain)
International Film Festival on Human Rights (Switzerland)
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival (UK/USA)
Vermont International Film Festival (USA)
The festival office is now closed. We will check email only occasionally during this time. Until further notice, film submissions will only be considered for our On Campus Film Festival, our educational outreach program of free screenings in High Schools and University campuses. Please see submissions information on this page.
MISSION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Few artistic media have the power to reach across cultures, languages, and even time itself to influence millions of people in the language of our daily lives. Film has such power. Each year dozens of talented filmmakers work against long odds, short finances, and threatening politics to bring to the screen powerful stories of human struggle, sacrifice, and triumph. Some documentary filmmakers have risked their very lives so that we may be moved by far-off stories that, once told, seem very much closer to home. The Amnesty International Film Festival is dedicated to bringing these stories to our communities so that our colleagues, neighbors, and friends can see for themselves the full-range of challenges facing people in every part of the world.
And while public education is at the center of the festival's mission, our goals do not stop there. As a program of the world's largest human rights organization, the Film Festival also draws heavily on Amnesty International's experience as a worldwide campaigning movement. We strive to offer concrete opportunities to create positive change for those who are moved by what they have seen.
From Urgent Actions® on individual cases of human rights abuses, to regional action networks focusing on specific areas of the world, to topical programs like OUTFront for LGBT human rights issues and the USA Domestic Human Rights Program, all festival goers will have an opportunity to become meaningfully involved. Whether on behalf of issues they have long cared about, or on behalf of causes they may just have learned about in the documentary screening, Amnesty International stands ready to help them channel their energy.
PROGRAMMING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Amnesty International Film Festival was launched in the United States in Seattle in 1992 with the purpose of showcasing the best in documentary and fiction filmmaking related to human rights. Both because of the tremendous global reach of Amnesty International, and because we have focused on building relationships directly with filmmakers, production companies, television stations, and other film festivals around the world, we are able to offer programming that in many cases will simply never be seen anywhere else in the U.S. These include dozens of documentary films—some feature length and others shorter—some fiction films, animated pieces, and occasionally foreign broadcasts that are otherwise inaccessible to U.S. audiences. In addition, we are also proud to screen some of the most noteworthy and celebrated documentary films made here in the U.S. each year, including many that will go on to air on PBS, HBO, or other networks. The festival also takes pains to include archive presentations of classic feature films from major studios with strong human rights content that help us to place today’s issues in an important historical context (Universal Pictures(c) "Missing" (2002 West Hollywood Festival) or Warner Bros.(c) "The Killing Fields" (2003 West Hollywood Festival).
SUBMISSIONS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Amnesty International Film Festival On Campus accepts submissions on a rolling basis throughout the year. The festival accepts documentary, feature, animated, and music video works for its annual programs. Submissions must be on VHS (PAL or NTSC) or DVD, and should be accompanied by a signed submission form. Please send all submissions to: Amnesty International Film Festival, 350 Sansome Street, Suite 630, San Francisco, CA 94104. There are no submission fees and the festival is not competitive.
We invite your submissions, comments, and appreciate your support!
Featured Film
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the bustling streets of Rangoon and the tranquility of Buddhist monasteries, Irene Marty takes us on a dangerous journey into Burma's jungle, where hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people flee from forced labor, murder, and torture at the hands of the ruling military junta. Defying the most potent weapon of the genocide - silence - Marty gives voice to Burma's ethnic minorities and political opposition, as they struggle for freedom and democratic rule.
VHS Tapes Of In The Shadow Of The Pagodas For Sale
We have copies of "In the Shadow of the Pagodas" for sale at $20 apiece plus postage. If you want to purchase a copy, please send an e-mail to filmfest@aiusa.org
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVALS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Continents Film Festival (Asia, Africa, Americas)
Derhumalc (Argentina)
One World (Czech Republic)
(A)lliance Cine' (France):
Perspective (Germany)
Human Rights Nights (Italy)
Amnesty International Film Festival (Netherlands)
Human Rights in Film (Poland)
Stalker (Russia)
Seoul Human Rights Film Festival (South Korea)
International Film Festival of Human Rights (Spain)
International Film Festival on Human Rights (Switzerland)
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival (UK/USA)
Vermont International Film Festival (USA)
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Extraordinary Stories of Courage from Around the World
The extraordinary lives of Iraq's women
It is not often that we get to hear the personal stories of ordinary Iraqi women living under occupation. Earlier this year, however, eight women were asked to record their daily lives in a series of photo diaries.
The extraordinary results of the Open Shutters Iraq project are now being exhibited in central London.
Here, are two of those photo diaries.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lulua's story in words and pictures
Lulua used to be a vet. One evening, on her way to work, she was kidnapped, taken to the mountains and tortured for several days.
When she eventually returned home she found herself excluded from her family and a husband who could not accept that she had not been raped.
"A few blocks away, I saw my husband. He didn't hug me and the look on his face terrified me. When I got home, my mother collapsed. 'Did they rape you?' everyone asked; everyone but my husband. 'No.' All that mattered was that the family's honour had been preserved," writes Lulua.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antoinette's story in words and pictures
Antoinette lives in Mosul. She is a Christian and is finding it increasingly difficult to belong to a minority.
She moved from Baghdad to be with her husband. Years later, after having children, she went back to university to study law. The US-led invasion coincided with her graduation. Her children are by far the most important thing in her life, and she struggles to maintain a sense of normality for them.
"I am torn. My life and that of my kids is in Mosul - our house, our memories, everything that we know and that means anything to us," writes Antoinette. "But am I not being unfair to them if I choose to stay? And if I left, where would I go? What kind of future can I possibly offer them? I live in constant anxiety and terror."
The Open Shutters: Iraq exhibition, which is presented by Index on Censorship, runs from 2 October, Queens Walk, South Bank, London.
It is not often that we get to hear the personal stories of ordinary Iraqi women living under occupation. Earlier this year, however, eight women were asked to record their daily lives in a series of photo diaries.
The extraordinary results of the Open Shutters Iraq project are now being exhibited in central London.
Here, are two of those photo diaries.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lulua's story in words and pictures
Lulua used to be a vet. One evening, on her way to work, she was kidnapped, taken to the mountains and tortured for several days.
When she eventually returned home she found herself excluded from her family and a husband who could not accept that she had not been raped.
"A few blocks away, I saw my husband. He didn't hug me and the look on his face terrified me. When I got home, my mother collapsed. 'Did they rape you?' everyone asked; everyone but my husband. 'No.' All that mattered was that the family's honour had been preserved," writes Lulua.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antoinette's story in words and pictures
Antoinette lives in Mosul. She is a Christian and is finding it increasingly difficult to belong to a minority.
She moved from Baghdad to be with her husband. Years later, after having children, she went back to university to study law. The US-led invasion coincided with her graduation. Her children are by far the most important thing in her life, and she struggles to maintain a sense of normality for them.
"I am torn. My life and that of my kids is in Mosul - our house, our memories, everything that we know and that means anything to us," writes Antoinette. "But am I not being unfair to them if I choose to stay? And if I left, where would I go? What kind of future can I possibly offer them? I live in constant anxiety and terror."
The Open Shutters: Iraq exhibition, which is presented by Index on Censorship, runs from 2 October, Queens Walk, South Bank, London.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
