Mauritania: Biram and six others charged

Discussion, anger and demonstrations over the actions of Biram Dah Ould Abeid are likely to continue for a long time. He and six other anti-slavery activists were formally charged at the end of May with threatening state security after they burned certain Malikite religious texts that they interpret to endorse slavery.

Biram's actions provoked massive public outcry throughout Mauritania and far beyond, especially across the Islamic world. Human rights organisations have mostly come to Biram's defence. Amnesty International's West Africa Researcher Gaeton Mootoo said the activists should be released. “These human rights defenders have the right to express their opinion”, he said.

Mootoo noted that Biram, the leader of one local anti-slavery group, has been an outspoken critic of human rights in Mauritania. He said that Biram has long denounced acts of slavery and the impunity enjoyed by slave owners.

The announcement of the charge prompted a further demonstration by Biram's supporters, which was broken up by police.

No trial date has yet been set. However, what is certain is that Biram's case will long be the focus of dispute and demonstration, with his trial, if it takes place, being the subject of much international interest.

For more news and expert analysis about Mauritania, please see Mauritania Politics & Security.

© 2012 Menas Associates

Libya: Militias are destabilising the country

According to Amnesty International at least 12 detainees held by militias have died after being tortured for over six months. The report carried out by the human rights group is being published to coincide with the anniversary of the revolution, which toppled former Libyan leader Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi.

Last month, the UN estimated that about 8,000 of Qadhafi loyalists are being held by militia groups. The National Transitional Council (NTC) has been trying to get the militias to disarm, but with little success.

Amnesty International is worried as it believes that some Qadhafi loyalist are committing human rights violations without consequences or intervention by the NTC.

The forthcoming report cites witnesses' statements saying some detainees were repeatedly tortured, beaten with whips, cables, plastic hoses, metal chains and bars, and given electric shocks with live wires and taser-like electroshock weapons. Speaking to AP news agency, Amnesty International's senior crisis response adviser said: “Nobody is holding these militias responsible."

The group also said that in one detention centre in Tripoli investigators found tortured detainees concealed by their interrogators. The group added that among those detained were African migrants and refugees, who were suspected to be "mercenaries" for Qadhafi during the eight month conflict.

The report is based on research conducted in Libya in January and February.

Sources: BBC News, AP, AFP

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

Nigerian army accused of human rights abuses after another bomb blast

On Monday 10th October, Nigerian security forces were accused of burning homes and shooting at civilians following a bomb attack in the northeastern city of Maiduguri. The attack, which killed a soldier and a civilian, is thought to have been carried out by Islamist militants.

An unnamed military spokesman denied the abuses and said the bomb blast set off a fire fed by petrol canisters along the roadside. He added that it took over three hours to put it out. An eyewitness told AFP news agency: “We have been forced to abandon our homes by shooting and burning of homes and vehicles by soldiers following the attack on their patrol vehicle…Everybody is fleeing."

It is not the first time that the country's military has been accused of human rights abuses in Maiduguri, where thousands of people had to flee the city due to militant activities and army misconduct. Speaking about the situation, Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Mohammed said: "Three soldiers and one civilian were seriously injured following the explosion of a remote-controlled improvised explosive device planted along a dusty road in Dala area of Maiduguri." He later said that one of the soldiers and the civilian died from their injuries.

The Islamist militants behind the latest attack are believed to belong to Boko Haram, responsible for dozens of other attacks mostly in the country's northeast region. Mohammed added: "We believe that the device was planted by Boko Haram people. We have arrested eight suspects in connection with the explosion."

Nine cars parked by the side of the road, where the explosion took place, were burned. It is believed that the bomb “was detonated by a remote control targeted at one of our patrol vehicles. The device exploded as our patrol vehicle was passing by. The vehicle was flung metres away".

According to Amnesty International security forces killed at least 23 people following a bomb explosion in Maiduguri in July, and another 25 people following another bomb attack earlier in the same month.

Sources: AFP, BBC News, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Nigeria, please see Nigeria Focus and Nigeria Politics & Security.

Nigerian army accused of killing 23 in Maiduguri

Amnesty International believes Nigeria's security forces have killed 23 people in the city of Maiduguri. The organisation said the Nigerian army opened fire without provocation on Saturday 23rd July, after a bomb explosion in the northern city. It also accused army members of burning a marketplace. A military spokesman dismissed the allegations as "outright lies".

AFP news agency quoted army spokesman Lt Col Hassan Isijeh Mohammed as saying: "The fire that burnt homes, shops and vehicles was caused by the impact of the explosion of the bomb detonated by the Boko Haram attackers."

Maiduguri is home to one of Nigeria's biggest militant Islamist group's, Boko Haram, which has recently carried out a number of bombings and attacks across Nigeria.

Amnesty International has urged Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan to look into the shootings, saying: "The Nigerian authorities must immediately put a stop to unlawful killings by the security forces."

According to a number of sources, the bomb blast killed at least three security officials. Some speculate that the residents of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, are now more fearful of the army than the Islamist militants.

Just last month, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima admitted that the army had been guilty of excesses in the city and has potentially killed innocent civilians while battling with Boko Haram.

Sources: BBC News, The Nation Newspaper, AFP

For more news and expert analysis about Nigeria, please see Nigeria Focus and Nigeria Politics & Security.

Algeria: Interior minister admits 'secret prisons'

Last Thursday 25th February, on Channel 3 of Algeria's national radio, Interior Minister Ould Kablia spoke of the existence of secret prisons, “run by the military intelligence services [DRS]”. In trying to demonstrate what sort of changes the lifting of the Emergency Powers would bring, Kablia admitted that: “the intelligence services, particularly the military have often been accused of detaining people for indefinite periods without the knowledge of either authorities, their families or their lawyers.” With the lifting of the state of emergency, this practice will now end. Things will change regarding the treatment of those taken into detention, said Kablia. “Now, people will only be placed under such surveillance under the aegis of a judicial authority, with the guarantee of a fair hearing and with access to their lawyers and visitors .”

This statement is political dynamite. It is an open and public admission that Algeria lied to the UK about ita secret prisons. It is also an admission that Algeria has continually lied to the various international organisations, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others regarding its prison conditions.

Perhaps Ould Kablia's next step will be to confirm that Algeria 'no longer does torture' and to explain the whereabouts of the 6,000 who have ' disappeared' at the hands of his regime. Kablia's admission is likely to have serious consequences for the many pending legal appeals by Algerians in European countries, notably the UK, against their expulsion and return to Algeria.

UK, more than any other Western country, and in the face of overwhelming evidence presented by human rights lawyers and organisations, has gone along with Algeria's lies. Kablia has effectively told UK's Crown Prosecution Service that his country has lied in its previous undertakings and that such agreements, on which the expulsion of many Algerians hinge, are not worth the paper they are written on.

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Egypt: Man sentenced to death over Copt killings

Egypt has sentence a man to death for killing six Coptic Christians and a Muslim police officer outside midnight mass for Coptic Christmas in Naga Hammady. It is not entirely clear what prompted the shootings, but there has been speculation that the attack was revenge for the alleged rape of a 12 year old Muslim girl by a Christian man.

The court found Mohamed Ahmed Hussein guilty of "pre-meditated murder" of the seven dead. The sentencing comes a few weeks after a suicide bomber killed 23 people at a Coptic church in Alexandria. Two other men, Qurshi Abu Al-Haggag Mohamed and Hindawi El-Sayyef Mohamed, are also on trial for the 6th January shooting, all three pleaded not guilty to the charges, denying any connection to the attack. The court said the verdict against al-Haggag Mohamed and El-Sayyef Mohamed would be announced 20th February.

Naga Hammady's Coptic Bishop Anba Kirolos said his congregation was "satisfied" with the ruling; however, there has been some unrest in the community due to the delay in bringing the men to justice and because of the alleged ties between Hussein and an MP in the ruling party.

Coptic Christians make up 10 per cent of Egypt's 80 million residents, and have often complained of harassment and discrimination which the government has frequently failed to address. The government, however, denies discriminating against the country's Christians and says it has been on high security alert ever since the first attack.

In light of the sentencing, Amnesty International has expressed disapproval of Egypt's authorities trying to circumvent the criminal justice system by using emergency courts. It also called Egypt to commute the death sentence against the accused.

“It is all the more disturbing that his case has been heard in a court that allows no appeal, denying the defendant fundamental fair trial guarantees. This practice is a short-cut to the criminal justice system and must be stopped…We deplore the tragic death of the six worshipers and the police guard but we fear that such a harsh penalty might not be based on the evidence available but rather to show the determination of the authorities to combat sectarian violence, especially after the Alexandria church bombing,” said Amnesty International.

Sources: BBC News, CNN, Bikyamasr, Al Jazeera , AFP

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Libya to cut back anti migrant efforts unless EU pays €5 billion

A Libyan government minister has said that Libya will cut back its efforts to curtail the flow of illegal migrants from Africa into Europe, unless the EU pays €5 billion per year. Libya intercepts thousands of Sub-Saharan migrants trying to cross its territory into Europe, but feels that the financial burden of trying to protect EU's borders should be shared.

While on a visit to Italy in August, Libyan leader Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi demanded that the EU make the annual payment of €5 billion to cover its costs. The demand was seconded by Libya's Public Security Minister Abdalfatah Yunes Elabedi who told reporters, "If there is no money, there will be no security; there will be no guards [on the borders]."

Speaking to the press after a meeting of North African and southern European interior ministers Elabedi said, "We thought the situation would not reach this point because it would be a disaster for the Europeans. Either they do what they have to do, in which case we will be grateful to them, or they will bear responsibility for their decision."

He added that Libya has already suspended some of its security efforts as part of the funding disagreement. Migrants travelling through Libyan territory, cross the desert to reach the Mediterranean and try to flag-down a boat for the journey to Europe, namely to Italy or Malta.

In the last few years, Libya has improved its efforts to intercept migrants on their way to Europe under and agreement with Italy, it has also taken back migrants who have been removed from Italian soil.

Amnesty International has condemned Libya for mistreating detainees, an allegation Libya has denied. The human rights group, however, says that Libya keeps migrants it detains in inhuman condition, subjecting them to torture, racial abuse and sometimes rape.

Amnesty International went further, saying that the EU is ignoring Libya's dire human rights record and urged the it, as well as Libya and Malta, to take steps to respect the rights of the African migrants. Under a recently signed deal, the EU is paying Libya €50 million for its co-operation, but Libya says it is not enough.

Speaking about the issue, Elabedi added "We have about 4,000 policemen on the Libyan land and sea borders and they have. Vehicles, they have equipment, supplies, expenses and salaries. These are all burdens on Libya.The EU, except for Italy, has until now not offered anything tangible. We are asking them for a specific amount of money as a [compensation for the] cost.”

Source: Reuters, BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

Egypt: NDP secures more that 80 per cent of the seats in second round

President Hosni Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) has won 83 per cent of the seats in the second round of parliamentary elections. The two biggest opposition groups – the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and the liberal Wafd party – withdrew from the second round, alleging fraud and rigging in the first ballot.

International monitors and Egyptian human rights groups have called for the results to be annulled. The US and the EU have voiced criticism over the poll due to widespread violence and allegations of rigging, but Egyptian officials insist the poll was fair and free of government interference.

Figures released by the election commission show that NDP secure 420 of parliament's 508 seats, more than 80 per cent compared with 70 per cent in the last parliament. MB and the Wafd party boycotted Sunday's election following NDP's win of 209 out of 211 seats in the first round of voting. The results saw MB, the leading opposition group in Egypt, with 20 per cent of the seats, without any MPs in the new assembly.

The group has called on President Mubarak to void the new parliament and run a re-election, overseen by an independent adjudicator. The call was seconded by an Egyptian rights group, Independent Coalition for Elections' Observation.

Both rounds of the parliamentary elections took place amid clashes between voters and security forces, as well as reports of rigging and fraud. Hundreds of MB members were rounded up prior to the first round as part of a clampdown on the group by the government.

Amnesty International estimates that as many as eight people had died in election related clashes, with at least 17 arrested in the city of Mersa Matruh for protesting against the results in their governance.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Egypt: Police brutality ends in another death

Alexandria is under scrutiny as the site of another report of police brutality. According to Amnesty International, the family of 19 year-old Ahmed Shaaban allege that he died after being tortured and physically abused by police officers at Sidi Gabr police station on 7th November, and that his body was then dumped into a canal near his neighbourhood to give the impression that he committed suicide.

The organisation has called on the Egyptian authorities for an independent investigation of the allegations without delay.

According to Amnesty International, Shaaban's corpse was returned to his family on 11th November, covered in bruises to the head and body.

Police reportedly told the family not to hold a funeral but to bury the body immediately. Members of the security forces are said to have accompanied the family at the burial and afterwards to have been stationed near the family's home.

Sidi Gabr police station was the place of work of two police officers currently on trial over the death of Khaled Said, who was dragged out of an internet café by plainclothes police and beaten to death in public on the sidewalk. His death led to mass protests in Alexandria and elsewhere against police brutality.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2010 Menas Associates

Niger Delta's urban development may leave 200,000 homeless

The Nigerian government has been heavily criticised by Amnesty International for mass evictions in the oil rich Niger Delta. Plans for urban development, and subsequent slum demolition, in Port Harcourt may leave as many as 200,000 people homeless.

In 2009, River State government began plans to rebuild parts of the city which involve the demolition of slums on the waterfront inhabited by tens of thousands of people. The local government hopes to develop the area to create jobs, boost the local economy and improve roads.

The development plans include an eight-screen cinema, a shopping mall and hotels based on a buy-out scheme, paying those who own the properties to relocate. However, the majority of those who have received compensation have nowhere to go. Amnesty International has raised concerns that most of the inhabitants could end up homeless unless they are re-housed.

"These planned demolitions are likely to plunge hundreds of thousands of Nigeria's most vulnerable citizens further into poverty.The government should halt the waterfront evictions until they ensure they comply with international human rights standards," said Amnesty's Africa Deputy Programme Director Tawanda Hondora.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Nigeria, please see Nigeria Focus and Nigeria Politics & Security.