Sudan: UN Rights Experts condemn Charges of Death Penalty Crimes for Human Rights Activists

Tracks

A group of United Nations human rights experts today called on the Sudanese authorities to drop charges carrying the death sentence brought against six people linked to a prominent Khartoum-based organisation, Training and Human Development (TRACKS).

GENEVA, Switzerland, August 31, 2016 -A group of United Nations human rights experts today called on the Sudanese authorities to drop charges carrying the death sentence brought against six people linked to a prominent Khartoum-based organisation, Training and Human Development (TRACKS).
The six*, who were detained some three months ago but are yet to face trial, have been charged with criminal conspiracy, undermining the constitutional system, waging war against the State, espionage, and terrorism by the Sudanese State Security Prosecution Office. All these charges carry the death penalty.

“The death penalty is an extreme form of punishment. lf used at all, it should only be imposed after a fair trial that respects the most stringent due process guarantees as stipulated in international human rights law,” said UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Agnes Callamard. “I am seriously concerned that any trial of these six people would not uphold such principles.”

The six individuals have faced constant targeting by agents from the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) over the past two years. Their offices have been raided twice, and their documents, equipment and passports confiscated. In addition, they say they have been summoned, detained and tortured several times at the NISS office, where they were questioned about the organisation’s activities.

“The charges brought against them appear to be directly linked to their work in the defence of human rights, while exercising their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai.

“Sudan ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a binding instrument, which enshrines the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association and this sentence is likely to have a chilling effect among activists and human rights defenders in Sudan,” he added.

The human rights experts have already jointly raised their concern to the Sudanese authorities about the ongoing harassment of TRACKS members and, more broadly, about the increasing targeting and prosecution of human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, in Sudan for undertaking their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.

“This action is part of an increasing trend to threaten, harass, or intimidate key members of Sudanese civil society, and to curb freedoms of expression and association, which are guaranteed in the Bill of Rights of the Interim National Constitution of the Sudan,” said Aristide Nononsi, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, who visited the country in April 2016. Mr Nononsi had already expressed concern about this case to the relevant Sudanese authorities. ”Human rights defenders play an important role in the country, and there is an urgent need for the Government of the Sudan to allow them to carry out their activities in an open, safe and secure environment,” he stressed.

*The six facing charges are Mr. Khalafalla Mukhtar, Director of TRACKS; Ms. Arwa Elrabie, Mr. Midhat Hamadan, and Mr. Alhassan Kheiri, TRACKS’ employees; and Mr. Mustafa Adam and Ms. Raye Imany Leyla who are affiliated to the organisation.

The experts’ appeal to the Sudanese Government has been endorsed by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. David Kaye, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mr. Michel Forst.

Tribal Rights & the Dakota Access Pipeline (Youtube-Clip)

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its allies from other indigenous nations are protesting the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline. Once finished – the pipeline will bring oil almost 1200 miles from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota all the way to Illinois. Although the project was approved by the government -the Standing Rock Sioux say their interests and historical claims were not taken into account when that decision was made. Which is why they’ve now brought their protest right here to Washington, DC. Today – the Standing Rock Sioux asked a federal judge to put the Dakota Access pipeline on hold. They also led a really outside the court – which was attended by people from around the country – including actresses Susan Sarandon and Shailene Woodley. Joining me now is the woman who MC’d today’s rally – Bobbi Jean Three Legs – a Youth Organizer with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe” (The Big Picture RT, 2016)

ALCU of North Dakota Statement on First Amendment violations at Dakota Acess Pipieline Protests (22.08.2016)

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Cannon Ball, N.D.The curbing of peaceful protests at the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline construction is in violation of our core principles of free speech.

Jennifer Cook, policy director of the ACLU of North Dakota has released the following statement on the government action regarding ongoing demonstrations at the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline construction in Cannon Ball, ND.

“The right to protest is fundamental to our democracy and the interference with that right by agents of the counties and the state of North Dakota violates both the spirit and letter of the First Amendment.  As the courts in this state have recognized, the First Amendment forbids the enactment of laws ‘abridging the freedom of speech … or the right of the people peaceably to assemble.’  The protest at the Dakota Access pipeline is precisely the type of assembly protected by the First Amendment.  Peaceful protest is at the core of the First Amendment and restrictions to such activity, such as the closing of highways with the effect of preventing assembly or effective messaging of protesters, should be viewed skeptically.  Law enforcement agents have a duty to ensure that the rights of protesters are protected, not just the rights of corporations. While law enforcement officers have a right to ensure the safety of all of our citizens, this goal should be achieved by ensuring that all citizens, including protesters, are protected and that there are enough police in place to prevent violence, but not prevent peaceful protest or assembly.

The ACLU of North Dakota supports peaceful protests and encourages protesters to know their rights.  Anyone who believes their First Amendment rights have been violated should contact us at www.aclund.org/get-help.”

Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (23.08.2016)

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The Secretary-General continues to follow closely the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in particular the political dialogue process. He takes note of today’s meeting of the preparatory committee to the national dialogue convened by the Facilitator of the African Union, Edem Kodjo.
The Secretary-General recalls that in resolution 2277 (2016) the Security Council underlined the importance of a credible and inclusive political dialogue to ensure peaceful, credible, inclusive, transparent and timely presidential and legislative elections, in line with the Constitution.
The Secretary-General once again calls on all political stakeholders in the DRC to engage in an inclusive political dialogue in good faith to overcome the impasse in the electoral process. He notes that there is no alternative to a credible political dialogue in the DRC and further urges all actors to refrain from any action that could increase tensions or lead to violence.

RDC: Communiqué de presse de la société civile du Nord-Kivu et coordination urbaine de Butembo (22.08.2016)

Nord Kivu 22.08.2016

Statement from Robby Mook on Manafort’s resignation (19.08.2016)

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Clinton Campaign PR 19.08.2016

Claimed payments: 

Manafourt Payment Ukraine

RDC: Message de Condolenance a la Population du Nord Kivu (14.08.2016)

Kabila Kivu 14.08.2016

Press Release: Forgotten People – “Where is the Money?” (08.08.2016)

Forgotten People 0808.2016 P1Forgotten People 0808.2016 P2Forgotten People 0808.2016 P3Forgotten People 0808.2016 P4Forgotten People 0808.2016 P5

Siste Stortingsmelding viser salg av forsvarsmateriell til regimer den Norske stat ikke vil direkte assosieres med!

Våpen Norge

“Det er riktig at Norge ikke deltok i selve invasjonen. Bondevik skal ha takk for at han klarte, med god hjelp fra fredsbevegelsen og den norske kirken, å stå i mot presset fra Høyre om å slutte seg til USAs og Storbritannias angrep. Men den ubehagelige sannheten er likevel at norske våpen, norske soldater, norske politikere og norsk næringsliv både direkte og indirekte støttet Irak-krigen” (Borgen, 2016).

Igjen skriver jeg om hva freds-nasjonen Norge bedriver. Vi snakker fred og selger ammunisjon. Vi selger våpen og høyt teknisk utstyr, selv med strenge lover og reguleringer blir likevel militært forsvarmateriell til land som bryter med menneskerettigheter og de verdier som Norge står for. Dette skjer selv om forsvarlige salget skjer til våres allierte i NATO og OECD. Disse kjøper største-delen av materiellet og våpnene. Resterende ender til land som kan stilles spørsmål til. Denne informasjon kom ut og gitt til Stortinget fra Utenriksdepartementet den 10 Juni 2016. Så dette er ikke gammelt nytt, men bør sperre øynene ettersom dette er noe vi gjør for å gjøre verden mindre fredelig.

Totale våpen-eksporten:

“Den samlede verdien av eksporten i 2015 var i underkant av 4,2 milliarder kroner, hvorav drøyt 3 milliarder utgjorde salg av militære varer. Av dette utgjorde eksporten av A-materiell om lag 2,8 milliarder og B-materiell ca. 300 millioner kroner. Eksporten av A-materiell økte med 21 % og eksporten av B-materiell falt med 53 % i 2015” (…) “Den samlede verdien av eksporten i 2014 var ca. 3,6 milliarder, og i 2013 beløp den seg til i underkant av 4,3 milliarder kroner. I forhold til i 2014, økte verdien av den totale eksporten med 15 % i 2015. Eksporten av A- og B-materiell økte med til sammen 4 %” (Meld.St. 36, S: 8, 2016).

Ammo

Norge solgte våpen og forsvarmateriell til Forente Arabisk Emirater både ‘elektronisk utstyr’ totalt: 2287 tonn, ‘billed/videoutstyr’ totalt: 508 tonn. også ‘Ammunisjon tilhørende deler og komponenter samt tilhørende deler og komponenter’ totale 23475 tonn .

I det samme året solgte vi fra Norge til Malaysia både våpen og forsvarmateriell. ‘Glattboret våpen med kaliber 20 mm eller mindre, våpen med kaliber 12,7 mm og lavere samt tilhørende komponenter’ 5280 tonn og ‘Ildledningsutstyr og tilhørende systemer og komponenter’ 58 tonn.

Et annet land som ble solgt til var Oman og dette var ‘Bomber, torpedoer, raketter, missiler og eksplosiver samt tilhørende komponenter’ 10015 tonn.

Det var militære-oppdrag gjort i Norge for oppdrags-land ved å reparere våpen og forsvarmateriell. Det ble reparert materiell fra land som Forente Arabiske Emirater, Jordan, Malaysia og Sør Korea. Det ble levert levert kommunikasjonmateriell for militært bruk til Algerie, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia og Thailand.

Disse landene fikk etterforsyning av forsvarmateriell i år fra Norge: Afganistan, Belize, Israel, Irak, Kuwait, Mali og Sør Sudan.

Kuler Norsk

Noe som er spesielt i rapporten og stusser over at Libya står i tabell 9.2. i Stortingsmeldingen, men har intet direkte eksport til, så hvorfor lagt inn ett mottakerland av forsvarmateriell, men ingen offisielle tall. Dette virker suspekt, resterende land har fått materiell i løpet av tidsperioden 2012 til 2015.

Disse tallene og nasjonene som blir solgt til viser til hvordan ståa er med ‘freds-nasjonen’ Norge. Allerede 1. Mars 2013 skrev jeg en blogg om våpen-regulering og salg. Der man skulle forandre lovene for å gjøre det vanskeligere å videreselge til visse former for problematiske nasjoner og land der en bryter med internasjonale lover og regler; slik som menneskerettigheter og konvensjoner for ‘rettferdig krig’. Dette gjør at lovteksten og skjønnet blir plausibelt. Noen nyanser jeg kritiserte i 2013 og likeså kan idag. Ettersom å selge våpen til Libya, Sør Sudan, Mali, Irak, Belize og Afganistan burde sees på som tvilsomme salg ettersom konflikt og brudd burde eksistere. Dette er noe en freds-nasjon ikke skulle støtte. Selv om Norsk tropper har tidligere vært til stede eller gjort oppdrag som en del Nato i flere nasjoner, der man stille spørsmål om deres oppdrag var rett eller feil. Kan en likevel still spørsmål til fortsettelsen av å selge våpen og forsvarmateriell til konfliktområder ettersom da profitten i Norge er viktigere enn menneskeliv. Peace.

Referense:

Borgen, Erling – ‘Det norske hykleriet om Irak-krigen’ (08.06.2016) link: http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/det-norske-hykleriet-om-irak-krigen/60312259

Stortinget – Meld. St.36 (2015-2016) ‘Eksport av forsvarsmateriell fra Norge i 2015, eksportkontroll og internasjonalt ikke-spredningssamarbeid’ (10.06.2016)

Donald Trump’s ‘Art of the Deal’ Ghostwriter Tony Schwartz Speaks Out | MSNBC (Youtube-Clip)

“Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter for Donald Trump’s book “Art of the Deal”, speaks out about his experience of working with the GOP nominee” (MSNBC, 2016).