MIDDLE EAST: Weekly round-up Number 19 for 22-28 April 2005

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

Key Humanitarian Developments in Iraq

Incidents of insecurity continued this week in Iraq with the assassination of the first female Member of Parliament (MP) on Wednesday. Lamia Abed Khadouri was also the first MP to be killed since the historic 30 January election.

She was gunned down outside her Baghdad home after answering a call at the door, international media reports said.

On Monday, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement confirming the death of an Iraqi cameraman working for Associated Press Television News (APTN), who was killed on Saturday in the northern city of Mosul. His death brings the total number of media professionals killed in the country to 41.

“Saleh Ibrahim was killed by gunfire near the city’s al-Yarmouk Circle, the scene of an earlier explosion that he and his brother-in-law, AP photographer Mohamed Ibrahim, had gone to cover,” according to the Associated Press.

Ibrahim suffered shrapnel wounds to the head. Details of the shooting were unclear, the AP said, adding that the news organisation would further investigate.

“We mourn the loss of our colleague Saleh Ibrahim and we call on US military officials to help determine how he was killed,” CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said.
Iraqis account for more than half of the journalists killed in the conflict thus far, according to CPJ research.

Last Friday Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement saying that “newly adopted rules of procedure and evidence” of the Iraqi Special Tribunal were lacking important fair trial protections.

“Human Rights Watch wants to see officials of the former Iraqi government responsible for serious human rights crimes brought to justice. We anticipate such officials will be charged with committing horrific crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide,” the statement said.

HRW said that the rules had been changed since a draft of them was released in June 2004. “The rules have been revised to become less protective of fair trial rights.”

The watchdog organisation made recommendations calling for proof beyond a reasonable doubt; prohibition of trials in absentia (except for a defendant who has appeared and voluntarily absented himself from the trial process); and the right to counsel and right to remain silent attached at the earliest possible opportunity.

Saddam Hussein and members of his regime are facing charges of crimes against humanity. Ali Hassan al-Majid, commonly known as Chemical Ali, was questioned by Iraqi judges in a pre-trial hearing in December 2004. He is accused of some of the worst crimes committed by the regime, including gassing Iraqi Kurds in the northern city of Halabja in 1987 where 5,000 people died in the attack.

Meanwhile, a year on and Amnesty International (AI) issued a statement calling for more action to be taken on the bringing to justice those responsible for the Abu Ghraib prison torture. Photos of US soldiers abusing Iraqi released this time last year brought heavy criticism on the US government.

"People around the world will be recalling the horrific images they saw a year ago and wondering what happened to those prisoners. Did they receive redress for the crimes against them? A few low-ranking US soldiers have been prosecuted or disciplined, but what was the role of those higher up, including, for example, the US Secretary of Defense?" said Irene Khan, Secretary-General of AI.

Some US soldiers have been court-martialed for their role in high-profile abuses, but AI argues that senior administration officials have remained free from independent scrutiny. Washington maintains that it would take appropriate action where needed.

CONTENTS:

IRAQ: Doctors warn of increasing deformities in newborn babies
IRAQ: Contaminated flour taken out of bread basket
IRAQ: Government works to support newlyweds
YEMEN: Focus on child labour
SYRIA: School children discuss violence in schools

[ENDS]