Muslim World – Page 82

The hanging of Reyhaneh Jabbari: The Rashomon side of the story

October 27, 2014 by Nasheman

As the world bemoans the hanging of 26 year old Iranian woman Reyhaneh Jabbari, who was convicted of murdering physician and former Iranian intelligence officer Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, who she accused of allegedly attempting to rape her, the question of what exactly transpired on the day of the crime and the court’s reason to sentence Jabbari to death has come to surface. To give every Rashomon’s character a chance, we publish an interview of Justice Hassan Tardast, the former judge of this case who was interviewed by Iran’s Entekhab before the hanging.

Note: We are publishing this interview to only understand the case from the less discussed side, and not in support of the hanging.

This interview is long and we have extracted parts of it here:

Mr. Tardast, you have been the judge for the case of Reyhaneh Jabbari, after seven years, do you still believe that she is a murderer?

What can change my mind after close and profound inspection of the case which as specified by the law, was examined and handled by five judges.… Anybody who reads the 24 page report of the case will vote for its truth…. It was examined on top of all that by thirteen Supreme Court judges and not a single one voted against the verdict.

There is now the “campaign of supporting Reyhaneh,” have you seen their contents?

I have seen the articles and views and I am sorry for Iran’s weakness in responding to centers for spreading lies. I have personally done my best in every case to convince victims’ families to forgive the murderer and not demand execution; I have thanked God every time I have been successful in that in similar cases. But with the invasion of agenda-driven groups on this case and spreading lies and accusations against the victim, the victim’s family are now holding a grudge and won’t consent to forgiving the murderer.

Where does the family of the murdered stand on consenting to let off the death penalty?

Once in court, I told them that even if the defendant has chosen a poor way for defense and have upset and disturbed you this way, consider that your father has made a sin having an affair, so please forgive this poor girl. But they told me: “First of all, this lady is not regretful at all. Secondly, instead of the truth, they now call my father a rapist.”

Honesty and regret would have helped the family forgive and relieve her of death sentence?

Yes, if instead of lies to get foreign citizenship, Ms. Jabbari had shown honesty and regret, she would have a good chance like many other cases.

How was the state of mind of Reyhaneh Jabbari?

It was in a way that in an SMS to one of her boyfriends, she said she intended to murder her father. In court she said that she was a victim of her father’s violence when he drank.

Has the confessions of Reyhaneh been given under duress?

Almost none of the key evidences come from her statements during the first interrogation, rather from her statements in court at the side of her lawyers. She so easily and relaxed talked about her deeds.

In social media, her ex-lawyer Mr. Mostafayi has claimed that the door was locked, because the door is so filled with strikes of knife that it shows she couldn’t open the door. Is that true?

It is an absolute lie. This ‘Mr. I-am-human-rights’ acts like a corrupt politician. The accused has repeatedly stated in the court that the door was not locked. After plunging a 10-inch long blade that she bought two days prior to the murder, she left the scene pretty easily. The crime scene also shows that the door is not “filled with strikes of knife.” There is the evidence for one strike of a sharp object. When asked “why did you strike the door?” She said: “’cause I was excited and in a hurry.” When asked “was the door locked?” She replied: “No it wasn’t… After I plunged the knife, he threw a chair at me, I exited using the elevator and he used the stairs.” He died after climbing down two stories.

What did Reyhaneh do after she exited?

She says: “I hid in the street, and waited. When I saw the ambulance and the Police, I took a taxi home.”

Did the neighbors hear Reyhaneh cry for help or anything?

The crime scene is a five-story building such that the least bit of cry would be heard easily. In the questionings, the neighbors said that they only heard an object strike the wall which was the chair thrown by the victim.

Was the relationship of Reyhaneh with the murdered only concerning her job?

Ms. Jabbari said at least three times in the court that “I used to give him services in return for benefits.” It had nothing to do with interior decorations. In their slang, what they mean by “giving services” is to have sex. In addition to having a fiancé and a boyfriend, she also had affairs with multiple people simultaneously including the manager where she worked, which resulted to having disputes with her fiancé.… This is an SMS from her fiancé to her: “You said goodbye to me when you started sleeping with…, dirt. This was my last SMS to you.”

Given the age difference between them, why did they have a relationship?

As stated and recorded in the case, she says regarding her relation with an older man (the murdered): “I wanted to give some controlled services and get some benefits. I wanted to prove that I can be independent without my family’s help.” Regarding how they met, she says: “On the street, he had a Toyota Camry [Cars are four times more expensive in Iran than anywhere else.—AM]. He stopped for me and I got in.… We exchanged numbers.” They had an affair weeks before the murder, they went to restaurants, were in touch constantly as their symcard messages show. On the day of the crime, the murdered came to her work to pick her up as planned. Her colleagues testified that when a Toyota Camry came to pick her up, she told them that he is her father’s friend, and that they want to buy the car. They even brought eggs for good luck.

Considering your thirty years of experience what do you think her motivation was?

For a solid investigation of the case, I appointed a female psychologist to the case to closely examine and interview the murderess and comment. The psychologist believed that the murderess suffered from an extreme case of narcissism. Her mindset contributed to her murder, but she had not suffered from any form of insanity to be absolved. Plus, since the murdered travelled a lot for trading medical equipment, he had promised her with trips to Europe which he didn’t keep and resulted in her anger. He also had promised to give her the Toyota for a Thursday out-of-town picnic with her friends at work which he didn’t do; this also raged her a great deal. She said she was embarrassed in front of her friends.

Did Reihaneh plan for the murder?

Reihaneh is not in the habit of being manipulated and never tolerates “not receiving benefits in return for her services.” That day when the murdered asked: “Take off your scarf,” she refused. When asked if he did any act of coercion and if he turned and moved away from her, she replies: “He went to say his prayers.” The blood spatter analysis on the Sajaddeh and the chair also confirms that he was saying the prayer at the time of murder and had his back to her.

Was the plunging of the knife lethal?

The knife went into his lungs. Forensic results contradict Mr. Mostafayi’s claim that “she just had a simple strike to the shoulder.”… The murdered had bought condoms on the way there, which he had put on the table right in front of her.

It is claimed that Reyhaneh’s drink was spiked. Did you send the glasses to the lab?

There were two glasses, both of which were tested. The reports show that one of the glasses contained Difnoxilat which is a laxative.

Do you concur with efforts to make the blood owner’s consent for lifting the death penalty?

Although I have retired and although it is their right to have the execution according to Islamic laws, I am ready to do everything within my means to get the blood owner’s consent.

UPDATE: The execution of Reyhaneh Jabbari has been postponed for another 10 days to give her a chance to get the consent of the victim’s family to let off the death penalty. The family have formally stated for quite a while that they are willing to forgive Rayhaneh Jabbari, provided that she comes out with the truth. Two nights ago, BBC Farsi brought a women’s activist to discuss the case. When asked “What does the son of Mr. Sarbandi mean by truth?” she replied:”What truth? Who knows what they mean?” Despite women’s groups lying through their teeth, the family has stated that they will ask for the death penalty to be rescinded if she comes out with the truth regarding the two following questions:

When she committed the murder, a male accomplice was waiting for her and entered the room, this is why the victim followed them. Reyhaneh has referred to this accomplice as “Sh.” The family demands his identity.

Secondly, the family demands the real reason for the murder as opposed to the false accusation of rape.

Why aren’t these “women’s groups” in support of getting these questions answered?

Hanged Iranian woman Reyhaneh Jabbari leaves heartbreaking last message

October 27, 2014 by Nasheman

Reyhaneh Jabbari, the Iranian woman who was hanged today by Iran after 7 years imprisonment had released her will in a voice message.

In a heart-rending message to her family in April, beginning with her mother Sholeh, 26-year-old Reyhaneh Jabbari tells how she trusted the law, but has faced death for the crime of defending herself against an agent of Iran’s intelligence who tried to abuse her.

English translation of Reyhaneh Jabbari’s will (translated by National Council of Resistance of Iran – NCRI).

Dear Sholeh, today I learned that it is now my turn to face Qisas (the Iranian regime’s law of retribution). I am hurt as to why you did not let me know yourself that I have reached the last page of the book of my life. Don’t you think that I should know? You know how ashamed I am that you are sad. Why did you not take the chance for me to kiss your hand and that of dad?

The world allowed me to live for 19 years. That ominous night it was I that should have been killed. My body would have been thrown in some corner of the city, and after a few days, the police would have taken you to the coroner’s office to identify my body and there you would also learn that I had been raped as well. The murderer would have never been found since we don’t have their wealth and their power. Then you would have continued your life suffering and ashamed, and a few years later you would have died of this suffering and that would have been that.

However, with that cursed blow the story changed. My body was not thrown aside, but into the grave of Evin Prison and its solitary wards, and now the grave-like prison of Shahr-e Ray. But give in to the fate and don’t complain. You know better that death is not the end of life.

You taught me that one comes to this world to gain an experience and learn a lesson and with each birth a responsibility is put on one’s shoulder. I learned that sometimes one has to fight. I do remember when you told me that the carriage man protested the man who was flogging me, but the flogger hit the lash on his head and face that ultimately led to his death. You told me that for creating a value one should persevere even if one dies.

You taught us that as we go to school one should be a lady in face of the quarrels and complaints. Do you remember how much you underlined the way we behave? Your experience was incorrect. When this incident happened, my teachings did not help me. Being presented in court made me appear as a cold-blooded murderer and a ruthless criminal. I shed no tears. I did not beg. I did not cry my head off since I trusted the law.

But I was charged with being indifferent in face of a crime. You see, I didn’t even kill the mosquitoes and I threw away the cockroaches by taking them by their antennas. Now I have become a premeditated murderer. My treatment of the animals was interpreted as being inclined to be a boy and the judge didn’t even trouble himself to look at the fact that at the time of the incident I had long and polished nails.

How optimistic was he who expected justice from the judges! He never questioned the fact that my hands are not coarse like those of a sportswoman, especially a boxer. And this country that you planted its love in me never wanted me and no one supported me when under the blows of the interrogator I was crying out and I was hearing the most vulgar terms. When I shed the last sign of beauty from myself by shaving my hair I was rewarded: 11 days in solitary.

Dear Sholeh, don’t cry for what you are hearing. On the first day that in the police office an old unmarried agent hurt me for my nails I understood that beauty is not looked for in this era. The beauty of looks, beauty of thoughts and wishes, a beautiful handwriting, beauty of the eyes and vision, and even beauty of a nice voice. My dear mother, my ideology has changed and you are not responsible for it. My words are unending and I gave it all to someone so that when I am executed without your presence and knowledge, it would be given to you. I left you much handwritten material as my heritage.

However, before my death I want something from you, that you have to provide for me with all your might and in any way that you can. In fact this is the only thing I want from this world, this country and you. I know you need time for this. Therefore, I am telling you part of my will sooner. Please don’t cry and listen. I want you to go to the court and tell them my request. I cannot write such a letter from inside the prison that would be approved by the head of prison; so once again you have to suffer because of me. It is the only thing that if even you beg for it I would not become upset although I have told you many times not to beg to save me from being executed.

My kind mother, dear Sholeh, the one more dear to me than my life, I don’t want to rot under the soil. I don’t want my eye or my young heart to turn into dust. Beg so that it is arranged that as soon as I am hanged my heart, kidney, eye, bones and anything that can be transplanted be taken away from my body and given to someone who needs them as a gift. I don’t want the recipient know my name, buy me a bouquet, or even pray for me. I am telling you from the bottom of my heart that I don’t want to have a grave for you to come and mourn there and suffer. I don’t want you to wear black clothing for me. Do your best to forget my difficult days. Give me to the wind to take away.

The world did not love us. It did not want my fate. And now I am giving in to it and embrace the death. Because in the court of God I will charge the inspectors, I will charge inspector Shamlou, I will charge judge, and the judges of country’s Supreme Court that beat me up when I was awake and did not refrain from harassing me. In the court of the creator I will charge Dr. Farvandi, I will charge Qassem Shabani and all those that out of ignorance or with their lies wronged me and trampled on my rights and didn’t pay heed to the fact that sometimes what appears as reality is different from it.

Dear soft-hearted Sholeh, in the other world it is you and me who are the accusers and others who are the accused. Let’s see what God wants. I wanted to embrace you until I die. I love you.

Reyhaneh,
April 1, 2014

Iran hangs woman despite international uproar

October 25, 2014 by Nasheman

Reyhaneh Jabbari was hanged on Saturday for killing a man she says tried to abuse her, despite international outcry.

– by Al Jazeera

Iran has executed a 26-year-old woman convicted for killing a man whom she said tried to sexually abuse her.

Reyhaneh Jabbari was arrested in 2007 for the murder of Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, a former employee of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

She was hanged at dawn on Saturday, the official IRNA news agency quoted the Tehran prosecutor’s office as saying

A message posted on the homepage of a Facebook campaign that was set up to try to save her, but which now states “Rest in Peace,” appeared to confirm the report.

Efforts for clemency had intensified in recent weeks. Jabbari’s mother was allowed to visit her for one hour on Friday, Amnesty said, a custom that tends to precede executions in Iran.

Jabbari was sentenced to death by a criminal court in Tehran in 2009 in what Amnesty International said was a “deeply flawed investigation and trial”.

Her execution was due to be carried out on 30 September but was postponed for 10 days.

A UN human rights monitor had said the killing of Sarbandi was an act of self-defence after he tried to sexually assault Jabbari, and that her trial in 2009 had been deeply flawed.

Iranian actors and other prominent figures had appealed for a stay of execution, echoing similar calls in the West.

Jabbari apparently admitted to stabbing Sarbandi in the back. She said he had tried to sexually assault her.

However, she said that another man who was also in the house at the time killed him. Her claims do not appear to have ever been properly investigated, Amnesty said.

Calls for retrial

The UN and international rights groups had said Jabbari’s confession was obtained under intense pressure and threats from Iranian prosecutors, and she should have had a retrial.

Ahmed Shaheed, the UN’s human rights rapporteur on Iran, said in April that Sarbandi had offered to hire Jabbari to redesign his office and took her to an apartment where he sexually abused her.

However, Sarbandi’s family insists that the murder was premeditated and that Jabbari had confessed to buying a knife two days before the killing.

Iran’s judicial authorities were reported to have pressured Jabbari to replace her lawyer, Mohammad Ali Jedari Foroughi, for a more inexperienced one, in an apparent attempt to prevent an investigation of her claims, Amnesty reported.

Israel to vote on partitioning Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews

October 23, 2014 by Nasheman

It is important to note that both Rabbinical and Israeli law currently bans Jews from prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque because of the sanctity of the site for the Jewish religion.

An Arab Knesset member has revealed that there will be a vote in the next month on a law drafted by an Israeli committee regarding the partition of Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews.

Arab MK Masoud Ghanayim was quoted on Monday by Palestinian newspaper Felesteen as saying that “the draft law, which has been prepared by the interior parliamentary committee in the Knesset, stipulates that Jews can perform prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

He continued: “This is based on a proposal that gives Muslims and Jews equal rights in their access and use of the holy site. It also specifies certain locations where Jews can perform their prayers.”

It is important to note that both Rabbinical and Israeli law currently bans Jews from prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque because of the sanctity of the site for the Jewish religion. Most Jews who lobby to pray there are illegal settlers with a right wing agenda.

The Old City in Jerusalem where Al-Aqsa is located is internationally recognised as occupied land. The Israeli occupation authorities frequently prevent Muslims from praying there.

According to Ghanayim, the same draft law also bans organising civil protests and demonstrations in Al-Aqsa compound, and sets out punishment for any violations.

Ghanayim said that putting such a law for any vote is a “flagrant aggression on the religious rights of Muslims around the world.” He also called it part of the Judaisation plan for the city of Jerusalem.

Commenting on the basis of this law, Ghanayim said it “is solely based on a legitimacy built on historical and religious myths bolstered with the power of the oppressive occupation.”

He stressed that Al-Aqsa Mosque is part of the Islamic and Arabic world and cannot be partitioned at any time or place. He reiterated: “It is part of Arab and Palestinian lands, which is occupied by the Zionists and the [illegal] occupation does not have the right to impose its laws.”

At the same time, he insisted that the Israeli government is behind all the attempts by the extremist right wing settlers to extend Israeli sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque and warned that the Israeli government would pay the price for this aggression on the rights of Arabs and Muslims.

With $550M in agricultural losses, Gazans going hungry

October 21, 2014 by Nasheman

Palestinians wait to receive food supplies from a United Nations food distribution center in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Aug. 19, 2014. (photo by REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa).

by Rasha Abou Jalal, Al Monitor

Gaza City: Souad Motlaq joins a long queue in Gaza City to get aid from one of the charities that provides food to thousands of Gazan families suffering from food insecurity as a result of the recent Israeli war.

Motlaq was covering her head with a piece of cardboard to try escape the hot sun, sighing as she saw the queue was moving at a snail’s pace. She told Al-Monitor indignantly, “This is the first time I have stood in a queue to get food aid. War alone forced me to do this.”

Her seven-member family can no longer obtain food due to its scarcity and skyrocketing prices, which have forced her to resort to relief organizations for food.

The Ministry of Agriculture’s undersecretary, Abdullah Lahlouh, warned in an interview with the Palestinian news agency Wafa about the increase in the number of households experiencing food insecurity in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli aggression. Lahlouh said the rate of food insecurity was 58% before the Israeli aggression and was likely to rise.

The Israeli war on Gaza, which lasted 51 days, inflicted extremely significant losses on the production, agricultural and livestock sectors, affecting the food supply to the markets.

The agricultural sector losses reached an estimated $550 million, including $350 million in direct losses, according to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Policy and Planning Director Nabil Abu Shamala.

Abu Shamala said during a news conference attended by Al-Monitor on Sept. 6, “Israel directly targeted more than half of the agricultural areas in the sector, which are estimated at 140,000 dunums, while the remaining areas were more or less damaged as a result of the inability of the farmers to reach their crops, which caused the lands to suffer from drought.”

He said that the losses in livestock production amounted to $70.8 million, while the loss in the water and soil sector totaled $68.2 million. The losses inflicted on the fishing sector reached $10 million, while the losses in stored agricultural crops amounted to $1.16 million.

According to economy expert Moeen Rajab, Israel targeted agricultural land out of fear of the presence of underground tunnels or rocket launchers underneath without taking into account the economic effects of such devastating acts.

Rajab told Al-Monitor, “Targeting agricultural production has led to food insecurity in the Gaza Strip and has pushed up the unemployment rate after workers in this sector lost their jobs.”

After the cease-fire deal was reached, farmer Abdul Hamid Audi went to inspect his agricultural land located in the Shujaiya neighborhood east of Gaza City. All he found were ruins.

“The Israeli tanks have completely ruined my 8-acre [0.01-mile] land that was planted with cucumbers and tomatoes and equipped with an irrigation system, water pumps and modern agricultural tents,” Audi told Al-Monitor, saying his losses amounted to $12,000.

The terms of the agreement, which was reached during negotiations in Cairo, provided for the termination of the Israeli buffer zone along the border security fence, but Audi believes that these areas are in dire need of enormous amounts of work to restore water lines and electricity pylons and clean the soil of shrapnel from Israeli missiles.

Abu Shamala believes the agriculture sector will face great difficulty in recovering due to the destruction of more than 70 water wells and the bulldozing of about 34,500 acres [54 square miles] of agricultural land on the eastern border of the Gaza Strip.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned in a statement on Aug. 14 that the end of local food production strongly affects livelihoods, noting that the agriculture sector recovery will require concrete foreign and long-term support.

According to the FAO, “Gaza has lost half of its total poultry [chicken for food as well as those kept for eggs]. … The locally produced food represents an important source of food,” noting that 28,600 people depend on agriculture for their livelihood.

Moataz Thabet, a vegetable seller in the Sheikh Radwan market in Gaza City, explained that the high prices made people resort to buying vegetables that were going bad to get cheaper prices.

Thabet told Al-Monitor, “There is seldom fresh produce in the market and it is only the rich that buy this produce. Meanwhile, the old frozen goods are for the middle and poor classes — if they are lucky enough to be able to afford such goods.”

The director-general of the Ministry of Agriculture’s General Directorate of Marketing and Crossings, Tahsin Sakka, told Al-Monitor that the lack of supply in the markets and the growing demand for significant agricultural crops has doubled prices.

Sakka gave examples of rising food prices and said, “The price of a kilo [2.2 pounds] of tomatoes rose from 2 shekels [$0.55] per kilo to 6 shekels [$1.64] and the same applies to cucumbers. The price of peppers rose from 1 shekel [$0.27] an ounce to 4 shekels [$1.10], while the price of a kilo of chicken increased from 10 shekels [$2.70] to 22 shekels [$6.03].”

He emphasized that the acute shortage in crops, poultry and livestock made people primarily depend on canned food provided by international institutions providing aid relief for Gazans.

The FAO reported in its statement that most of Gaza’s 1.8 million inhabitants are now dependent on food aid, noting that the World Food Program is helping about 1.1 million people on a regular basis together with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

“In addition, about 700,000 people are now dependent on special food distribution through the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs, UNRWA and the World Food Programme,” the statement read.

Number of Iraqi orphans, widows rising with conflict

October 21, 2014 by Nasheman

Orphan boys share earphones as they listen to music in their room in the Safe House orphanage in Baghdad’s Sadr City, Feb. 11, 2009. (photo by REUTERS/May Naji)

by Omar al-Jaffal, Al Monitor

Naima Ibrahim, 36, lost her husband during the government’s bombing of Fallujah in May. She had intended to flee the city with her husband and children after the city fell to militants belonging to the Islamic State (IS) and some tribal groups, but her husband died in the shelling while out buying food. His death forced her to remain in Fallujah. She and her children now live on the money provided by her brothers and neighbors in addition to aid from humanitarian organizations in Anbar province.

Ali al-Hayali, a member of the Al-Khair Foundation, which operates out of Anbar, took it upon himself to help cases similar to Ibrahim’s. He estimates that about 400 children have been orphaned in the province since the start of the government’s military operations against the armed groups in December of last year. Hayali’s association, along with a group of other civil and humanitarian organizations, is trying to assess the extent of the destruction that befell Fallujah. The incessant shelling and blocking of roads between the province’s cities has made it difficult to compile accurate statistics on the number of orphans.

The local government in Anbar does not have specific statistics on these orphans, given its poor government services. The lack of clear information has worsened the orphan’s situation and prevented any future aid.

Hayali has, however, been able to reach some widows and give them food packages. “The local government in Anbar merely registers the orphans and widows in their records. It does not help them,” he told Al-Monitor by phone. Hayali acknowledged the difficulty facing the provincial government in taking heed of the orphans and widows, due to the worsening crisis, poor security situation and ongoing military operations. “Most of the employees of the concerned departments have been displaced,” he said.

Sabah Karhout, head of the Anbar Provincial Council, told Al-Monitor by phone, “The military operations and random shelling by the army and the militants have left many people dead, meaning an increase in the [number] of orphans.” He stressed, “The indiscriminate shelling operations must stop. … Anbar has requested the Baghdad government to stop the indiscriminate shelling and military operations in the province multiple times, but it did not respond.”

According to Karhout, his council has “repeatedly tried to find peaceful, rather than military, solutions to get out of the crisis.” He added, “Our demands are not heeded.” Karhout called on the new government to “stop the fighting and military operations, and find ways to communicate with the tribes to get out of the crisis as soon as possible.”

On Sept. 13, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi issued orders to stop the bombardment of all cities where civilians are still present, even if members of IS are present. Abadi stressed that his government does not want more innocent victims. However, two days after Abadi’s decision, Fallujah’s hospital said it was hit by mortar rockets again.

Since the US-led invasion of Iraq in April 2003, local and international organizations have recorded a rise in the number of orphans and widows due to the worsening security situation. Iraq has not seen stability in more than 10 years, and this has begun to cast its shadows on society.

In 2011, UNICEF estimated that 800,000 children in Iraq had lost either one or both parents. This figure must have increased due to the severe attacks suffered by Iraq during the past couple of years, especially 2013, which the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) considered one of the bloodiest years Iraq has ever seen.

According to Ikhlas Dulaimi, a sociology researcher, “The rise in orphans in Anbar is caused by the wars.” She told Al-Monitor, “The worsening cases of orphans will reflect negatively on the province in the long term. They will be forced to work to support their families after they leave school.” Dulaimi also stated, “In the future, we will have thousands of uneducated youth who suffer from unemployment. They will be [recruited] by the armed groups that seek to destabilize the state — something that will be very easy.”

The Iraqi government does not have a clear strategy to deal with this issue, which will only worsen with time. Civil organizations have pointed to flaws in legislation that guarantees orphans’ rights and fail to oversee negligent orphanages. Iraq’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs pointed to 23 such orphanages that were not providing ample care and education to orphans. These orphans were unable to integrate into society after reaching working age. This situation, if it continues, will push these orphans toward unemployment or their recruitment by militias.

U.S. and allies threaten sanctions in Libya

October 20, 2014 by Nasheman

Libya has been in a state of upheaval since its former leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed three years ago. (AFP/File)

– by Al Bawaba

In a joint statement issued late Saturday by the governments of the US, UK, Germany, France and Italy, the group threatened sanctions against violent parties in Libya if a ceasefire and negotiation process is not implemented.

“We stand ready to use individual sanctions in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2174 against those who threaten the peace, stability or security of Libya or obstruct or undermine the political process,” the statement said.

The resolution was unanimously adopted by the five permanent members of the Security Council, and all 10 rotating members on August 27. It calls for an end to the fighting between the government and multiple rebel groups, an inclusive dialogue, and prior notice regarding weapons transfers.

In Saturday’s statement, the group said they “strongly condemn the ongoing violence in Libya and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

“We are particularly dismayed that after meetings in Ghadames and Tripoli, parties have not respected calls for a ceasefire,” they noted.

“We condemn the crimes of Ansar al-Sharia entities, and the ongoing violence in communities across Libya, including Tripoli and its environs. Libya’s hard fought freedom is at risk if Libyan and international terrorist groups are allowed to use Libya as a safe haven,” the statement said.

“We are also concerned by (ex-military general) Khalifa Hifter’s attacks in Benghazi. We consider that Libya’s security challenges and the fight against terrorist organizations can only be sustainably addressed by regular armed forces under the control of a central authority, which is accountable to a democratic and inclusive parliament,” the group affirmed.

The five nations said they “fully support” the work of the UN’s Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Bernardino Leon, “and urge all parties to cooperate with his efforts.” Leon is the head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which was established in 2011 “at the request of the Libyan authorities following six months of armed conflict to support the country’s new transitional authorities in their post-conflict efforts.

“After the Ghadames and Tripoli meetings, negotiations should be pursued with goodwill and adopting inclusive policies, with the aim of finding an agreement on the location of the House of Representatives elected last June 25th and laying the foundations for a Government of National Unity,” the group said.

“We agree that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis,” they added. “We stress the importance that the international community acts in a united manner on Libya on the basis of the principles and understandings agreed at recent meetings, namely in New York and Madrid.”

The statement also warned against interference from outside parties, and urged “all partners to refrain from actions which might exacerbate current divisions in order to let Libyans address the current crisis within the framework of UN-facilitated talks.” According to UN figures, some 287,000 people have had to flee due to the fighting in and around the cities of Benghazi and Tripoli, leading to a “critical” humanitarian situation.

Libya has been in a state of upheaval since its former leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed three years ago.

Upholding blasphemy death sentence against Asia Bibi 'a grave injustice': Amnesty International

October 20, 2014 by Nasheman

A Pakistani court’s decision to uphold the death sentence against a Christian woman convicted on blasphemy charges is a grave injustice, Amnesty International said.

The Lahore High Court today rejected the appeal against the death sentence imposed on Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad during an argument with a Muslim woman.

“This is a grave injustice. Asia Bibi should never have been convicted in the first place – still less sentenced to death – and the fact that she could pay with her life for an argument is sickening,” said David Griffiths, Amnesty International’s Deputy Asia Pacific Director.

“There were serious concerns about the fairness of Asia Bibi’s trial, and her mental and physical health has reportedly deteriorated badly during the years she has spent in almost total isolation on death row. She should be released immediately and the conviction should be quashed.”

Asia Bibi’s lawyer said after today’s verdict that he will file an appeal to the Supreme Court.

The story does not end here

An editorial in Pakistan’s The Nation opines that the, “courts in Pakistan must start recognising the fallibility of sworn testimonies. Asia Bibi was convicted on the basis of the testimony of a cleric and other women in the village, even though charges should also be leveled against her accusers for first marginalizing her and then using courts to settle their personal scores against a mother of five. The lack of proper investigative techniques means that evidence is often doctored, and witnesses coerced for personal or ideological reasons in order to spin the case one way or another.”

The Daily Times writes that,”the story does not end here as a series of violent events ensued from this case and continue to haunt us, with some high profile figures like Salmaan Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti — the then Punjab governor and the federal minister of minorities respectively — having lost their lives for standing up for the victim and voicing against the abusive use of the blasphemy law. The fact that attempts to repeal it have been thwarted, with some paying for it with their lives or receiving life threats, logic demands alternate ways to provide justice. Is there any law that can save a person who has been falsely accused? And is there is any punishment for the one who falsely accuses someone? Or will the clouds of such travesties of justice permanently loom over our heads? One can find plenty of cases where witch-hunts, vigilante mobs, land grabs and assassinations have been carried out under the umbrella of this law.

The Gojra, Badami Bagh, Gujranwala incidents, the recent killing of one blasphemy accused and wounding of another in Adiala Jail and many other similar events are blatantly scars on the face of our history and no one accused of blasphemy, rightly or wrongly, is safe. It is more than shameful for this increasingly intolerant and bigoted society that the perpetrators behind such heinous crimes are treated as heroes while the principles of justice stand paralysed. Parliament needs to take steps to save society from an incremental breakdown of justice because of the blasphemy law while providing safeguards for the falsely accused, whose number is growing, to our permanent shame and ignominy.”

Saudi Arabia sentences Shia leader Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr to death

October 17, 2014 by Nasheman

A protester holds up a picture of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr during a rally at the coastal town of Qatif, against Sheikh Nimr’s arrest in this 8 July 2012 file photo. (Photo: Reuters – STR)

– by Deutsche Welle

A Saudi court has sentenced prominent Shia leader Nimr al-Nimr to death for sedition. The verdict is likely to escalate further the tensions between the kingdom’s Shia minority and the Sunni-led authorities.

Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who is 54 years old, was found guilty of “disobeying” the kingdom’s rulers and of seeking “foreign meddling” in the country’s affairs, a thinly veiled reference to Iran, whose regime is dominated by Shias.

Al-Nimr had denied ever carrying weapons or calling for violence. He can appeal the sentence.

The well-known cleric was accused of being a driving force behind protests against Saudi Arabia’s Sunni authorities in the Eastern province that began in 2011. This followed an outbreak of violence between Shia pilgrims and religious police in Medina, the Muslim holy city.

He was shot in the leg and arrested by security forces in 2012, leading to more protests.

Shias feel marginalized

Al-Nimr’s family said the verdict set a “dangerous precedent for decades to come.”

Saudi Arabia’s roughly two million Shias live mainly in the east of the country, where the majority of oil reserves are located. Despite the region’s wealth, Shias in Saudi Arabia say they feel marginalized and discriminated against.

Protests, which are banned in Saudi Arabia, escalated after the Saudi regime intervened in neighboring Bahrain to support its Sunni monarchy.

In June this year, a Saudi court sentenced two people to death for “taking part in forming a terrorist group” and other crimes linked to the protests by Shias. Several others have received multi-year jail sentences.

Public beheadings

According to Human Rights Watch, more than 1,040 people were detained in Shia protests between February 2011 and August 2014. There are at least 280 still imprisoned.

Last year the conservative Islamic kingdom executed more people than any other country except China and Iran, most of them by public beheading.

(AFP, Reuters)

Riyadh gunman who shot two American defense contractors has criminal record

October 16, 2014 by Nasheman

– by Siraj Wahab, Arab News

Jeddah: The man responsible for shooting two American defense contractors near King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on Tuesday has been identified as Abdul Aziz Al-Rashid, a US-born Saudi national. One American died while the other was unharmed.

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said the 24-year-old Al-Rashid worked with American defense contractor Vinnell Arabia before he was sacked for drug-related issues. Both Americans worked at Vinnell Arabia.

The shooting took place at a gas station close to the company’s base. Security forces arrived quickly on the scene and apprehended Al-Rashid following an exchange of fire in which he was wounded.

According to a report on Al-Arabiya television’s website, Al-Rashid has a criminal record. American police reportedly arrested him for driving under the influence of banned substances in Boise, Idaho, in mid-2011.

Al-Turki said nothing in Al-Rashid’s record indicated any affiliation with any extremist group.

Vinnell Arabia operates under a longstanding contract to provide training services to the Saudi National Guard.

A statement posted on Saudi Embassy’s website in Washington said Al-Rashid traveled to the US, France, Germany, the UAE and, most recently to, Bahrain in October 2014.

“The investigation is ongoing and the relevant authorities will reveal details as they emerge,” said the statement.

American expatriates in the Kingdom expressed relief at the immediate arrest of the man.

“If what we have been told is correct, then it is comforting to know that this act was not related to terrorism,” said Stephen Johnson, a consultant with a petrochemical company. “Saudi security forces have been rather swift in arresting the man.”

He said he was swamped with calls from home to enquire about his well-being. “My folks were naturally concerned after hearing it on television, and I told them everything is fine,” he said.

As a sign of confidence, the US Embassy in Riyadh posted a message for its citizens on its website on Wednesday stating: “As of 12 noon Wednesday, the embassy authorizes its personnel to resume movements off of the Diplomatic Quarter. The investigation into Tuesday’s shooting of US citizens is ongoing.”

The embassy advised its citizens “to maintain vigilance and employ good security awareness.”