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7/29/2019 Group 48 Newsletter - February 2013
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Amnesty International USA Group 48
Newsletter 2.13
1 Good News rom the
Republic o Congo:
Individuals Held Since
2004 Released!
2 SOMALIA: Urgent Action -
Unjust Imprisonment,
Legal Concern
4 INDONESIA: Action
Update - Religious reedom
under attack as Shi’a
villagers ace eviction
5 CHAD: End Human Rights
Violations in Prisons
7 CHINA: Urgent Action -
Chinese Woman Faces
Imminent Execution,Death Penalty, Imminent
Execution, Unair Trial
9 MALI: Civilians At Risk
From All Sides O Te
Confict
Good News from the Republic of Congo: Individuals
Held Since 2004 Released!By Terrie Rodello, AIUSA Republic of Congo Country Specialist
and AIUSA Central Africa RAN Coordinator
Good News! Te three individuals
held in the Republic o Congo held
since 2004, Medard Manwaka Egbonde,
Bosch Ndala Umba, and Germain Nda-
bamenya Etikilome have been released.
Amnesty International thanks everyone
for all the action taken or these
individuals over the years.
Medard Manwaka Egbonde was granted
reugee status while in detention and
according to Germain Ndabamenya
Etikolome, the UNHCR has already
relocated him to a third country.
Mr. Bosch Ndala Umba was released in
November. Te International Secretariat
(IS) said it is trying to get more ino
about his status and will let us know
more as soon as possible.
Germain Ndabamenya Etikolome is
considered a ree man. However, his
legal status in Congo is still unclear as
his application or asylum was rejected
while in detention and he believes thathis lie is still at risk in Congo. Te IS
is awaiting advice rom the Reugee
team on what steps to take to assist
him in nding a solution to his case.
Te UNHCR oce in Brazzaville did
not provide any assistance to him and
his amily. He was completely destitute.
Fortunately, the IS was able to provide
Germain Ndabamenya with a relie
H er m anBr i nk m an S t o c k .X c h n g
NewsLetter Designed
By Michelle Whitlock
MichelleWhitlock.com
AIUSA-Group 48
http://aipdx.org
503-227-1878
Next Meeting:
Friday February 8th
First Unitarian Church
1011 SW 12th Ave
7:00pm inormal gathering
7:30pm meeting starts
»
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 2
und to assist him with his social reintegration. He has sent
the ollowing thank you note to Amnesty International.
Here is the English translation o his message
"o Amnesty International,
I would like to take this opportunity to send you my sincere
thanks or the unreserved eorts and all the pressure exerted
by you to get me released rom a long prison sentence which
lasted almost 9 years in the repressive Direction Centrale
des Renseignements Militaires (DCRM) and the Direction
Générale de la Surveillance du erritoire (DGS) rom 29th
March 2004 to 3rd September 2012 in Brazzaville, Republic o
Congo. My wie alone could not have achieved such a positive
result. Furthermore, you have helped my amily nancially,allowing them to cope with numerous requirements.
I owe you all my gratitude and may God bless our organiza-
tion, Amnesty International, giving it a long lie through its
activities. Te same thanks go straight to all Amnesty Inter-
national members who supported me with their letters and let
me know that the world had not orgotten me. Tey showed
great courage and hope in ghting or justice and my release.
May they nd here the expression o my proound gratitude.
Finally, may Jesus Christ bless you.
Yours sincerely, Mr NDABAMENYA Germain"
Please share this inormation with your groups and all who
took action or these individuals. I am awaiting inormation
rom the International Secretariat about possible ollow-up
actions, such as writing letters o support or raising unds on
their behal.
Tis small thank-you note is another reminder that our work
or even one individual rom a small country like the Re-
public o Congo is very important to that individual and his/
her amily, I I ever doubt the importance o our work or
individuals, I will reread this thank-you note, a note similar
to the note I received in the 1990s rom a released prisoner
o conscience rom Morocco in which he expressed thanksto Amnesty International members or not orgetting him.
Amnesty International members did not orget him. He was
eventually reed. From 2004 to 2012, Amnesty International
members did not orget these men and their amilies. Tese
men are now ree and with their amilies. Our work or indi-
viduals is important. Nothing else needs to be said.
I will report any news about other actions as soon as I hear
back rom the International Secretariat.
Tank you very much or your work.
SOMALIA: Urgent Action - Unjust Imprisonment, Legal Concern Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim (m)
orces. Te inormation Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim gained
rom his interview with the alleged rape victim has not been
published.
Te alleged victim o rape has also been charged with insult to
a national institution, and or alsiying an accusation against
the Somali government.
Tree other individuals have also been charged in connection
with the case: the husband o the alleged victim, a woman
believed to be a contact o the alleged victim, and a man be-
lieved to have been a contact o the journalist. Tey have
been charged with assisting a suspected person and or as-
sisting in obtaining a bribe. Te hearing will take place on
February 2nd.
On January 26th, Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim and others
detained in relation to this case were moved to the central
prison, where conditions are severe. Since their initial deten-
tion, they have had only intermittent access to lawyers.
Freelance journalist Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim has been
charged with insulting a national institution, ollowing his in- vestigation into an alleged rape involving government orces.
Te woman who reported the rape has also been charged with
alsiying an accusation.
On January 29th, Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim was charged
under Article 269 o the Somali penal code with insult to a
national institution, publishing a media report and paying a
bribe to create a alse story. He has been arbitrarily detained
since January 10th ollowing his investigation into the alleged
rape o an internally displaced woman by Somali security
Nick Cowie Stock.Xchng
»
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 3
It is understood that part o the evidence to support the
charges is the medical records o the alleged victim o rape. It
is unclear whether any steps have been taken to respect the
privacy o the alleged victim and protect her identity.
Additional Information
On January 18th, the government issued a public statement
in which it claimed that the allegation o rape made by the
woman Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim interviewed was alse,
and accused him o abricating the story. By declaring the
detainees guilty in the press, even beore a trial, the authori-
ties disregarded their presumption o innocence, which is a
undamental component o the right to a air trial.
At least two other journalists were questioned by CID in con-
nection to the Al Jazeera report, including one radio jour-
nalist who was detained overnight at the National Security
Agency acilities.
In November 2012, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated
that security personnel who commit rape should be held ac-
countable, and proposed the death penalty. While those who
commit rape and other orms o sexual violence must be held
accountable, Amnesty International opposes the use o the
death penalty in all circumstances.
Tere are regular reports o rape and other orms o sexual vi-
olence against women and girls living in internally displaced
people’s settlements in Mogadishu, sometimes alleged to have
been carried out by men wearing government uniorms.
Te police have a responsibility to take positive measures to
prevent sexual and gender based violence as well as to act
with due diligence to investigate all allegations o rape and
other orms o sexual violence, and where sucient admis-
sible evidence exists, prosecutions should take place in air
trials without resort to the death penalty. In addition, thereshould be no targeting o journalists who investigate such
allegations.
Action
Please write immediately in English, Somali or your own
language:
◌ Calling on the Somali authorities to drop all charges against
Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim and others detained in connection
with the case, and or their immediate and unconditional
release;
◌ Calling upon them, until their release, to allow Abdiaziz
Abdnur Ibrahim and others detained in connection with the
case ull access to lawyers, doctors and amily members.
Appeals to
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE MARCH 13th, 2013 O:
Minister o Interior and National Security
H.E. Abdikaram Hussein Guled,
Ministry o Interior
Mogadishu,
SOMALIA
Email: [email protected]
Salutation: Dear Minister
Minister o Justice
H.E. Abdullahi Abyan Nur
Ministry o Justice
Mogadishu,
SOMALIA
Email: [email protected]
Salutation: Dear Minister
State Minister o the Presidential Palace
H.E Farah Sheikh Abdulkader
Oce o the President
Mogadishu,
SOMALIA
Email: [email protected]
Salutation: Dear Minister
Within the United States
$0.31 - Postcards
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»
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 4
Copies to
Ambassador Elmi Ahmed Duale
Embassy o Somalia,
2600 Virginia Avenue Northwest,
Washington, DC 20037-1905
Phone: 1 202 338 8693
INDONESIA: Action Update - Religious freedom under attack as Shi’avillagers face evictionJanuary 15, 2013
according to their wishes, and help them to rebuild the home
that were damaged or destroyed,” said Isabelle Arradon o
Amnesty International’s Asia Pacic Programme.
“Tey must also end discrimination against religious minori-
ties in the country and investigate reports that the local and
provincial authorities are coercing Shi’a ollowers to renounce
their aith beore they are allowed to return to their homes.”
“Tose involved in the attack on the Shi’a community in
August must also be brought to justice in proceedings which
meet international standards o airness, without the imposi-
tion o the death penalty.”
Conditions in the displaced Shi’a community’s temporary
shelter have continued to deteriorate.
Since January Ist, the East Java provincial police have with-drawn the ocers who had been protecting the community.
In late December, the local authorities halted ood supplies
and medical services. Tey had previously cut o ood sup-
plies on November 22nd which had resumed on December
4th. Some o the children in the shelter have allen sick over
the last ew weeks.
“Te Indonesian authorities must ensure that the community
is granted immediate access to essential services such as ood
and health services. In particular, more needs to be done to
ensure that children who are currently unwell get access to
adequate medical care,” said Isabelle Arradon.
Te community, rom Karang Gayam village in the Sampang
district, were displaced in August 2012 when an anti-Shi’a
mob o around 500 people attacked the community with
sharp weapons and stones.
One person was killed and dozens were injured. Te mob also
set re to 35 houses belonging to the Shi’a community. Five
people have so ar been charged with the attack.
At the December Writeathon and potluck, many of you signed
a petition regarding this case. Te problems these displaced
persons are facing continue, and Amnesty continues to moni-
tor their situation. Below is a recent press release. If you wish to
write or fax on their behalf, please email me and I will re-send
you the Urgent Action. Tanks, -Max
Max WhiteCountry Specialist, Indonesia and imor-Lesté
Amnesty International USA
503-292-8168
he threatened orced relocation o a Shi’a community living
in temporary shelter in East Java is yet more evidence o the
continuing discrimination against religious minorities in
Indonesia, said Amnesty International.
An estimated 165 Shi’as, including 48 children, have been liv-
ing in inadequate conditions at a sports complex in Sampang
district on Madura Island since August 2012 when they were
displaced aer their village was attacked by a mob.
Credible local sources told Amnesty International that the
authorities have given the villagers until March to convert
to Indonesia’s majority religion Sunni Islam i they wish to
return to their homes.
“Te Indonesian authorities must guarantee the sae, voluntary
and dignied return o the Shi’a community to their homes,
Ri c ar d o C h ah a d S
t o c k .X c h n g
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 5
In May 2012, during its Universal Periodic Review at the Hu-
man Rights Council, the Indonesian government rearmed
its commitment to ensuring the protection o reedom o
religion and to address cases o religious intolerance.
However religious minority groups in Indonesia, including
Shi’a, Ahmadiyya and Christian communities, still ace ha-
rassment, intimidation and attacks. Tose who commit acts o
violence against religious minorities are rarely punished and
communities have been displaced by attacks.
In a similar case, in Lombok, East Nusa enggara province,
an Ahmadiyya community have been living or six years in
inadequate housing aer their homes were attacked and burnby a mob in February 2006. Te authorities have ailed to
resolve their situation or bring those responsible to justice.
Te right to reedom o religion or belie is guaranteed in Ar-
ticle 18(1) o the International Covenant on Civil and Politi-
cal Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a state party. For
more inormation visit, http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/
indonesia-religious-reedom-under-attack-shia-villagers-ace
eviction-2013-01-15
CHAD: End Human Rights Violations in PrisonsPrisoners have very limited access to medical and health care;
they lack ood, drinkable water, adequate sanitary acilities,
and other basic necessities such as bedding and clothes. Tere
are no specic acilities or children, who are detained in the
same cells as adults. In some prisons there was no separation
between women and men’s courtyards putting them at signi-
cant risk o gender-based and sexual violence. Even in prisons
where women had separate accommodation it was easy or
male prisoners and guards to move to and rom the women’s
courtyard and cells. Chad’s prisons sometimes operate at130% above their intended capacity.
Action
Please write letters and axes to the ollowing the Chadian
authorities and ask them to insure that living conditions in
prisons are compatible with human dignity and respect hu-
man rights. Te Chadian authorities should provide a clean
and hygienic environment or all those held in its prisons
including:
◌ Providing clean water and adequate sanitation acilities,
◌ Insuring that prisoners rom the overcrowded Amsinene
prison in N’Djamena are transerred to other adequate acili-
ties in N’Djamena taking into consideration the individual
needs o the prisoners,
◌ Insuring that each prison is provided with a clinic with
available basic medicines and equipped with basic medical
emergency acilities such as gloves, laboratory kits, etc.,
◌ Making at least one qualied medical doctor available to
conduct regular clinic work at each prison,
In the October 2012, an action targeting prison conditions in
Chad was published in the newsletter aer publication o the
Amnesty International report “Chad: “We are all dying here”
Human Rights violations in prisons (AFR 20/007/2012).” Te
report highlighted that prison conditions in Chad are harsh,
and ar below international standards. Most prisons are very
old, dilapidated and overcrowded. Prisoner’s basic human
rights, including the right to security o persons and reedomrom cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment
are oen violated. Unortunately, more action is needed to
address these inhumane conditions.
Background
Amnesty International visited six prisons in 2011 and 2012.
All were severely overcrowded. Some prisoners are victims o
acts amounting to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment by prison sta or other inmates, including mem-
bers o prison gangs who enjoy almost total impunity.
Br en d anB on s a ck S t o c k .X c h n g
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 6
◌ putting in place eective legislation or the implementation
o the October 4, 2011 Ordinances On Prisons and making
sure that all prison sta are inormed about Harmonizing the
working relations between the National and Nomadic Guard
o Chad (Garde Nationale et Nomade du chador GNN)
and the gendarmerie in charge o the prisons by issuing clear
orders to all prison directors and the GNN that clariy how
they are to work together to improve prison management.
Postcards, axes, and regular mail are preerable. Emails to
Chad are not ideal since Chadian websites are not reliable or
delivering “Contact us” emails and personal emails or o-
cials are oen blocked when criticism comes en masse.
Te ollowing sample letter can be reproduced or signatures,
but activists are urged to ormat and write their own i they
can. Letters can be written in English, but i members can
write in French that is excellent too.
PLEASE send any replies you get back to errie Rodello at
[email protected] so that we can share them with the Interna-
tional Secretariat.
Sample Letter
Your Excellency,I am writing to you about Amnesty International’s recent
research report concerning prison conditions in Chad. I was
alarmed to hear that prison conditions in Chad are harsh, di-
lapidated and severely overcrowded, and that the basic human
rights o prisoners are not protected. Tis is in direct violation
o your country’s international human rights treaty and legal
obligations.
Amnesty International visited six prisons in 2011 and 2012
and observed that prisoners are victims o acts amounting
to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by
prison sta or other inmates, including members o prison
gangs who enjoy almost total impunity. Prisoners have very
limited access to medical and health care; they lack ood,
drinkable water, adequate sanitary acilities, and other basic
necessities such as bedding and clothes. Tere are no specic
acilities or children detained in the same cells as adults. In
some prisons there is no separation between women and
men, putting prisoners at risk o gender-based sexual vio-
lence.
Please use your infuence to insure that living conditions
in prisons are compatible with human dignity and respect
human rights. Tere should be a clean and hygienic environ-ment or all, including clean water and adequate sanitation
acilities. Prisoners rom the overcrowded Amsinene prison in
N’Djamena should be transerred to other adequate acilities
in N’Djamena taking into consideration the individual needs
o the prisoners. Each prison should be provided with a clinic
with basic medicines and medical emergency equipment such
as gloves and laboratory kits, and at least one qualied medi-
cal doctor available to conduct regular clinic work. You need
to put in place eective legislation or the implementation o
the October 4, 2011 Ordinances on Prisons and make sure
that all prison sta is inormed about the ordinances.
Finally, you need to harmonize the working relations between
the Garde Nationale et Nomade du chad and the gendar-
merie in charge o the prisons by issuing clear orders to all
prison directors and the GNN that clariy how they are to
work together to improve prison management.
Tank you or your attention to my sincere concerns in this
matter,
Amnesty Member
Appeals toIdriss Deby Itno, President o Chad
His Excellency Idriss Déby Itno
President o Chad
Présidence de la République
BP 74
N’Djamena
République du chad
REPUBLIC OF CHAD
Fax: 011 00235 251 45 01
Salutation: Your Excellency,
Copies toPlease also ax, email or mail a copy o your letter to Chad’s
Ambassador to the United States at:
His Excellency Maïtine Djoumbe
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary o the Repub-
lic o Chad
Embassy o the Republic o Chad
2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
http://embassyochad.ino/index.php/en/
FAX: (202) 758-0431
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 7
CHINA: Urgent Action - Chinese Woman Faces Imminent Execution, Deathpenalty, Imminent execution, Unfair trialLi Yan (f)
ered and evidence provided by witnesses, the court upheld
the death sentence. Her last appeal to the Supreme People’s
Court in Beijing was dismissed.
Additional Information
Violence against women, including domestic violence, is a
violation o human rights and is a orm o discrimination
under the UN Convention on the Elimination o all Forms o
Discrimination Against Women, to which China is a party.
Under the Convention, China is obliged to exercise due
diligence to prevent violence against women and to eectivelyinvestigate all allegations o such violence and prosecute the
suspects in air trials, whether they are state actors or private
actors like Li Yan’s husband. China is also required to ensure
reparations, including compensation to victims o violence
like Li Yan (Committee on the Elimination o all Forms o
Discrimination Against Women, General Recommendation
19, A/47/38 (1992)).
In January 2007, the practice o having the Supreme People’s
Court (SPC) review all death sentences was restored. It had
been suspended in 1982. All death sentences must now bereviewed by the SPC, which has the power to approve death
sentences or remand cases or retrial.
Amnesty International has serious concerns about the air-
ness o trials in death penalty cases. Tere are also signicant
gaps between the law, practice and international commit-
ments made by China to uphold international air trial
standards. Tere is also limited access to legal counsel and
the police oen extract conessions through torture or other
ill-treatment.
Te SPC’s review process is not transparent and there are noclemency procedures or condemned prisoners aer they
have exhausted their appeals through the courts. Article 6(4)
o the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
which China has signed but not ratied, grants the right to
anyone sentenced to death to seek pardon or commutation o
the sentence.
Te death penalty is applicable to at least 55 oenses in
China. Although the government eliminated 13 crimes
punishable by death in 2011, it retains the death penalty or
A Chinese woman who killed her husband aer suering
months o domestic violence is at imminent risk o execution,
aer exhausting all her appeals.
According to sources within China, Li Yan is currently held at
Anyue County Detention center in Sichuan province, south-
west China. Li Yan could be executed any day between now
and Chinese New Year in early February. Li Yan’s ex-husband,
an Yong, abused her emotionally and physically rom their
marriage in early 2009. He requently beat her, stubbed ciga-
rettes out on her ace and during the reezing Sichuan winters
locked her outside on the balcony o their apartment or
several hours with little clothing. On one occasion, he cut o
one o her ngers.
Li Yan required hospital treatment or her injuries aer one
attack, and contacted the authorities several times including
the police. However, they did not ollow-up her complaints,initiate investigations or oer her any protection.
In late 2010, Li Yan beat her husband to death with a gun.
Li Yan was sentenced to death on August 24th, 2011 by the
Ziyang City Intermediate People’s Court or intentional ho-
micide under article 232 o the Chinese Criminal Code. She
appealed against the death sentence but the Sichuan Provin-
cial Higher People’s Court upheld the verdict on August 20th,
2012. Despite Li Yan’s testimonies about the abuse she su-
Wi mz z S t o c k .X c h n g
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 8
many non-violent crimes, including corruption and drugs
related oenses. Te Chinese authorities have reported a drop
in executions since the SPC resumed this review but have de-
clined to release relevant statistics which remain classied as a
state secret. Legal academics and court ocials in China have
occasionally been quoted estimating the decrease at between
10–15 per cent each year since 2007. As inormation on the
application o the death penalty remains shrouded in secrecy
in China, it is impossible to make a ull and inormed analysis
o death penalty developments, or to veriy i there has been
such a reduction in its use. Amnesty International estimates
that China executes thousands o people every year and cer-
tainly more than the rest o the world combined.
Action
Please write immediately in Chinese or your own language:
◌ Urging the Chinese authorities not to implement Li Yan’s
death sentence;
◌ Calling on them to ensure that Li Yan has access to her
amily;
◌ Urging the National People’s Congress to introduce a legal
procedure or requesting clemency in line with China’s obliga-
tions under international human rights law;
◌ Urging the Chinese authorities to take all allegations o
domestic violence seriously, conduct eective investigations
and, where there is sucient admissible evidence, prosecute
suspects in air trials.
Appeals to
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE MARCH 7th, 2013 O:
Supreme People’s Court President
WANG Shengjun Yuanzhang
Zuigao Renmin Fayuan
27 Dongjiaomin Xiang
Beijingshi 100745
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Fax: 011 86 10 65292345
Salutation: Dear President
National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chairman
WU Bangguo Weiyuanzhang
Quanguo Renda Changwu Weiyuanhui Bangongting
23 Xijiaominxiang, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100805
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Email: [email protected] (please send attachment only)Salutation: Dear Chairman
Copies to
HU Jintao Guojia Zhuxi
Te State Council General Oce
2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Fax: 011 86 10 63070900
Salutation: Dear President
Ambassador
Zhang Yesui
Embassy o the People’s Republic o China
3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
el: 202 495-2266
Fax: 1 202 495-2138
Email: [email protected]
Please check with your section oce i sending appeals aer
the above date.
Group Coordinator
Joanne Lau
Treasurer
Tena Hoke
Newsletter Editor
Dan Webb
Concert Tabling
Will Ware
Legislative Coordinator
Dan Johnson
Central Africa / OR State
Death Penalty Abolition
Terrie Rodello
Indonesia
Max White
Central America
Marylou Noble
marylou_noble@
yahoo.com
Darfur (Sudan)
Marty [email protected]
North Korea
Erica Swiberg
Prisoners’ Cases
Jane Kristof
Cornelia Cerf
Ron Noble
AIUSA Group 48 Contact Inormation
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013 Pg 9
MALI: Civilians At Risk From All Sides Of The Conict
January 31, 2013Malian army arrested and extrajudicially executed more thantwo dozen civilians, mainly in the northern city o Sévaré.
Eye witnesses in Sévaré described how they saw soldiers
dump the bodies o several people into a well in the Waïludé
neighbourhood.
“Once the bodies had been thrown and were in the well, [the
soldiers] red two or three bursts o machine gun re into the
well,” one witness said.
People spoke o how the Malian security orces apparently
targeted people they suspected o ties to Islamist armed
groups – oen on very tenuous grounds, such as the clothes
they were wearing or their ethnic origin.
"Many people are genuinely araid o being arrested, or worse,
by the military. Te security orces must ensure that people
are protected rom any reprisals based on ethnicity or per-
ceived political sympathy," said Mootoo.
“Te authorities should also immediately launch an indepen-
dent and impartial investigation into any reports o extrajudi-
cial executions by the armed orces, and suspend any securitypersonnel suspected o involvement in human rights viola-
tions.”
Te Malian army has additionally carried out arbitrary arrests
o people suspected o ties to the militants. Amnesty Interna-
tional spoke to several detainees who reported being beaten
or otherwise ill-treated while in detention.
Amnesty International documented reports o Islamist armed
groups carrying out extrajudicial executions.
Eye witnesses described how militants summarily killed veinjured Malian soldiers as well as one civilian in the town o
Diabaly on January 14th and 15th, ollowing its capture by
militant groups.
Additionally, there is mounting evidence that Islamist mili-
tants have been orcibly recruiting and using child soldiers in
their ranks.
In Diabaly, several people described how they had seen
children, some as young as ten years old, armed with rifes
together with Islamist ghters.
he Malian army has committed serious human rights
breaches plus violations o international humanitarian law
(IHL) during the ongoing confict against armed groups in
the country, including extrajudicial executions o civilians,
according to evidence gathered by Amnesty International
during a 10-day mission to the West Arican state.
A new brieng based on the mission also outlines concerns
that Islamist armed groups have committed o serious human
rights abuses and violations o IHL, including unlawul kill-ings and the recruitment o child soldiers.
Additionally, there is evidence that at least ve civilians,
including three children, were killed in an airstrike carried
out as part o a joint operation by the French and the Malian
armies in order to stop the oensive o the Islamist armed
groups.
“As ghting is continuing in Mali, all parties to the confict
must ensure that they respect international humanitarian law
– and in particular to ensure the humane treatment o captiveswhile taking all necessary precautions to minimise harm to
civilians,” said Gaëtan Mootoo, Amnesty International’s Mali
Researcher.
During its visit, the Amnesty International delegation con-
ducted research in the towns o Ségou, Sévaré, Niono, Konna
and Diabaly.
Amnesty International collected witness testimonies that on
10 January 2013, on the eve o the French intervention, the
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter February 2013
In Ségou, Amnesty International was able to interview two
captured child soldiers – one o whom showed signs o men-
tal illness.
“Te boy was silent and downcast, and wasn't able to talk to us
– it was like his mind wasn’t ully there,” said Mootoo.
“Te recruitment o child soldiers has to stop immediately,
and any still in the ranks o the Islamist armed groups should
be released.”
Tere is also disturbing evidence to indicate that ve civilians
– including a mother and her three young children – were
killed in an air strike launched in the context o a counter o-ensive carried out by the French and Malian armies.
Te strike occurred on the morning o January 11th, 2013, the
rst day o the French intervention, in the town o Konna.
French ocials have told Amnesty International that they did
not carry out any attacks at that time in Konna, while a senior
member o the Malian government and a Malian high rank-
ing military ocial conrmed to the organization that a joint
operation had begun targeting the town in the morning o
January 11th with the participation o the French military.
“It is absolutely imperative that France and Mali launch inves-
tigations into who carried out this attack. Any ndings have
to be ully disclosed so it can be determined i there has been
any breach o international law,” said Mootoo.