Human Rights International

08/11/2021

It has been over a year since the explosion of August 2020 rocked Beirut, killing 218, wounding 7000, damaging 77,000 residences, and displacing over 300,000 people (HRW 2021). These numbers are huge, and the damage to Beirut far worse in the 6-second explosion than in the entire 15-year civil war, but beyond this is the indescribable emotional harm it has caused the people of Lebanon. One year on, no justice has been had, no one has been punished, and the Lebanese people continue to sink deeper into its government’s cavity of corruption and defeat. 


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08/11/2021

Female Ge***al Mutilation (FGM) is largely perceived as an out-dated practice, having once been prominent in remote and unheard-of corners of the world. It is certainly not believed to be a prevalent issue in today’s society, especially not in the West. However, this is nothing but a common misconception. Although it is true that the practice has been on the decline for the past 30 years, around 200 million women alive today, across more than 30 countries, have undergone FGM. Amongst these countries are Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. So, what is FGM, and what is being done to stop it? 

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08/11/2021

Since the outbreak of COVID several sectors have been temporarily suspended due to not having  the correct safety equipment during the pandemic resulting in millions of essential workers having  their jobs and income disrupted. Although wage theft was a prominent problem among temporary  contract migrant workers , COVID 19 has amplified the problem. 

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08/11/2021

There are 1.9 billion children in the world forming 27% of the population. Unfortunately, time and again, we have failed our children. Children are subject to serious human rights violations such as violence, discrimination, poverty, unsafe work environments among other violations. It is high time that we take notice of their human rights violations and take a stand for the current as well as future generations. 


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25/10/2021

Senate Bill 8 (also known as SB8 and the ‘Heartbeat Bill’) was signed 19th May 2021 by Texas’s Republican Governor Greg Abbott to come into effect 1st September 2021. The law is significant as it ensures:
- Abortion is banned after 6 weeks (around the time that medical professionals can detect embryonic cardiac activity).
- "a private civil right of action" against those who “aids and abets” illegal abortions, whereby claimants can seek up to $10,000 (£7,200) (BBC News, 2021)

Link to the full article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/texass-senate-bill-8-infringes-reproductive-
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25/10/2021

“My Government believes in the sanctity of life of every citizen.”
President Bio (December 2020)

What happened?
President Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has been vocal in his views to abolish capital punishment, and 23rd July 2021 there was a unanimous vote to eradicate the capital punishment: The Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021. This means that prisoners on death row will be removed, and Sierra Leone will establish a system where judges can consider mitigating circumstances (e.g. self-defence) rather than mandatory rulings of life sentences or death penalties. Sierra Leone is the 110th country to abolish the death penalty, and the 23rd African country - the 2nd African country this year (Malawi abolished capital punishment in April). Despite the progress of 110 countries, China, Iran, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia (in that order) executed the most citizens in 2020 (Amnesty International (AI), 2021). Four countries (Iran, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia) are responsible for 88% of all executions in 2020 (ibid) highlighting that more progress needs to be made worldwide.

Sierra Leone has shown gradual distance from death penalties. Sierra Leone’s 1991 constitution entailed mandatory death sentences for ‘murder, aggravated robbery, mutiny and treason’ (Dehghan, 2021), this resulted in 39 death sentences in 2020 and 21 in 2019 resulting in 94 total death row inmates (AI, 2021). Nevertheless, capital punishments have not been carried out since 1998 despite mandatory sentences. President Bio’s final decision was influenced by organisations like The Death Penalty Project and AdvocAid who have worked towards abolition since 2007 by offering free legal assistance to vulnerable prisoners, communicating with stakeholders and policy makers, and shifting focus from punishment to retribution. In March, Professor Carolyn Hoyle (Director of the Death Penalty Research Unit), AdvocAid, and The Death Penalty Project presented a report regarding abolishing the death penalty which included evidence-based research and findings to support abolishment. Thus, The Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021 is a product of respecting the human rights of civilians.

How is the death penalty a breach of human rights?

The death penalty is a sentence enabled by the state and the immediate breach of the Human Rights Act 1998, Protocol 13 Article 1: Abolition of the death penalty, which has been amended over time (Equality and Human Rights Commission (2021c).

‘Amnesty International holds that the death penalty breaches human rights, in particular the right to life and the right to live free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Both rights are protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 1948.’ (2021)

Therefore, the death penalty also breaches Article 2: Right to life and Article 3: Freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment of the Human Rights Act 1998 (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2021a & 2021b). Consequently, not even the government should condemn people to death, and awaiting death is torturous to those sentenced. AI (2021) claim that ‘the death penalty is a symptom of a culture of violence, not a solution to it’, thus aligning with discussions supporting abolition:

Utilised as a political tool
Some death row inmates are victims of unfair trials
Irreversible and mistakes can happen
Does not act as a deterrent
Evidence of discrimination

There are many motivations behind abolition to honour the human rights of everyone. Rhiannon Davis, director of AdvocAid claims that The Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021 ensures future governments cannot abuse death sentences, but also protects women and girls that have murdered abusers. Judges can now consider mitigating circumstances which protect victims of gender-based violence. In conclusion, Sierra Leone citizens lives’ are protected and they are free from the torturous circumstance of awaiting death either by the hands of the state or within prison.

Copyright Human Rights International
Article : https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sierra-leone-110th-country-abolish-/?published=t

25/10/2021

We present our first special report on An Analytical Approach To Racism and Reproductive Rights. It discusses the relationship between reproductive rights and racism of non-white women as both the majority and minority in countries around the world. There are several conventions discussed in relation to racism and how they aim to prevent racial discrimination. As well as obligations for reproductive rights protecting women’s rights. Important case studies demonstrate that we must do more to combat the breaches of reproductive rights and racism in order to protect our fundamental human rights. Finally, several recommendations are discussed.

12/10/2021

12/10/2021

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08/09/2021

Jamaica’s Petition and discussions on Reparations

Jamaica’s government is preparing a petition to be approved by legal teams and Jamaica’s National Commission on Reparations before submission to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the UK government. The petition requests compensation of £7.6 billion as reparations for slavery and the contemporary consequences. The UN World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance in 2001 declared slavery to be a crime against humanity, nevertheless, reparations have historically been an area of controversy and this conference acted as a catalyst for many reparative initiatives to come.

What are reparations?

Reparations are actions to rectify past grievances and violations. REDRESS (2013, p. 10) claims that reparations serve multiple purposes: respects the rights of the victim(s), supports recovery, reform, and ‘public acknowledgement of wrong-doing’. Furthermore, the UN Basic Principles and Guidelines, principle 10 (REDRESS, 2013, p. 39) declares that reparations need to be:

‘[a]dequate, effective and prompt and intended to promote justice by redressing gross violations of international human rights law or serious violations of international humanitarian law. Reparation should be proportional to the gravity of the violations and the harm suffered.’

Moreover, five forms of reparations have been identified: restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.

Restitution: reparations that restore victims’ liberty to how they were before any violation(s) was committed

Compensation: reparations that are financially proportional to any violation(s) committed

Rehabilitation: reparations that provide the victim(s) with medical and psychological care and services

Satisfaction: reparations that include the perpetrator publicly admitting to the violation(s) and taking accountability

Guarantees of non-repetition: reparations that address and reform practices that enabled the violation(s) to be committed
These five forms of reparations are for direct and indirect victims as any violation(s) can cause harm beyond the initial action. Nonetheless, in cases of reparations, proof of relationship to direct victim (e.g. children, marital partner) and proof of harm is required.

Reparation Debates

Jamaica alerting to the formation of a petition has encouraged discussions on reparations for CARICOM (Caribbean Community) members. To contextualise, Jamaica is predominantly requesting reparations in the form of compensation, the £7.6 billion mentioned above. However, the Caricom Reparations Commission (2021) has invited European governments to participate in the Caricom Reparations Justice Program (CRJP) for Caribbean member states where they have devised a 10 Point Reparations Plan including steps like a ‘full formal apology’, ‘repatriation’, ‘Indigenous peoples development program’, ‘illiteracy eradication, and ‘debt cancellation’. The arguments of the UK government and Human Rights advocates will be outlined as an introduction to debates around reparations for slavery.

Past cases

There are two notable cases of reparations: 1) where Haiti paid 150 million gold French francs to recognise Haiti as independent from France in 1825, and 2) where Britain paid £20 million (£1 billion today) to slave owners to compensate the abolition of slavery in 1834.

The UK Government Treasury tweeted in 2018 that the £20 million borrowed as compensation was paid off in 2015 by taxpayers, the loan companies are yet to be disclosed. Fowler (2020), a researcher for Tax Justice Network, comments that “a nation that doesn’t understand its past can’t understand its present, and how the legacy of slavery and empire remain at the heart of British life today.” For example, in this instance, descendants of enslaved Africans in the UK that pay taxes may have helped pay the compensation for slave owners highlighting wrongful contributions of indirect victims. Moreover, such descendants are not given (in)direct victim status perpetuating how ignoring/misunderstanding history is part of the UK’s legacy.

UK Government arguments

The UK has never made a full formal apology for their role in the slave trade, rather UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair expressed a “deep regret” and David Cameron claimed that Jamaica should “move on” as slavery was not a crime at the time (Human Rights Watch, 2020). The UK is responsible for 3.1 million African people being enslaved and codifying racial differences to justify such violations. For the Caribbean, this has led to many economic and social issues including illiteracy and poor overall health. Downing Street stated that Cameron ‘does not believe reparations or apologies for slavery are the right approaches, despite being an indirect beneficiary of the slave owner compensation from 1834 as an ancestral link to a slave trader, General Sir James Duff (Mason, 2015). Oona King, former UK MP, infers that UK Prime Ministers do not issue a full formal apology because that builds foundations for reparation claims.

Human Rights arguments

Human Rights Watch and REDRESS recognise reparations as a basic human right, but practices are unsatisfactory. While mass human rights violations like slavery are challenging due to the number of victims and how to quantify compensation amounts, REDRESS (2013, p. 81) reiterate that

‘Collective reparation for a group affected by human rights violations should take into consideration the socio-cultural characteristics of the group so as to ensure that collective reparation measures are adequate and proportionate to the harm suffered.’

Therefore, in accordance to the different types of reparations, compensation is not the main form required, thus aligning with CRJP’s 10 Point Reparations Plan. The UK, and other European nations, are responsible for the destabilisation of African and Caribbean countries, therefore reparations of different forms are mandatory. Lord Anthony Gifford (Shepherd, 2014) discloses legal premises of reparations: ‘enslavement was and is a crime against humanity; the right to reparation is recognised by international law; there is no legal barrier to prevent those who still suffer the consequences of enslavement from claiming reparation even though the crimes were committed against their ancestors; there is no statute of limitation and there is precedent.’ The perpetrators should listen to those who recognise the historic effects by slavery, such as CRJP.

In conclusion, the fate for reparations lies in the hands of European powers as they dictate whether to adhere to current and future requests for reparations. By rejecting accountability, European countries fail to redress the consequences of enslaving millions as seen with failures to deliver public apologies. Consequently, in order for affected countries to “move on”, reparations are a necessity to formally acknowledge breaches of human rights and attempt to atone for such violations.

Copyright Human Rights International

08/09/2021

Khuzestan is thirsty for freedom

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1948 is a milestone document proclaimed by the United Nations as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally applied. Among these rights, contained within Article 19, is the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers; and a right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association under Article 20. (Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations, 2021).

Though the UDHR has played a vital role in advancing human rights globally, threats to human rights are ever present. The major barrier to further progress is state sovereignty, which presents a fundamental challenge to any effort to establish universal norms. Without strong global institutional mechanisms to ensure implementation, UDHR's impact remains limited. (Özler, 2018).

Iran joined the United Nations in 1945 as one of the original 50 founding members, and today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is an active member of the UN. One would assume that a country so integrated and in deference to the United Nations would follow the rules and regulations set out by them.

Protests against the worsening water crisis in the country, in mid-July 2021, were met by the Iranian authorities’ use of unnecessary force including firing at protesters, arbitrary detentions and internet shutdowns. A blatant breach of Article 19 and 20 saw detentions of individuals solely for exercising their universal right to protest. Videos and eyewitness testimonies displayed Iran’s security forces resorting to unlawful force, firing live ammunition and pellets at the protestors.

As a result, at least eight individuals have died, named as Mostafa Asakereh (Naimavi) in Shadegan, Ghassem Naseri (Khozeiri) in Kut-e Abdollah, Isa Baledi and Meysam Achrash in Taleghani, Hamzeh (Farzad) Fereisat in Ahvaz, Mehdi Chanani in Shoush, Hamid Mojadam (Jokari) in Chamran, and a teenage boy, Hadi Bahmani, in Izeh. The death of a young man in Aligudarz, Lorestan Province, has also been officially acknowledged. Many more, including children, have sustained injuries. (ARTICLE 19, 2021)

Iran’s deadly response occur amid Internet disruptions and near total shutdowns in the province, an increasingly common method used by the authorities to further stifle freedom of expression, hinder mobilisation, and conceal their use of brutal violence against a group of people who have faced systematic discrimination and marginalisation, including when it comes to their very vital right to water.

The disregard for the principle of respect, protection and preservation of human life is shocking. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Fi****ms by Law Enforcement Officials, an official publication of the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner states that deaths resulting from the unlawful use of fi****ms and other lethal weapons in contravention of the international law constitute arbitrary deprivation of life and may amount to a crime under international law. (OHCHR | Home, 2021).

Under international law and standards, metal pellets, such as those fired from shotguns, should never be used. (Bantekas and Oette, 2016). As such, Iran is guilty of breaching international law and of crimes against humanity. A real investigation, monitoring and accountability mechanism needs to be implemented, which are directly charged with upholding, to end the virtual impunity of the Iranian authorities.

The exact number of individuals arrested in relation to the protests, including child detainees, remain unknown. Considering Iran’s infamous treatment of detainees arrested in connection with protests, the arrested individuals are feared to be at risk of torture and other ill-treatment and enforced disappearances. (Netblocks, 2021).

According to Netblocks, which monitors global internet restrictions, mobile phone internet services in Iran are being disrupted in some cities. The result is a near-total internet blackout intended to limit the public’s ability to express political discontent or communicate with each other and the outside world.

Fifty-five journalists signed a statement condemning the Iranian government's block of internet access, claiming that after turning off the media, the authorities have disrupted the internet in Khuzestan, blocking people's narratives of Khuzestan.

Instead of cracking down on protestors, the Iranian government should ensure the right of everyone to safe and clean water, in line with international law and without any discrimination including on the grounds of ethnicity.

Copyright Human Rights International

04/09/2021

THE TIGRAY CRISIS: A CALL FOR PEACE
Bloodshed, gross violence, and devastation. Sadly, this is what Ethiopia, the nation that is home to the second-largest population in the African continent, has been reduced to. In fact, the month of August marks nine months since the civil war broke out in the country between the Ethiopian defense forces and the ruling government of the Tigray region. While the civil war began under the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as a conflict grounded in ruthless political ambitions and ethnic divisions, today it has transformed into one of the worst humanitarian crises that the world has witnessed in recent times.

In view of headlines trending on our social media feed and news channels such as “Medics on the run” and “How I survived an 11-hour gun battle” (BBC 2021), it becomes important for the international community to analyze the happenings in the country urgently. Thus, delving deeper into the crisis, one cannot help but notice that the civil war is a culmination of the unique political history of Ethiopia built within its social framework based upon ethnic divisions, making it impossible to examine the present conflict without an investigation into the modern Ethiopian political history. In fact, this can be traced back to the year 1994 when it had been only a few years when Ethiopia had ended the infamous civil war leading to the establishment of Eritrea as a separate nation. In view of the unusual social framework where people of the nation were largely divided based on their ethnic divisions from centuries with Oromo and Amhara forming the majority community and the Tigray people forming the minority community of the nation, thereby prompting the government structure to be built upon careful consideration and inclusion of these community groups in the day-to-day governance of the nation. Indeed, a BBC report shows that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front representing the Tigray region was instrumental in devising the new governance framework, which also consequently led the party to lead a government coalition that came to power in 1991 despite being in small numbers in comparison to the majority ethnic groups of the country (BBC 2021). While Ethiopia was hailed in the international community beginning from the year 1991 on account of its stability and the crucial role in peacebuilding processes played by the nation in the Horn of Africa and the Nile base region, the reports coming from within the nation suggest a different situation. Desperate and drained from the dictatorial model rule, the Ethiopian leaders who continued to be represented by TPLF till 2018 were met with condemnation from people across the nation for playing an active role in the suppression of democracy, mass killings of journalists, restricted press freedoms, etc. It was this popular discontentment that emerged among the ordinary masses of the nation that led to the new appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Young and approachable, PM Abiy, not only lived up to the expectations of the people, especially the youth of the nation, but also carved himself an international reputation for pursuing active political and social reforms in the country such as the release of thousands of illegally detained prisoners, but most importantly for ending the age-old conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 . Having regarded their neighboring nation, Eritrea, as their sworn enemy for decades, several measures undertaken by the PM fell under the scrutiny of the ruling government of TPLF. However, this animosity towards the new governance of the nation, as well as its leader PM Abiy, reached new levels when the coalition headed by the TPLF was disbanded and the new ruling party, the Prosperity Party was formed which was not only rejected unanimously by TPLF but also prompted strong reactions from TLPF as well as the people of the region which included an attack on the Ethiopian military base from the region.

Condemning the action as an attack on the national security, the new ruling government led by PM Abiy in cooperation with the Eritrean military forces was quick to not only brand the previous ruling party as a ‘terrorist group’ but also to cut down the funding allocated to the entire state of the Tigray people (Financial Times 2021). Culminating in a full-fledged civil war and even what can be designated as an attempt at genocide, an estimated two million people of the state were forced to flee and seek asylum in neighboring countries such as Sudan. This inevitable response comes because of the report published by the Human Rights Watch which has presented an indictment of the government actions that include suspension of internet and other communication services, repression of media outlets, burning down more than half of the harvest produce resulting in one of the most devastating man-made famines that the world has ever seen (HRW 2021). Aggravating the situation is the brutal sexual violence inflicted upon women and children making them the worst sufferers of civil wars (HRW 2021), which also stands testimony to the fact that the situation in Ethiopia is no longer a political conflict but an atrocious crackdown on humanity as a whole!

Indeed, upon close analysis, one cannot help but notice the fact that the civil war is a distressing portrayal of the vanity and maliciousness of human beings where ruthless political ambitions take over compassion and sympathy of even once Nobel Peace Prize-winning politicians such as PM Abiy, who has also unfortunately resorted to the classic way of ensuring power i.e., authoritarianism. It is thus high time that the international community stop turning a blind eye towards the people affected by the Tigray conflict, because they need our help, NOW! While there has been progress in this war against humanity with the United Nations agreeing to include the same in its agenda as opposed to the earlier stance that the crisis can only be regarded as an “internal matter”, it becomes our responsibility as global citizens to persuade international organizations and societies to issue the R2P and to restore peace and harmony in the region.



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