Mexico: Abducted journalist found shot dead, second murder in past month
Published on Friday 26 August 2011. – Reporters without Borders

Reporters Without Borders firmly condemns the murder of Humberto Millán Salazar, a journalist based in Culiacán, in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, who edited the online newspaper A-Discussion and presented a programme on Radio Formula. His body was found yesterday, a day after his abduction in Culiacán. He had been shot in the head.

Gunmen kidnapped Millán on 24 August together with his handicapped brother, who was released at Millán’s request. His body was discovered yesterday morning in Campo Morelia, 10 km north of the city. The Sinaloa prosecutor’s office said measures have been taken to protect his relatives and some of his colleagues.

The murder is being investigated by a team set up by Sinaloa state prosecutor Marco Antonio Higuera Gómez in coordination with the federal prosecutor-general’s office. The state prosecutor’s office confirmed that an investigation was under way but declined to say what hypotheses it was working on.

Reporters Without Borders urges the authorities not to rule out the possibility that Millán was killed in connection with his work. He was frequent critic of the local authorities and, on the eve of his abduction, had published an article about the municipal government’s management of its accounts in A-Discusión.

He was the second journalist to be murdered in Mexico in the past month. …more

The Upcoming Palestinian Uprising
By Adil E. Shamoo, August 23, 2011

If conditions do not change quickly by the time of the U.S.-promised veto of Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly on September 20, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict could explode into a new uprising with hundreds of deaths. The recent attack of Palestinian extremists on a bus in the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat and the eager over-reaction of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu is a harbinger of what is to come.

The uprising will bring the United States into sharp conflict with not only the Palestinians but also the rest of the Arab world. A new Arab spirit is demanding that the rest of the world, especially the United States, treat Arabs with equal respect and dignity.
The Palestinian Struggle

The Palestinians will ask the upcoming UN General Assembly to vote for “non-member state” status for the Palestinians on September 20. Since this resolution bypasses the Security Council, the promised U.S. veto will not be operative. The least desirable choice for the United States is to vote no in the General Assembly. It would isolate the United States from the rest of the world community, which is expected to agree to the Palestinians’ sought-after status. With the United States at its lowest popularity in the Arab world, this further isolation would only create additional challenges as the Arab Spring turns cloudy and many long-term challenges complicate U.S.-Arab relations.

The Palestinians have struggled for over 60 years to regain their rights, economic justice, and dignity. They have tried peaceful confrontation, military action, terrorism, and negotiation — without any success. The 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza live in an open-air prison with the highest unemployment (45 percent) in the world, near-starving conditions, and little or no medical care. Israel even stops humanitarian flotillas from reaching Gaza. Another 1.5 million Palestinians live in Israel as second-class Israeli citizens. Do the Israelis consider the Palestinians as equal human beings?

The Israelis paint the conflict at every step as an existential threat. Israel has legitimate security concerns, which have been addressed as part of successive deals. The existential threat may have been true in the first few decades of Israel’s existence. However, most reasonable observers and many Israelis know that a demilitarized Palestinian state is not an existential threat. Israel has the upper hand militarily, and it has used it with a vengeance to suppress Palestinian aspirations. The Israelis are engaged in a policy of open-ended negotiation while confiscating and resettling Palestinian land.

President Obama has attempted to move the negotiations forward slightly by endorsing the blueprint used by previous administrations, namely the 1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps. But the Obama administration remains as reluctant as its predecessors to pressure its Israeli ally to negotiate in good faith. The Israeli lobby remains powerful on Capitol Hill, the State Department is staffed by strong supporters of Israel, and the U.S. media features a very few voices representing Arab concerns. It’s no surprise that U.S. policies rarely reflect Arab views. …more

Egypt – In a press conference at CIHRS, 36 NGOs condemn the campaign waged by Egyptian authorities against civil society organizations

Human rights NGOs demand the dismissal of the Ministers of Solidarity and of International Cooperation
Cairo – 24 August 2011 – CIHRS

In a press conference sponsored by 36 Egyptian human rights organizations this morning at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), the NGOs announced their condemnation of the fierce campaign waged by the government and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on civil society organizations and human rights groups.

Human rights organizations presented their statement at the press conference declaring their position towards these infringements, and voicing their demands to competent authorities, on top of which is the dismissal of the Minister of Solidarity Gouda Abdul-Khaliq and the Minister of International Cooperation Faiza Abul-Naga. The organizations further presented a complaint that they have raised to the relevant Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations and the African Commission for Human Rights in this regard.

The conference was attended by a large number of journalists, media professionals and artists concerned with the role of civil society in Egypt.

Mr. Bahey El-Din Hassan, director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, presented the NGOs position towards the military council’s and the Egyptian government’s recent attacks against civil society, expressing resentment regarding the ways in which SCAF and the Cabinet have been dealing with these organizations recently. The statements highlighted the restrictions imposed on the activities of civil society organizations, and denounced accusations to NGOs of being foreign agents implementing foreign agendas. Such accusations are seen as a direct response to independent human rights organizations’ criticism of the human rights violations occurring in post-Mubarak’s Egypt. .

Ahmed Ragheb, director of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, declared that the number of military trials of civilians that were held since SCAF took office reached 12,000 for the past 6 months alone, noting that during the 30 years of Mubarak’s rule they were 10,000. He further stated that violations being committed now will dictate Egypt’s future and whether it would find its way towards a true transition to democracy or back to a situation worse than before. …more

Human Rights Activist González Arrested in Colombia
For Immediate Release: August 23, 2011 – Human Rights First

Washington, DC – Human Rights First condemns the ongoing harassment and persecution of Colombian human rights defender Principe Gabriel González, who was arrested last Friday to serve seven years imprisonment on trumped-up charges.

“As a prominent student activist and the Regional Coordinator for the Political Prisoners Solidarity Committee, González was instrumental in exposing the ill treatment of Colombian political prisoners. This advocacy led to his own arrest in 2006 when he was detained on politically motivated charges of rebellion and association with the FARC guerrilla group,” said Human Rights First’s Quinn O’Keefe.

After González was detained for 15 months awaiting trial, a judge acquitted him of all charges, finding them entirely baseless. The prosecution appealed the court’s decision. In March 2009, the Superior Tribunal of Bucaramanga overturned the acquittal and sentenced González to an additional seven years imprisonment.

“The prosecution relied on false accusations from two witnesses to impede González’s human rights work and secure a conviction. The first witness couldn’t identify or even name González before he was detained, and the second witness actually admitted to providing statements under duress from the prosecutors,” added O’Keefe.

In December2010 the Supreme Court declined to hear González’s appeal, and he was arrested last Friday in Pamplona. He had been living in exile, but returned to Colombia to visit his ailing mother.

In 2009, Human Rights First released In the Dock and Under the Gun: Baseless Prosecutions of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia, a comprehensive report that documents the widespread use of trumped-up charges to silence Colombian human rights activists. A year later, in 2009, Human Rights First celebrated González’s human rights work with its prestigious human rights award. …source

Bahrain: Medical staff trial- The case has been adjourned till 7 September, 2011
August 28th, 2011 – BYSHR

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) is deeply concerned about the trial of the Medical staff before a military court.

The BYSHR lawyer said that:” The lawyers were presented Statement on the unconstitutionality of Decree no “28″ 2011 (Trial of civilians before a Military courts) and the judge refused a request to release them”

The case has been adjourned till 7 September, 2011 for defense witnesses. …source

Attached : The list of Medical Staff undergoing trial (click Here)

Bahrain: The Teachers before a Military court
August 28th, 2011 – BYSHR

Lawyer informed the BYSHR that the Teachers will be presented before a military court on 29th Aug, 2011.

The defendants:

1- Mr. Mahdi Isa Abu Dheeb – Chairman, Bahrain Teachers Society

2-Ms. Jalila Mohammed Ridha Al Salman – Deputy Chair, Bahrain Teachers Society

Charges:

1-inciting others to commit crimes;
2-calling for the hatred and overthrow of the ruling system;
3-holding pamphlets, disseminating fabricated stories and information;
4-leaving work on purpose and encouraging others to do so;
5-taking part at illegal gatherings.

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses deep concern at the targeting of institutions of civil society and calls for urgent action to stop the punishment of civil society institutions by the Bahraini authorities. .source

HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF BAHRAIN’S SPEECH

Manama, Aug 28 (BNA) In a speech marking the final days of the Holy Islamic Month of Ramadan, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain has said that his Government’s aspiration is “for tolerance and for shunning violence, and not for excessive punishment that affects our unity, cohesion and national co-existence.”

In a television address broadcast on Sunday evening on Bahrain Television, and relayed on other television and radio stations, King Hamad spoke of reconciliation. “When we see workers at their places of work and students at their learning institutions, while some other workers are not working and some other students are not studying, we are prompted,” he said, “to look into their situation in order to help them join their colleagues and classmates.”

“Such an accomplishment will benefit the workers, the students, their families and the whole nation, “ said King Hamad. “These are our orders to the concerned institutions and they should implement them more quickly.”

The King’s remarks come as more than 400 Bahraini students, who were suspended during the unrest earlier this year, were this week reinstated.

Referring to those who were charged with crimes in the past, King Hamad said “even though we do not wish to interfere in the process of justice and the application of the law, we stress that all civil cases will have their final ruling issued in civil courts.”

King Hamad noted that the past months of this year have been painful for all Bahrainis, but he said that the Holy Month of Ramadan has contributed to the restoration of cohesion and “made us all recall our traditional interactions, compassion and fraternity.”

Referring to the international commission of inquiry that he set up to look into the unrest of earlier this year, King Hamad said the decision to set up the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) was “the best indication of our full commitments to knowing the whole truth and to giving people their rights.”

He also commended the outcome of the National Dialogue. “Your agreements on further reforms are highly appreciated, deeply welcomed and greatly supported,” said King Hamad. Congratulating Bahrainis on Eid Al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, King Hamad said he hoped Bahrain now “will witness a new stage of outstanding productivity, cohesion and stability as our reforms move forward. …dead end

Calls for international role in support of Bahrain’s revolution
Bahrain Freedom Movement – 25/08/2011 – VOB

A seminar on Bahrain’s independence was held at the House of Lords at the invitation of Lord Avebury on Tuesday 23rd Agust 2011. Several people took part in it including two former prisoners from Bahrain who addressed the seminar by Skype. Here is a brief of the proceedings

Lord Avebury: I have been corresponding with our ministers for years. In 1993 Bahrain’s minister of interior was referring to a human rights committee as terrorist body. We know that Ian Henderson had been engaged in torture for years before. Today, the Al Khalifa assume absolute power; they arrest, abuse, torture and other violations. They added two more practices; systematic dismissal and recruitment of mercenaries. To protect himself the king appointed a committee to investigate the abuses that took place in February and March. It is a mistake to accept investigation by royal commission. Proper investigation should be held by an international commission sent by Navi Pillay. There is a common perception that the royal commission is susceptible to influence. Bissiouni has already exonerated the king, his sons and the military prosecutor. He is reported to have said that there were no signs of torture. Bissiouni knows that there are torture methods that leave no marks. He may have been misquoted but he is naïve to speak to the local media in the way he did. There was a demonstration at the commission’s office. I must emphasise that the commission must be given space to operate. It is my hope that grievances of victims are addressed. The regime is still holding senior figures such as Hassan Mushaime, Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, Abdul Jalil Al Singace and others, some of whom had been with us before. Trade unions are also behind bars. More than 2600 people have been dismissed from their jobs and the number is likely to be over 3000. This means that at least 15000 people are destitute. Bissiouni has given the impression that these will be reinstated. The military court has been re-convened and more trials will be held in October while demonstrations have continued to protest the outrages of the regime. How can Bahrain be excluded from change while other countries are allowed to have regime changes. Our task is to wake up the media to the injustice in the Gulf. Let us mobilise our efforts to achieve this.

Sandrine Tiller of the Doctors Without Borders, the UK office, spoke briefly about the experience of her organization in Bahrain especially the attack last July on their personnel who were treating the injured Bahrainis. We found it difficult to register officially although the ministry of health knew of our presence. Most important event was on 27th July when our offices were raided violently. The door was smashed and property was taken and one member of our staff arrested. He was subsequently release but is awaiting trial.

Lord Avebury: This is humanitarian work, yet they were raided.

Mohammad Al Tajir (a lawyer who had defended many prisoners before): I was detained on 15th April when twenty people came to my house, confiscated my computers and other papers. They could not charge me for any offence and my only guilt was defending the defenceless. I gave a speech at the Pearl Roundabout. I was accused of inciting against the regime. My speech was a normal one. I was tortured for three weeks and was held in solitary confinement from 15th April until 9th June. I was taken to the military court on 12th June. I was released 7th August. I am suffering now as a result of the solitary confinement. I felt the experience of what had happened to the others before. Today there has been a decree to refer political cases to the military court once again. All detainees are civilians, yet they are tried by military courts which will start from the beginning. The doctors will be tried tomorrow by the military court. We could not reach Bissiouni despite several attempts. The reason is that he has an agenda that he is pursuing. I was sent to the Grane Prison which is run by the military. My neighbours were Sheikh Abdul Jalil Al Singace, Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, Abdul Jalil Al Singace, Hassan Mushaime, and Sheikh Al Miqdad. I net them one week before my release. I heard their cries day and night. Abdul Hadi was severely Jawad and so was Mohammad Hassan Jawad. I also saw how Mahdi Abu Deeb, the President of the Teachers Association was tortured. I saw Sheikh Mohammad Habib Al Miqdad repeatedly because he was taken to the military court and had nine cases filed against him. I saw torture marks on his knee and legs. The worst times were when I saw Mr Al Khawaja being tortured. Sheikh Al Miqdad told us that he was tortured by a senior Al Khalifa figure at the Grain prison. We were threatened that we would get an order from “the Sheikh” to be handed to the Saudis. I can confirm that I had seen Yemenis, Pakistanis and Jordanians working with the security forces and torturing people. I was blindfolded for three weeks. I like to thank Pete Wetherby and Joshua Collingulu whose work played a role in our release.

Ayat Al Qurmuzi: (a female poet who had been imprisoned and tortured)
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Bahrain king pardons some protesters
King Hamad offers compensation to victims of February crackdown, but says protest-related trials will continue.
28 Aug 2011 – AlJazeera

Bahrain will dismiss charges against some people detained during a deadly government crackdown against pro-democracy protests earlier this year, the Gulf nation’s king said in a televised speech to the nation. King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa made the pledge in an address on Sunday to mark the approaching end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan – more than six months after his government launched its crackdown.

“There are those who are charged with abusing us and senior officials in Bahrain, we today announce that we forgive them,” he said. “Although I do not like to interfere in the course of justice, I would like to confirm that all the cases of civilians will have their verdicts issued by a civil court,” he said.

No clear concessions

However, he offered no clear concessions towards Bahrain’s majority Shia population, who helped lead the protests and whose demands include an easing of the Sunni dynasty’s hold on power, setting policies and hand picking government officials.

Bahrain’s Shia make up about 70 per cent of the island kingdom’s 525,000 citizens, and complain that they face widespread discrimination, such as being excluded from top political and security posts.

Rights groups say at least 32 people have been killed and hundreds arrested since the protests began in February, inspired by other Arab uprisings.

After the protests, thousands of employees lost their jobs in apparent punishment for supporting the demonstrations, while students were dismissed from schools and universities.

King Hamad said that he had given orders to solve the problem of employees and students who were dismissed.

“When we see workers at their work places and students at their learning institutions, while some other workers are not working and other students are not studying, we are prompted to look into their situation in order to help them join their colleagues and classmates,” he said.

“These are our orders to the concerned institutions and they should implement them more quickly,” he added.

Compensation claims

King Hamad urged those who had been mistreated in custody in the aftermath of the crackdown to file a complaint, saying that the law allows compensation for them.

“The recent period was painful to all of us. Although we live in one country, some have forgotten the inevitability of co-existence. Therefore, we should not abandon our belief in having the same and common future, and should not lose trust in each other as brothers, colleagues and citizens,” he said.

The Bahraini security forces, boosted by Saudi led troops from elsewhere in the Gulf, crushed the protests in March after allowing demonstrators to camp in central Manama the capital, for about one month.

Bahrain’s crackdown on protests earned the staunch US ally criticism from human rights organisations, but the international community did not show the support for the protests as it did in other countries, as the West blamed Iran for instigating its co-religionists in the small kingdom to cause dissent – a claim Bahrain’s Shia deny.

In July, Bahrain’s leaders opened reconciliation talks, but the country’s main Shia party walked out and threatened to stage further protests.

An independent fact finding panel is investigating alleged rights abuses in Bahrain and is expected to release its findings at the end of October. …source

Military trial of doctors and teachers, and more updates from Bahrain
28 August 2011 – BCHR

The trial of the doctors took place this morning and was postponed until September 7th when defense witnesses are supposed to be called in. The trial took place in a military court or a “national safety court” as per the government.
List of medical staff undergoing military trial (Via BYSHR)

Leaders of the Bahrain Teachers Society, Mr. Mahdi Abu Dheeb (Chairman, detained since last April), and Ms. Jalila Al Salman (Deputy Chair , released last week after 5 months of detention) will be presented before a military court on 29th Aug, 2011.

Several released detainees have told activists that they have been threatened by prison security guards that they will be tortured after the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry leave.

Recently we have been receiving numerous cases in which riot police enter villages at very high speeds and run over protesters with their cars. The following are pictures and videos of the victims. (Advise: Graphic)

see videos here, here, here and here

Ministry of Interior announced that two Asian workers were attacked in village. An individual from the same village then released a video showing what appears to be men in civilian clothing accompanied by riot police arranging metal rods and water on ground for incriminating photo of the alleged incident.

Young child being taken away by riot police: video

Bahrain authorities now block the twitcam Internet feature which allows people to take videos and directly upload them to the internet through Twitter.

Video taken via a hidden camera during one of the disciplinary committees’ interrogations which caused hundreds of dismissals (Arabic): youtube.com/watch?v=LTFNnN1lXSo

Video taken via a hidden camera at a check point (Arabic): youtube.com/watch?v=chB7hflEOjo

University of Bahrain president today announced the return of 389 of the expelled students, and the referral of 38 others to the courts.

Bahrain Polytechnic announced the reinstating of 31 expelled students.

In a case that raises serious concern armed thugs opened fire and severely beat other civilians (MOI Statement). It is very disturbing that pro-government groups now have access to guns that are being used in violence against other civilians. The threat of widespread violence is quickly increasing due to the regime’s policies and the way they have dealt with the recent uprising. Especially with the latest information about the arming of groups.

Summary translation of victim testimony from AlWasat newspaper:

At the Bahrain International Circuit after 12pm on the 26th August, a fight started after an event at the circuit, after which the victim and his friends decided to leave. On their way out a man in civilian clothing in a pickup told them they were not allowed to leave, and when they tried to leave he shot at them with a gun. They were then chased and stopped, after which they were taken to a secluded area where they were severely beaten and forced to insult political opposition figures. They were also asked if they had taken parts in the protests that took place in February/March. Others arrived in other cars carrying different types of weapons and took turns beating them. The assailants then received a call telling them to let them go, after which they were going to drive the victims back to their car but received a call not to go to that area as there were police units there. They let the victims go and told them to run, and when they did, they started shooting their guns. The victim giving the witness account suffered an injury to the head. Another witness said that the shooting that took place at the circuit happened in front of the police units. Another young man was shot several times in the leg …more

Bahrain Footballers Pay Price for Protesting
by Michael Casey – AP – 26 August, 2011

SITRA, Bahrain – When anti-government protests broke out in Bahrain, Alaa and Mohammed Hubail hunkered down in their family compound and refused to take part. They feared their reputations as top footballers would make them easy targets for police.

But Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa soon came out in support of peaceful protests. It was the green light the Hubail brothers were looking for and they joined a march of several hundred athletes to Pearl Square, the epicenter of Shiite-led protests against the Gulf nation’s Sunni rulers.

Two weeks after the February march, the 31-year-old Alaa Hubail was interrogated on state-run television and called a traitor. He and his 29-year-old brother were arrested a day later along with national team goalkeeper Ali Saeed Abdullah as they trained at their Al Alhi club. They were among six players from the national team who were hauled into jail, where they say they were tortured for taking part in the protests.

Mohammed Hubail was tried and sentenced to two years in jail. He is out of jail while he appeals the sentence. Alaa’s case is pending. They have gone from celebrities to pariahs among Bahrain’s pro-government factions — barred from playing on the national team and blacklisted from the local league for what they contend was simply following the advice of the crown prince.

“I served my country with love and will continue as much as I can,” Alaa Hubail, nicknamed the Golden Boy after the prolific striker was the top scorer in the 2004 Asian Cup, told The Associated Press at his home in the Shiite-dominated village of Sitra in the first interviews the brothers have given to foreign media.

“But I won’t forget the experience which I went through for all my life,” he said. “What happened to me was a cost of fame. Participating in the athletes’ rally was not a crime.”

The backlash against the Hubail brothers was part of a sweeping, government crackdown in a bid to snuff out opposition to the regime. Besides the arrest of hundreds of citizens, students were expelled from universities, government employees were fired, and doctors and nurses put on trial for treating injured protesters.

Protesters were denigrated and interrogated on state television and then accused of anti-state conspiracies in trials before a secretive, security court. Even some of the slightest infractions were dealt with harshly, including a 20-year-old woman who was sentenced to a year in prison for reading a poem critical of Bahrain’s king.

Inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, Bahrain’s Shiite majority took to the streets on Feb. 14 to demand that the country’s more than 200-year-old Sunni dynasty loosen its control on top government and security posts. After days of mostly peaceful protests, the regime cracked down on the protesters, resulting in the deaths of more than 30 people and the detention of thousands. …more

The Middle Ground between Technology and Revolutions
Aaron Bady 08/26/2011
Social media didn’t cause the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, but it did achieve unique visibility.

Is there still a debate on whether social media can cause revolutions? If this was ever a serious question, it was mainly an argument between straw men: on the one hand, wild idealists who saw the internet as an all-encompassing force for freedom and on the other, the crusty curmudgeons who fear technology and pooh-pooh the idea that social media is good for anything but posting pictures of cats. NYU professor Jay Rosen characterized the debate as “Wildly overdrawn claims about social media, often made with weaselly question marks (like: ‘Tunisia’s Twitter revolution?’) and the derisive debunking that follows from those claims (‘It’s not that simple!’)” and argued that these “only appear to be opposite perspectives. In fact, they are two modes in which the same weightless discourse is conducted.”

I think we can safely put that debate aside. While Malcolm Gladwell made a lot of noise last October by declaring that “the revolution will not be tweeted,” reporting like John Pollock’s “Streetbook” demolishes the idea that there is some intrinsic and impassable barrier separating “street” activism from the kind of “slacktivist” organizing of which Gladwell is so dismissive. But it’s worth noting that even the most visible “cyber-utopians” and “cyber-pessimists” seem to be converging on a point somewhere in the middle. In March, Clay Shirky significantly qualified the kinds of claims he makes for the centrality of social media—arguing that it is access to each other, not access to media, that makes revolutions—while Evgeny Morozov has pointed out that both he and Gladwell have been clear that the internet can be an effective tool for political change, as long as it is “used by grassroots organizations (as opposed to atomized individuals).” If you can see the fundamental divide between these arguments, you see more clearly than I do.
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