Impunity Watch: Europe

BRIEF: African Rebels Threaten EU Peacekeepers

N'DJAMENA, Chad - Chadian rebels warned the EU against sending peacekeepers to Sudan’s Darfur region today, threatening to fight against them as a “foreign occupation army” if they ally themselves with the president of Chad, Idriss Deby.

Meanwhile, Chadian officials have accused the rebel group, Assembly of Forces for Change (RFC), of being backed by the government of Sudan.

Some 4,000 EU peacekeepers were to be deployed to the region earlier this month, but their deployment was delayed by the failure of nations to supply adequate numbers of troops and resources.

There is also concern over the EU peacekeepers’ neutrality based on France’s strong support for President Deby. 

For more information, please see:

BBC - Chad rebels warn EU peace force - 29 November 2007

Sarkozy Moves to Quell Youth Rioters

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

VILLIERS-LE-BEL, France – French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with ministers today to find a solution to riots that have rocked the suburbs of Paris for three straight nights.

Although the initial violence consisted of youths setting fire to cars and buildings, tactics have escalated to include attacks on police officers with hunting rifles.  These latest attacks have been attributed to “urban guerrillas,” according to police union officials.

Sarkozy issued a firm statement in response to these latest attacks.  “Opening fire at officials is completely unacceptable,” he said.  “That has a name, it is attempted murder.”

The riots began on Sunday after two teenagers were killed in a collision involving their motorbike and a police car in the suburb of Villiers-le-Bel.  The town’s residents became enraged when the officers allegedly fled the scene without assisting the teenagers – an allegation wholly denied by the officers. 

An internal police investigation cleared the officers of any wrongdoing, further enraging residents.

Their anger was also fuelled by the longstanding tension between a mostly white police force in France and the Arab, black, and other minorities living in the impoverished suburbs surrounding Paris.  A high unemployment rate, increased presence of drug use, and heavy concentration of immigrants in the suburbs have created a deep sense of resentment amongst many in these neighborhoods.

Conditions are so poor that there are certain areas that police are even afraid to enter.

This deep brewing tension boiled over when the two North African teens, aged 15 and 16, were killed on their motorbike.

Neighborhood youths took to the street, setting fire to cars, a library, a nursery school and other buildings.  The rioters launched Molotov cocktails and crashed burning cars into buildings.

Of the three nights of rioting, officials say last night was more calm thanks to the deployment of 1,000 police officers to the Villiers-le-Bel area.  Helicopters are also patrolling the area with spotlights.  However, there was concern as the riots spread to at least five other neighboring suburbs, including Les Mureaux and Toulouse.

At least 130 officers have been injured and a couple dozen youths have been arrested.  Officials have said they will hand out heavy sentences to rioters.  As proof of their seriousness, officials already convicted and sentenced eight rioters to 3-10 months in prison on Tuesday after conducting “fast-track trials,” according to CNN.
Meanwhile Sarkozy met with the families of the two teens who were killed on Sunday.  He told the families that he would launch an inquiry into the events surrounding their deaths.

These riots have been much more severe than those in 2005, which lasted for three weeks.  The 2005 riots were sparked by a similar scenario – two teens were killed while evading police by electrocution while hiding in a power substation.

During those riots over 10,000 cars and 300 buildings were set on fire.

Sarkozy, then interior minister, drew heavy criticism after he referred to people living in housing projects as “scum.”

He is trying steer clear of that road by finding a solution with the help of his cabinet – Prime Minister Francois Fillon and Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie.

The recent riots have demonstrated that the decades-long solution of pouring money into low-income areas has done little to alleviate problems.  Junior Urban Affiars Minister Fadela Amara will present a new plan for the revitalization of project neighborhoods in January.  Her plan addresses improvements in transportation and education.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo (AP) - Sarkozy calls French riots unacceptable - 28 November 2007

BBC - Sarkozy holds riot crisis talks - 28 November 2007

Bloomberg - French Riots Curbed as 1,000 Policemen Deployed (Update1) - 28 November 2007

CNN (AP) - Unrest hits second French city - 27 November 2007

BRIEF: Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflict Could Lead To War

ASTONA, Kazakhstan - Armenia and Azerbaijan are still disputing the province of Nagorno Karabakh.  Armenia has controlled the province since the end of the Six Year War in 1994, which killed over 30,000 people in the region.

Azerbaijan's defense minister commented today at a meeting of defense minister's from ex-Soviet republic's in Kazakhstan, "As long as Azerbaijani territory is occupied by Armenia, the chance of war is 100 percent.   

Armenian defense minister Mikhail Arutyunian responded by saying that he sees no alternative to a peaceful resolution to the dispute. 

For more information, please see:

Yahoo (AP) - Azerbaijan defense minister hints at war - 27 November 2007

Putin Accuses US Of Attempting To Undermine Election

by Jason Green
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - Russian Head of State Vladimir Putin accused the U.S. today of using its influence with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to try to undermine Russia's upcoming parliamentary election.  The election is expected to be a landslide victory for Putin's United Russia party, and it will likely increase his political reach throughout the state.  The OSCE announced several weeks ago that it would not monitor the elections because Russia had severely restricted its ability to watch them, and because visas needed for their staff were not delivered on-time.  The OSCE has since agreed to send a smaller delegation, but not a full team, to monitor the vote. 

Announcing that the U.S. is partly responsible for the OSCE's decision not to send a full team, Putin told reporters today that, "The aim is to discredit the elections, but they [U.S.] won't achieve their goal.  Putin also commented, "We will certainly take this into account with our bilateral ties with this state." 

A smaller OSCE presence at Russia's parliamentary elections next week undermines the legitimacy of the electoral process, and it may cast some doubts on the credibility of Putin's victory if he wins. 

The U.S. State Department denies these allegations.  State Department spokesman Sean McCormick responded by saying, "Our very clear message to them [OSCE] was that this is your decision.  So there was absolutely no interference...absolutely none." 

OSCE officials also confirm that the decision to reduce its participation in Russia's election was made unilaterally.  Urdur Gunnarsdottir, spokeswoman for the OSCE in Warsaw, said that, "The decision was not made in consultation with any government.  It was made on operational, not political, grounds. 

Recent events have already cast a shadow of doubt over the legitimacy of Russia's democratic process.  Just several days ago, a good number of Anti-Kremlin protesters were arrested at a rally in Moscow.  Among those protesters was Garry Kasparov, who has long been an outspoken critic of Putin's presidency. 

Russia's parliamentary election is scheduled to take place on December 2. 

For more information, please see:

BBC - Putin says US behind poll boycott - 26 November 2007

Reuters - Putin accuses U.S. of meddling in Russian vote - 26 November 2007

Yahoo (AP) - Russian leader: US presses vote monitors - 26 November 2007

New Mass Grave Unearthed in Bosnia

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

KAMENICA, Bosnia – A new grave was uncovered in Bosnia containing the bodies of 616 victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. 

The grave was discovered in the village of Kamenica and is the largest mass grave to be found this year.  So far, nine graves have been found in this area, lending to its nickname “Death Valley.”

Forensic pathologists, who have been unearthing the grave for a month, reported that of the 616 exhumed bodies, only 76 were complete.  However, some of the bodies were so well preserved that they displayed faces with eyes wide open. 

Many of the bodies were blindfolded, bound at the hands and riddled with bullet wounds.

The Srebrenica massacre, which was carried out by Bosnian Serb forces during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war, claimed the lives of 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.  Srebrenica was declared a “security zone” by the UN during the war, but General Ratko Mladic ordered his forces to attack the town.  The massacre is considered one of the worst on European soil since World War II.

3,500 Srebrenica victims have been dug up so far, however only 2,500 have been identified by DNA analysis.  It has been difficult to locate all of the Srebrenica victims because after the mass execution, Bosnian Serb forces razed the burial sites with bulldozers, scattering the bodies into “secondary mass graves” in an attempt to conceal the atrocity. 

As scientists identify the bodies of victims, families are notified so that they may rebury their loved ones.

Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic and former leader of the Serb Republic of Bosnia, Radovan Karadzic are both wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for war crimes associated with the Srebrenica massacre and other atrocities.

For more information, please see:

Press TV - Mass grave found in Bosnia – 24 November 2007

Yahoo (AP) - Bosnia grave had more than 600 victims - 23 November 2007

Reuters - More Srebrenica bodies recovered in Bosnia - 22 November 2007

Kasparov Arrested At Rally Against Putin

By Jason Green
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov was arrested at an Anti-Kremlin rally on Saturday.  Along with several thousand other protesters, Kasparov appeared in Moscow to speak out against what many Russians believe will be a ‘rigged’ parliamentary election next week. 

Kasparov has been one of Putin’s fiercest critics and he continues to use his celebrity status as a platform to speak out against the Kremlin.

Protesters are concerned that Russians will have no choice but to vote for supporters of Putin’s United Russia party, which is already heavily favored in the polls to win a variety of positions in next week’s election.  Although Putin will be forced to give up the presidency next year as the Russian constitution bars him from serving a third consecutive term, many Russians are irate that Putin may be guaranteeing himself a seat in the next parliament by standing as a parliamentary candidate in next week’s election. 

Protestors also expressed concern about censorship and restrictions on freedom of the press.  Tatiana Manukova agreed to speak with Reuters at the rally and commented that “Censorship is all around us and our freedoms have decreased.  Putin’s way will not mean a better future.”  Alexei Alexeyev also appeared at the rally and told reporters, “In a free country you can express your opinions but in Russia you can’t.  The police are very aggressive and I fear them.”   

The United States and other western powers have taken an interest in Russia’s recent efforts to control public access to information in the last several months.  Of particular interest has been the Kremlin’s grip on television news sources.   

Violence erupted near the end of the rally when protestors attempted to break through police lines.  Riot police stopped the surge and made numerous arrests. 

Kasparov will be held for five days for resisting arrest and organizing an unauthorized protest. 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Garry Kasparov jailed over rally – 24 November 2007

CNN (AP) – Kasparov held at Anti-Kremlin rally – 24 November 2007

Yahoo (Reuters) – Russian police block anti-Putin march – 24 November 2007

BRIEF: Three Men Sentenced In Bomb Plot

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - A Danish court sentenced three men to sentences of up to eleven years in prison for planning to attack various targets in Denmark.  Mohamed Zaher and Ahmed Khaldhahi were each sentenced to eleven years in prison.  Abdallah Andersen was sentenced to four years for playing a lesser role in plotting the attacks.  A fourth suspect, Riad Anwar Dabaas, was acquitted by the court of all charges. 

The men have denied the charges against them and commented that they were only joking when discussing attacks on several targets.  Yet the police did find chemicals used to make explosives at one of the men's homes during a raid.

For more information, please see:

BBC - Denmark convicts men in bomb plot - 23 November 2007

BRIEF: EU Peacekeeping Force to Remain in Bosnia

UNITED NATIONS – The EU will keep its peacekeeping force in Bosnia for at least one more year according to a UN Security Council resolution issued on Wednesday.

The peacekeeping force, dubbed EUFOR, is comprised of roughly 2,500 troops and has controlled peacekeeping operations in Bosnia since 2004.

The Security Council also asked Bosnia and Herzegovina officials to continue to follow the mandates of the Dayton accords, especially the pursuit of war crimes suspects who are wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

The Dayton accords are a peace agreement that heralded the end of the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and split the country ethnically into the Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat federation.

For more information, please see:

Reuters - UN Security Council renews Bosnia EU force mandate - 21 November 2007

UPDATE: Chirac in Hot Water Over “Fake Jobs” Scam

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

PARIS, France – Former French President Jacques Chirac is in legal trouble over suspicious work contracts given to political supporters while he served as mayor of Paris from 1977 until his presidency in 1995.

Judge Xaviere Simeoni, who summoned Chirac to her office in the Palace of Justice on Wednesday, decided to launch a formal investigation into alleged misuse of public funds by Chirac during his tenure as mayor.

This is the first time a former president of the French Fifth Republic has faced a formal investigation.  Such an investigation means there is strong enough evidence against Chirac to pursue a more intensive investigation to determine whether he should face trial.

According to the allegations, millions of dollars in salaries were paid by the mayor’s office to conservative party allies of Chirac who were listed as “advisers,” although these individuals served no such function.

One example cited in French newspaper Le Monde, described a chauffeur hired by Chirac who, although paid by City Hall, actually worked for a senator in Chirac’s Rally for the Republic Party.

Allegations of corruption were hurled at Chirac throughout his presidency, but no investigation could be launched as Chirac was shielded under the umbrella of presidential immunity. 

However, Wednesday’s investigation marks the second time a judge has looked into allegations of embezzlement since Chirac’s presidential term and immunity ended in May.

Chirac, with the support of his lawyer Jacques Veil, has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence to the public.  He said all appointments he made as mayor were “legitimate and necessary.”

“Never were Paris municipal resources devoted to ambitions other than acting for the Parisians,” said Chirac.

Chirac’s former prime minister, Alain Juppe, was convicted for a related plot in 2004 that involved the bribing of housing affairs officials.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo (AP) - Preliminary charges filed against Chirac - 21 November 2007

International Herald Tribune - Chirac under investigation for activities when Paris mayor - 21 November 2007

BBC - Chirac formally probed over scam - 21 November 2007

Impunity Watch - Chirac Questioned in “Fake Jobs” Scandal - 20 July 2007

BRIEF: EU Cracking Down on Karadzic Supporters

PALE, Bosnia-Herzegovina - In the latest search for war crimes fugitive Radovan Karadzic, EU troops searched the home of Dragan Sojic, an alleged member of Karadzic’s support network.  It is believed that a strong network of supporters like Sojic, has been a major factor in Karadzic’s ability to evade capture for the past nine years.

A statement from EU forces said the goal of Monday’s operation was to disrupt Karadzic’s support network and to uncover any information that may lead to Karadzic’s capture.  The raid was conducted at the request of the U.N. war crimes tribunal at The Hague.

Karadzic is the former leader of the Serb Republic of Bosnia and one of the most wanted figures by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.  He is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity, and other violations for a series of atrocities committed during the Bosnian War.  One such atrocity involved the massacre of over 7,000 men and boys in the city of Srebrenica - the worst massacre on European soil since WWII.

It is believed that Karadzic is hiding in Serbia or the Serb-dominated areas of Bosnia.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo (AP) - EU troops raid home in Karadzic hunt - 19 November 2007

UN – Case Information Sheet KARADZIC Case (IT-95-5/18) – 23 June 2004

Kosovo Urged To Proceed With Caution

by Jason Green
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU officials expressed concern today about a unilateral declaration of independence from Kosovo on December 10.  Hasim Thaci, the likely victor in Kosovo's recent parliamentary election, has pledged that Kosovo will declare its independence from Serbia when the deadline for negotiations between the two sides expires on December 10.  While many European nations agree that Kosovo should become independent, they are cautious about this decision being made too quickly without proper support from the world community. 

The U.K.'s Europe minister, Jim Murphy, commented that "Kosovo should have her independence, [but] it shouldn't be an unmanaged unilateral declaration.  It should be one that is coordinated with the international community."  Murphy added that, "well above 20 EU member states backed independence for the breakaway province, but that they had not got to 27 yet." 

But not everyone agrees with the idea of an independent Kosovo.  On the belief that it disrespects Serbia's rightful borders, Russia has since blocked the proposal in the U.N. Security Council. 

This problem is of great concern for the world community for two reasons.  First, a rush to an independent Kosovo might further destabilize the Balkan region.  The Serbian minority in Kosovo might align with Belgrade.  Additionally, an independent Kosovo might fuel a sector of Bosnia and Herzgovinia to also push for independence from Serbia.  Second, a quick decision by Kosovo may serve to further increase tensions between Russia and the U.S.  Unlike Russia, the U.S. supports Kosovo in its bid for independence.  The U.S. and Russia have disagreed on a number of issues of late, most notably being the Iranian nuclear conflict. 

The world will find out on December 10 whether Kosovo will take its final step towards independence, or whether it will heed the EU's request to hold off making this declaration.  Hopefully, a world consensus on this issue will be reached soon, regardless of when Kosovo declares its independence in a mere few weeks.   

For more information, please see:

BBC - EU warns Kosovo on independence - 19 November 2007

International Herald Tribune - Don't go it alone, EU warns Kosovo - 19 November 2007

Yahoo (Reuters) - EU urges Kosovo not to rush toward independence - 19 November 2007

Ukraine Alleged to Have Participated in CIA Rendition Program

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

STRASBOURG, France – Giovanni Fava, investigator for the European Parliament, claims he has new evidence implicating Ukrainian participation in the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program.

According to Fava, the Ukrainian government allowed the CIA to land its planes on Ukrainian airstrips and it also built a secret prison in a Ukrainian military base to which the CIA was granted access.

Ukraine Defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko dismissed the accusations as “nonsense.”

As evidence of Ukrainian involvement, Fava and his Italian European Parliament colleague Giulietto Chiesa cited a secret document from the Ukrainian government and a Russian documentary. 

The Ukrainian document apparently reveals that the government authorized the CIA to land its plane on Ukrainian soil on five separate occasions in August 2005.  Fava believes that on one of those occasions the CIA plane was carrying Egyptian cleric Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasar (Abu Omar), who was abducted on the streets of Milan and then transferred from US bases in Italy and Germany to Egypt, where he was tortured.

The Russian documentary contains interviews with people who allegedly built a secret prison on a Ukrainian military base.

Based on this information, Fava and Chiesa are asking the Council of Europe to conduct further investigations.  Additionally, they requested the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee to issue a special report.

Last year, Fava published a report that documented over 1,000 occasions since 2001 where CIA planes secretly touched down on European territory.  He claimed that several of these flights contained terror suspects who were being transferred by the CIA.

The term “extraordinary rendition” generally refers to the practice where an individual is abducted in one state and then transported to another state where he is detained and interrogated.  Often these interrogation countries are known to use torture and therefore this practice would violate the UN Convention Against Torture.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo (AP) - Ukraine implicated in CIA renditions – 14 November 2007

Washington Post (Reuters) - EU inquiry into CIA prisons to be reopened – 14 November 2007

EUobserver - EU investigator targets Ukraine in fresh CIA allegations – 14 November 2007

BRIEF: Former Guerilla Leader Claims Victory In Kosovo Election

PRISTINA, Kosovo - Hashim Thaci declared himself victorious today in Kosovo's parliamentary election, although the official results of the voting have yet to be confirmed.  He told a cheering crowd of supporters that "today was a historic day for Kosovo...Today, Kosovan citizens sent a message to the world that we are a democratic society, [and] that we are ready to take our country toward the European Union." 

Thaci is the leader of Kosovo's democratic party, and a former fighter in the Kosovan Liberation Army.  He pledges to declare Kosovo's independence from Serbia on December 10, the UN's deadline for negotiations between Serbians and Albanians.  Ethnic Albanians have long been pushing for an independent Kosovo, but Serbians, supported by Russia, have always resisted. 

Kosovo has been protected by the U.N. since 1999.  It is expected that on December 10, it will become an independent nation. 

For more information, please see:

BBC - Ex-Kosovo fighter claims victory - 18 November 2007

BRIEF: Russia Denies Visas To European Election Monitors

MOSCOW, Russia - The Associated Press reports today that the Russian government is refusing to issue visas to European election observers on-time.  The observers, members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), were scheduled to monitor next month's parliamentary balloting in Russia.   Unfortunately, they have chosen not to attend because they will not have their visas on time. 

Russia's top election official, Vladimir Churov, denies that Russia is intentionally hindering the observation process.  He claims that the visas are ready and waiting in Warsaw at the election monitoring office.   But the OSCE claims that the visas were not available as of Thursday night, when they made the difficult decision to abandon their plans to monitor the Russian election. 

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack expressed his displeasure that Russia had deliberately hindered the OSCE.  "It is extremely unfortunate that the Russian government put up all these obstacles to the OSCE sending a monitoring mission to Russia, he said.  I am not sure you can find a case in the past where a member country had put up such obstacles." 

This event underscores current tensions between Russia and the western powers about the state of Putin's democracy.  Many are concerned that the Russian government has taken significant steps away from the democratic process in the last year. 

For more information, please see:

The New York Times (AP) - Vote Monitors Denied Russian Visa - 16 November 2007. 

BRIEF: Rights Group Highlights Abuse of Mentally Ill in Serbia

BELGRADE, Serbia – Mental Disability Rights International, a US-based group, issued a report on Wednesday citing systematic abuse within Serbia’s state-run mental institutions and orphanages.

The report said that some cases of abuse were so extreme as to amount to torture.

The Serbian government has fiercely denied the allegations as “dark propaganda.”  Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said on Wednesday that the findings of the report were “fabricated.”

One case mentioned in the report depicted a 21-year-old Down syndrome patient who had been tied to his bed for 11 years.  The report described “filthy conditions, contagious diseases, lack of medical care and rehabilitation and a failure to provide oversight” throughout these institutions.

For more information, please see:

New York Times - Mentally Ill in Serbia Are Abused, Report Says - 13 November 2007

International Herald Tribune - Serbia denies alleged systematic abuse of abused people - 15 November 2007

Brammertz to Succeed Del Ponte as Chief Prosecutor

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon nominated Belgian Serge Brammertz as the next Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).  Carla Del Ponte has held the position for the past 8 years.

Brammertz, who will assume the position on January 1, 2008, is currently head of the International Independent Investigation Commission which is investigating the assassination of former Lebanses Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Ban’s appointment of Brammertz was announced to the UN Security Council by letter, along with the nomination of former Canadian prosecutor Daniel Bellemare to succeed Brammertz as head of the Hariri investigation.

Although Brammertz has an impressive resume, several lawyers and human rights organizations had objected to his appointment.  The concern was that naming an outsider to succeed Del Ponte as Chief Prosecutor might frustrate the progress of the ICTY and cause the senior staff to leave.  The UN Security Council has pressed the court to wrap up its business by 2010.

In a letter to Ban, 12 human rights groups and 18 ICTY lawyers recommended that David Tolbert succeed Del Ponte.  Tolbert, an American, is currently Deputy Chief Prosecutor for the ICTY.  However, an American prosecutor may have proven problematic for the ICTY, as US backing of an independent Kosovo has caused tension between the US and Serbia.

Brammertz’s nomination must be approved by the UN Security Council before he can assume the position of Chief Prosecutor.

Prior to his current position, Brammertz was Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (2006-2007) and Federal Prosecutor for the Kingdom of Belgium (1997-2002).  He is also a former law professor at the University of Liege.

His last report to the UN Security Council on the Hariri investigation will take place in December.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo (AP) – Canadian named to head UN’s Hariri probe - 14 November 2007

New York Times - New Chief Prosecutor at the Hague - 14 November 2007

JURIST - UN SG nominating Brammertz as next ICTY prosecutor - 14 November 2007

Expatica – Belgian becomes Chief Prosecutor - 14 November 2007

UN – Biography of Serge Brammertz

BRIEF: Brown Committed To Relationship With U.S.

BRITAIN - Prime minister Gordon Brown affirmed his commitment to maintaining positive relations with the U.S. today in his first major speech since becoming Britain's prime minister.  He said in his speech that Britain's most important relationship is with the U.S., the BBC reports.  Brown also expressed his eagerness to work with NATO, the UN, and the EU. 

Addressing the conflict in Iran, Brown also stated in his speech that, "Iran should be in no doubt about our seriousness of purpose." 

Comparisons have already been drawn between President Bush's relationship with Tony Blair, and the potential for close relations with Gordon Brown.  Time will tell if relations are as close, and what any difference will be.

For more information, please see:

BBC - US most important UK ally - Brown - 12 November 2007

BRIEF: Congo Leader to Face Trial Before Hague Court

THE HAGUE - Thomas Lubanga, militia leader of the DR Congo, will face trial for war crimes at the Hague-based International Criminal Court on March 31, 2008.  This will be the first trial since the court’s inception in 2003.

Lubanga is accused of recruiting child soldiers under the age of 15 into his militia group known as the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC).  The UPC conducted ethnic attacks against the Lendu people during the war that ravaged the Ituri region of the DR Congo between 1998 and 2003.

The International Criminal Court is the first and only permanent war crimes court in the world.

For more information, please see:

AFP - World war crimes court to open Lubanga trial next March - 13 November 2007

New York Times - The Netherlands: Congolese Faces Trial - 13 November 2007

BRIEF: Teen Protester Stabbed to Death at Madrid Extremist Rally

MADRID, Spain- Fighting broke out today between Neo-Nazis and anti-racism demonstrators in Madrid.  An anti-immigration rally had been scheduled by the extremist party to take place on Sunday.  At that rally, a 16-year old campaigner against the extremist group was stabbed to death.  A 24 year old man is currently being held under suspicion of the murder. 

The violence was condemned by Madrid's community justice spokesman, Alfredo Prada, the BBC reports.  "Madrid is an open and integrated region where there is no room for racist, xenophobic, or extremist expressions, Mr. Prada said." 

More information about the killing will be made available in the next couple of days.

For more information, please see:

BBC - Teenager killed at Madrid rally - 12 November 2007

Northern Ireland Paramilitary Group Renounces Violence

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

DUBLIN, Republic of Ireland – Protestant paramilitary group, the Ulster Defense Association (“UDA”), announced from Northern Ireland that at midnight on Sunday it would put all of its weapons “beyond use.”

The announcement was welcomed by officials in Ireland and England although they expressed disappointment that the group did not promise to formally surrender its arms to the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.

The UDA is the largest of the Protestant paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland with roughly 3,000 members.  It is also the last paramilitary group to stand down.

The other significant Protestant group, the Ulster Volunteer Force disarmed in May of this year without a formal surrender.

Likewise, the Catholic Irish Republican Army put down its weapons in 2005 without formally surrendering.

The Catholic and Protestant paramilitary groups have waged a war of violence against one another for three-decades – a time period referred to as “the Troubles.”  The Catholics have pushed for a united Ireland, free of British control, while the Protestants have fought to maintain the union with Britain.

In 1998, the Troubles ended with the negotiation of peace through the Good Friday Agreement.  Since then, the opposing parties have pursued their goals through politics by entering into a power sharing agreement in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Today’s announcement coincided with Remembrance Day, which is a time for remembering war veterans in Northern Ireland.

In addition to announcing that it will put down its arms, the UDA also said that it would destroy all military intelligence.  It expressed its reasons for the decision in a statement.

“The Ulster Defense Association believes that the war is over, and we are now in a new democratic dispensation that will lead to permanent political stability – but we believe the political parties and the political institutions are themselves still in a period of transition.”

Ireland’s Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, expressed hope that today’s announcement signifies the end of an era for paramilitarism.

For more information, please see:

CNN (AP) - N. Ireland militia rejects violence – 11 November 2007

AFP - Northern Ireland loyalist group to put weapons beyond use - 11 November 2007

The Guardian - UDA told: Announcement not enough - 11 November 2007

Demonstrators Clash At Neo-Nazi Rally

By Jason Green
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Anti-nazi supporters clashed with neo-Nazis in the old Jewish quarter of Prague today at a planned Young Nationalist Democrats (MND) rally.  The MND is linked with the National Resistance, a recognized neo-Nazi group in Europe.  Despite an earlier ban by the Prague City Hall on the rally, the MND planned to go ahead with their march to commemorate the anniversary of the 1938 Jewish purge event known as Kristallnacht. 

Kristallnacht, or ‘night of the broken glass’ was an event where Nazis destroyed and pillaged homes, shops, and synagogues owned by Jews in 1938. 

Over a thousand anti-Nazi demonstrators rallied to try to stop the march.  They met some resistance from neo-Nazi supporters.  Skirmishes between the two groups ensued throughout the capital, and over 250 people were arrested.  Several injuries and no deaths were reported. 

Prague’s mayor, Pavel Bem, told the AFP that the march was unacceptable.  “We need to cultivate the national memory to avoid what happened in the past.”  Other protesters wore t-shirts saying "Never Again" and the yellow star of David in defiance of the rally. 

Unfortunately, the march serves as a reminder that anti-Semitism is very much alive in the hearts and minds of some extremist groups. 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Clashes at far-right Prague rally – 10 November 2007

International Herald Tribune (AP) – Neo-Nazis attempting march in Prague Jewish quarter clash with antifascists – 10 November 2007

Prague Daily Monitor – Jews, activists plan neo-Nazi counter-action - 1 November 2007

UPDATE: Spanish Flight Crew Members Released From Chad

By Jason Green
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MADRID, Spain – Three Spanish flight crew members returned home from Chad today, nearly three weeks after they were arrested under suspicion of plotting to kidnap 103 African children.  On October 25, these children were found aboard a plane at a tarmac in eastern Chad.  Several humanitarian workers had apparently attempted to bandage the children to make them appear injured, and they were prepared to claim that the children were Darfur orphans in need of rescue. 

It appears that these workers were preparing to fly the children out of Chad without authorization. 

Along with other persons associated with the plane, the flight crew members were arrested and charged as being accomplices in the planned kidnapping.  They have been held in Chadian detention facilities since October 25. 

Although understandably worn out from their detention, the crew members appeared in good spirits when they were greeted by the media upon arriving in Madrid.  “We stayed a crew at all times, and I’m really proud of each and every one of them,” pilot Agustin Rey told the Spanish press.  Along with Rey, coworkers Daniel Gonzalez and Sergio Munoz were also released. 

A Belgian pilot was also released from Chadian custody, but is first receiving medical attention for recent heart troubles. 

Six members of the humanitarian group, termed Zoe’s Ark, remain under arrest in Chad under kidnapping charges.  If convicted, they face lengthy prison terms of up to 20 years with hard labor.   

Several flight attendants and journalists from Spain were also released from Chad last Sunday.  The event is significant because it may complicate further efforts to provide aid to the Darfur region.  Chadian officials may be distrustful of future European efforts to assist this war-torn region in Africa. 

For more information, please see:

BBC – Chad frees ‘kidnap’ flight crew – 9 November 2007

Chicago Sun Times – Chad charges aid workers with kidnapping 103 children – 31 October 2007

Impunity Watch - French Charity in Hot Water Over Adoption Plan - 29 October 2007

Reuters – Chad frees Spanish air crew, Belgian pilot – 9 November 2007

UPDATE: Saakashvili Agrees to Early Elections

TBILISI, Georgia – Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on Thursday agreed to hold elections on January 5 instead of the fall of 2008 – a move protesters demanded 6 days ago when they rallied outside parliament.

President Saakashvili stated that he made the concession “to receive the trust of the people.”  He also said that he would lift the state of emergency in the next couple of days.

His announcement came as Georgian troops patrolled the capital area to ensure compliance with the state of emergency.

Meanwhile, the Georgian prosecutor’s office said it was planning on charging two members of the opposition, Shalva Natelashvili and Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, for espionage and plotting a coup.

Updated figures from the protests show that 569 people have been treated by medical personnel and 32 protesters have been detained.

For more information, please see:

BBC - Georgia to hold early elections -  8 November 2007

Yahoo (AP) - Georgia's president calls early election - 8 November 2007

Impunity Watch - Georgia: State of Emergency After Protesters Clash With Police - 7 November 2007

Georgia: State of Emergency After Protesters Clash With Police

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

TBILISI, Georgia – A massive face-off between opposition protesters and riot police on Wednesday forced Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to declare a state of emergency.

According to reports, riot police fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and water at the crowd in order to establish control.  Police were also drawn into fist fights with protesters and used their batons to fight back the crowd.  Journalists have reported that their equipment was taken or destroyed by police.

Television images depicted bandanna wearing protesters throwing rocks at police.

Some 500 people were treated by medical personnel for injuries they received during the melee. 24 of the wounded were police officers.

The protest started off peacefully on Friday as 50,000 stood outside parliament demanding early elections.  However, Saakashvili denied their calls and told the media that the opposition leaders were puppets of the Kremlin.  This led to calls for the president’s resignation.

The Georgian government defended its use of force as necessary to maintain order and stability.  Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli alleged that a coup attempt was made against the government.

The government also alleged that Russia was behind the protests.  In support of its accusations, Georgian television aired a conversation allegedly between opposition leaders and Russian Embassy officials.

Georgia also expelled three Russian diplomats.  Meanwhile, Russia denied any involvement in the protests and referred to the accusations as “anti-Russian hysterics.”

As part of the state of emergency, the government has shut down all news stations except for Public Television which is run by the state.

Witnesses at the Imedi television station told Reuters that special forces raided their building and forced everyone onto the ground, placing guns against their heads.  Imedi television is considered by the government to be an opposition supported news station.

Georgia’s human rights ombudsman, Sozar Subari, criticized the government’s actions on Wednesday, referring to the police involvement as “illegal.”  He also claimed that the police beat him, even after identifying himself as ombudsman.

The United States expressed its concern over the mounting violence and urged the two parties to “engage in constructive dialogue.”  The EU announced that it would send special envoy Peter Semneby to the area.

Saakashvili came to power in 2003 after a peaceful protest known as the Rose Revolution.  His campaign focused on forging closer ties with the West and separating Georgia from Russian influence.

However his critics accuse him of running a corrupt government that is intolerant of opposition views.  More specifically, they argue that Saakashvili abuses the law by restricting the media and using the police to arrest opponents.

For more information, please see:

Reuters - Georgia declares emergency after street battles - 7 November 2007

International Herald Tribune - Georgia cracks down on protesters - 7 November 2007

Yahoo (AP) - Police use force to stop Georgia protest - 7 November 2007

BBC - Georgia declares emergency state - 7 November 2007

BRIEF: Vojislav Seslj Trial Starts Tomorrow

THE HAGUE – The war crimes trial of Vojislav Seselj, leader of Serbia’s Radical Party, begins tomorrow at The Hague.  Seselj, who surrendered and entered a plea of not guilty in 2003 is facing charges ranging from wanton destruction and plunder to murder, torture and inhumane acts.

According to prosecutors, during the Bosnian war Seselj made inflammatory speeches and incited hatred by calling for the forcible removal of non-Serbs from the area.  Through his “extreme ethnic rhetoric” he attracted members to the Serb forces who would later torture and kill hundreds of non-Serbs.

Seselj was supposed to face trial in 2006 but delayed the proceedings by embarking on a 28-day hunger strike.  He is also notorious for disrupting court proceedings where he taunts the judges.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo (Reuters) - War crimes trial of Serb ultranationalist to start - 6 November 2007

BRIEF: Head Of Britain’s MI5 Reports Increase In Terror Threat

MANCHESTER, England - Jonathan Evans, the new head of Britain’s MI5 Intelligence Agency, reported today an increase in the number of individuals that pose a terrorism threat inside of Britain.  Speaking at the Society of Editors Annual Conference, he announced that “the number of in the UK causing concern had risen in part due to better intelligence gathering in extremist communities.” 

Evans also reported that young people are a particularly impressionable group that terrorists, particularly al-Qaeda, target for recruitment.  His speech implied that while Britain is doing its best to contain these efforts, more successful terrorist attacks on British soil are likely in the near future. 

In all, the UK lists 400 new people as posing a national security threat since November, 2006. 

For more information, please see:

BBC – ‘Thousands’ pose UK terror threat – 5 November 2007

Italy Issues Decree, Begins Expulsion of Romanian Migrants

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

ROME, Italy – New legislation was passed in Italy on Friday that authorizes the expulsion of EU citizens who are deemed a “threat to public security.”

The legislation was enacted after the recent murder and alleged sexual abuse of Giovanna Reggiani, the 47-year-old wife of an Italian navy commander.  Her death sent shockwaves throughout Italy’s middle class.

A 20-something Romanian male, Nicolae Mailat, who lived in a migrant camp in the Tor di Qunito neighborhood, was arrested and charged with her murder.

The shanty town camp where he lived held thousands of legal and illegal immigrants from Romania and the former Yugoslav.  The police moved in with bulldozers to raze the makeshift Gypsy camp, forcing the residents to flee.

The Italian government has defended the expulsion legislation as necessary to combat “episodes of heavy violence and ferocious crime” committed by immigrants.

Statistically, a large number of violent crimes have been committed by Romanian immigrants.  Mayor Walter Veltroni said, in Rome, Romanians are arrested for 75% of arrests, rapes and murders.

Romanians have flocked to Italy since becoming EU members earlier this year.  Reports estimate that 1,000 Romanians come to Italy per month.  They make up 1% of the population in Italy.

The recent crime wave in Italy has caused racial tensions to rise between Italians and immigrants.  Yesterday, three Romanians were attacked by a masked gang armed with knives and metal bars, prompting concerns of revenge attacks and anti-foreigner sentiment.

“We must prevent this terrible tiger, which is xenophobic rage, the racist beast, from getting out of control,” warned Interior Minister Giuliani Amato.

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, while supporting the crackdown on violent Romanians expressed his concern of increasing racial attacks in Italy.

Others raised concerns that the government might abuse its power to expel foreigners.  So far, under the new legislation, 20 people have been expelled – all Romanians.

As far as the process is concerned for issuing an expulsion order, they must be signed by a judge, but do not require evidence of criminal history.  Nor are the targets of the order privy to a trial.

There is no sign from Brussels as to whether this new legislation will be supported under European law.  The ability of EU citizens to move across member-state borders without restriction has been a key tenet of the EU.  However, a country has the right to keep out those who may pose a threat to its security.

For more information, please see:

BBC - Italy crackdown on foreign crime - 1 November 2007

Yahoo (AP) - Italy police crack down on foreigners - 2 November 2007

CNN (AP) - Italy death sparks expulsion order - 2 November 2007

Yahoo (AP) - Italy expels Romanians deemed dangerous - 3 November 2007

Reuters - Italy expels Romanians, condemns attack – 3 November 2007

The Guardian - Violence as Italy expels migrants - 4 November 2007

World Powers Consider Implementing New Sanctions Against Iran

By Jason Green
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, England – Representatives from six world powers met in London on Friday to discuss new sanctions with the hopes of bringing the nuclear standoff with Iran to a close.  Britain, France, the United States, Russia, China, and Germany participated in the talk, and according to a statement issued by the British Foreign Office, "they reiterated their commitment to negotiate a long term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.” 

Because talks with Iran have so far yielded little progress, the group agreed to finalize a text for a third round of U.N. Security Council sanctions unless Iran begins explaining its nuclear program. 

These delegations, however, are not in full agreement on how to proceed with further.   

Russian head of state Vladimir Putin has expressed his opposition to sanctions at the meeting, saying, “Why worsen the situation by threatening sanctions and bring it to a dead end?”  Additionally, China may be increasing its trade with Iran, which U.S. State Department Officials believe sends the wrong message about the world community’s view on their nuclear program.  This suggests that Russia and China participated in the talks, they might not stand with the other world leaders on these issues.  U.S. Deputy State Department Spokesman Tom Casey commented as such when he told the Associated Press on Friday that “Russia and China do not seem to have quite the sense of urgency that we and the other members have moving forward.” 

Iran continues to deny any aspirations for developing a nuclear arsenal.  They repeatedly assert that they are only pursuing uranium enrichment to generate power for Iran, and have expressed that they will not halt their uranium enrichment program. 

The delegations will meet again on November 19 to assess reports from Mohamed ElBaradei, who will report on the state of Iran’s nuclear program, and Javier Solena, the head of EU Foreign Policy. 

For more information, please see:

China View – Six countries meet in London over Iran – 03 November 2007

Reuters – World powers push ahead with Iran sanctions – 02 November 2007

Yahoo (AP) – U.S. wants new Iran sanctions expedited – 02 November 2007

BRIEF: Chechen President Declares No Need For Opposing Party

GROZNY, Chechnya - Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov told journalists that there was no need for an opposing party in Chechnya because of popular support Vladimir Putin's party, United Russia, in next months upcoming elections.  Addressing the media on Friday, Kadyrov told reporters, "Why do we need to create an opposition if we, the government, are going in the right direction and people love us?" 

Concern remains, however, that there is still widespread fear throughout Chechnya because of the country's recent conflicts with separatist rebels, and no forum for citizens to dissent government actions. 

When asked about human rights violations in Chechnya, Kadyrov also denied any wrongdoing in the in the interview.

For more information, please see:

BBC - Chechen head rules out opposition - 1 November 2007

Allegations of Mistreatment and Torture of Migrants in Greece Prompts Investigation

By Brent Surgeoner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

ATHENS, Greece – A report documenting serious human rights violations committed by the Greek coast guard forced the government's Merchant Marine Minister to launch an investigation on Tuesday.

The report, entitled “The truth may be bitter, but it must be told,” was jointly issued by Pro Asyl, a German refugee rights group, and the Greek Group of Lawyers for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants.

It not only documents incidents of mistreatment, but also calls on the EU and other European institutions to take action to prevent further abuse.

The document describes common tactics used by the Greek coast guard to force incoming migrant boats away from Greek waters and towards Turkey.  Tactics include blocking migrant boats from entering Greece, physically damaging the boats, and/or beating the migrants.

Often, the migrants are unable to turn their boats around and drift to one of Greece’s many uninhabited islands where they are left stranded.

According to the report, upon reaching shore, all migrants, including minors, are detained and “placed under a deportation order.”  The living conditions in these detention camps are so poor that they amount to “degrading and inhuman treatment,” says the document.

The report accuse these border and coast guards of violating international law, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Refugees.

One migrant even alleged that he was tortured at a detention camp on the Greek island of Chios.  According to the migrant, he was repeatedly struck in the head with a stick as police officers brandished weapons and threatened to kill him.  Additionally, his head was repeatedly dunked into a bucket of water to simulate drowning.

He also claims they put a plastic bag over his head and tied it around his neck so that he could not breathe.

With an 8,000 mile coastline and thousands of islands, the Greek government admits that illegal immigration poses a significant challenge.  And recently, the number of illegal migrants trying to enter Greece has risen dramatically.

According to Interior Minister Procopis Pavlopoulos, in September alone, 13,000 individuals were held for attempting to enter Greece.

Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis placed some of the blame on its neighbor, Turkey.  According to Bakoyannis, the Turkish government has failed to effectively thwart the flow of migrants from its borders.

A representative from the Greek Group of Lawyers for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants, Giota Masouridou, said the problem in Greece is a problem with European immigration polices in general.  “This is Fortress Europe.”  “We want a new refugee asylum system for Europe.”

Masouridou argues that the Dublin II regulations should be abolished.  Those regulations state that refugees may only file an asylum application in the country they enter.  He believes refugees should be able to apply for asylum in whatever country they want to live in.

For more information, please see:

Pro Asyl - "The truth may be bitter, but it must be told" (pdf file) - 29 October 2007

Yahoo (AP) - Greece to probe migrant abuse claims - 30 October 2007

International Herald Tribune (AP) - Greece orders investigation into claims coast guard abused illegal migrants - 30 October 2007

Inter Press Service - RIGHTS: 'Refugees Tortured in Greece' – 29 October 2007