LONDON - Gambia will be taking Myanmar to the International Court of Justice to face charges of genocide against its Rohingya minority, Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice Abubacarr Marie Tambadou announced at a conclave on Justice and Accountability for the Rohingya at the Hague.

The charges, which will be filed by the Gambian Ministry of Justice’s legal team, will the first time the Myanmar authorities will be accused of the crime of genocide at the International Court of Justice.

“I can confirm that on October 4th, I have instructed our lawyers to file the case at the International Court of Justice to file the case at the International Court of Justice,” said Abubacarr M. Tambadou.

“I could smell the stench of genocide from miles away when I visited the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. It was all too familiar for me, after a decade of interacting with the victims of the Rwandan mass rapes, killings and genocide.”

Abubacarr M. Tambadou previously served as a special assistant to the Prosecutor at the Intenratonal Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
The crimes committed against the Rohingya people, he added, illustrate the failure of the international community to prevent genocide, 75 years after it committed itself to the promise of “never again” at the Nuremberg Trials.

The Conclave on Justice and Accountability for the Rohingya on 18 October 2019 was co-convened by the Asia Justice Coalition and the Centre of Peace and Justice at BRAC University in Dhaka. The Conclave was hosted at the Hague by the International Institute of Social Studies at Erasmus University.

Speakers at the Conclave included Bob Rae, Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar, who affirmed the need to hold Myanmar accountable for crimes against the Rohingya.
More than 100 participants took part in the Conclave, including senior government officials, leading international human rights lawyers, human rights activists, and leaders of the Rohingya community, to discuss issues of justice and accountability for the crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya.

The Asia Justice Coalition, a co-convener of the Conclave, is a network of organisations promoting justice and accountability for gross violations of international human rights law in Asia. Member organisations of the Asia Cooalition include Burmese Rohingya Organisation, Centre for Peace and Justice, Asia Justice and Rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists.

GENEVA - Afghanistan has seen record-high levels of civilian casualties in the third quarter of 2019, stemming mainly from the violence between rival political party supporters, the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA) revealed in a report published Thursday, which concluded that more must be done to protect the country’s people.

In just the first nine months of 2019 overall, UNAMA counted more than 8,200 civilian casualties - 2,563 killed and 5,676 injured - similar to figures in the corresponding nine-month periods from 2014 onwards. But the last three months, has seen an “unprecedented number of civilian casualties”, UNAMA said.

In July, the Mission documented the country’s bloodiest month on record, with the highest number of civilian casualties in a single month since the UN began systematic documentation in the country, in 2009.

“Civilian casualties at record-high levels clearly show the need for all parties concerned to pay much more attention to protecting the civilian population, including through a review of conduct during combat operations,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.

The harm done signals the importance of peace talks for a ceasefire, Mr. Yamamoto added, calling for a political settlement to the conflict. “There is no other way forward”, he said.

This year the country saw an overall decline in civilian casualties during the first six months, largely due to a decrease in the number of casualties caused by political opponents of the Government, but brutal clashes reignited around the time civilians headed to the ballot box in late September, with election-related violence claiming at least 85 lives, and injuring hundreds more, UNAMA revealed in special investigation published on Tuesday.

The Thursday quarterly report documented that from the New Year through 30 September, anti-Government elements were responsible for more than 5,000 civilian casualties, comprising 62 per cent of total civilian casualties for the time period.

As for technical causes, suicide and non-suicide improvised explosive devices (IEDs) claimed 42 per cent of all casualties, while ground engagements were the second leading cause of harm to civilians, at 29 per cent, followed by aerial attacks which caused the majority of civilian deaths, and made up 11 per cent of total casualties.

In addition to detailing casualties and their causes, UNAMA’s figures indicate that 41 per cent of all civilian casualties in Afghanistan were women and children.

Fiona Frazer, Human Rights Chief at UNAMA called the impact of the conflict on Afghan people “appalling” and said the UN will continue its advocacy work until the country sees the number of civilians injured or killed, at zero.

NEW YORK - The attack on a mosque in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan, which resulted in scores of civilians being killed, and dozens more injured, has been strongly condemned by UN chief António Guterres.

In a statement released on Friday, Mr. Guterres declared that those responsible for the attack must be held accountable. He extended his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

The Secretary-General reiterated the solidarity of the United Nations with the people and Government of Afghanistan.

The attack comes a day after the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan, UNAMA, released a report showing record numbers of civilian casualties in the third quarter of 2019, mainly as a result of violence between rival political party supporters.

KABUL - A bomb exploded in a mosque in eastern Afghanistan during Friday prayers, officials said, killing at least 29 men who had gathered for worship.

Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council in Nangarhar, said at least 29 people had been killed and more than 100 others wounded.

“The number of casualties may rise as the rescue team and people are working to bring out the bodies from the rubble,” Qaderi added.

Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman for Nangarhar’s provincial governor, said the roof of the mosque had fallen in due to the blast and so far more than 20 were reported dead.

No militant group has claimed responsibility so far.

By Dave Graham and Lizbeth Diaz

MEXICO CITY - Heavily armed fighters surrounded security forces in a Mexican city on Thursday and made them free one of drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman’s sons, after his capture triggered gunbattles and a prison break that sent civilians scurrying for cover.

Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said a patrol by National Guard militarized police first came under attack from within a house in the city of Culiacan, 1,235 km (770 miles) northwest of Mexico City.

After entering the house, they found four men, including Ovidio Guzman, who is accused of drug trafficking in the United States.

The patrol was quickly outmatched by cartel gunmen, however, and it was withdrawn to prevent lives being lost, the government said. Simultaneously, fighters swarmed through the city, battling police and soldiers in broad daylight. They torched vehicles and left at least one gas station ablaze.

“The decision was taken to retreat from the house, without Guzman, to try to avoid more violence in the area and preserve the lives of our personnel and recover calm in the city,” Durazo told Reuters.

The reaction to Guzman’s capture was on a scale rarely seen during Mexico’s long drug war, even after his more famous father’s arrests. The chaos was continuing as night fell.

A large group of inmates escaped from the city prison. Residents cowered in shopping centers and supermarkets as gunfire roared. Black plumes of smoke rose across the skyline.

Families with young children left their cars and lay flat in the road. Bullets cracked up ahead. “Dad, can we get up now?” a small boy said to his father in a video posted on Twitter.

“No, stay there on the floor,” the man replied, his voice trembling.

Cristobal Castaneda, head of security in Sinaloa, told the Televisa network that two people had been killed and 21 injured, according to preliminary information. He said police had come under attack when they approached roadblocks manned by gunmen. He advised residents not to leave their homes.

It was not immediately clear if members of the patrol were harmed in the standoff. Reuters TV showed scenes of at least three bodies lying next to cars on the street.


WARNED OF REPRISALS


The chaos in Culiacan, long a stronghold for the Guzmans’ Sinaloa cartel, will increase pressure on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in December promising to pacify a country weary after more than a decade of drug-war fighting. Murders this year are set to be at a record high.

Thursday’s events follow the massacre of more than a dozen police in western Mexico earlier this week, and the killing of 14 suspected gangsters by the army a day later.

Falko Ernst, senior analyst for the International Crisis Group in Mexico, said the release of Ovidio Guzman set “a dangerous precedent” and sent a message that the state itself, including the army, could be blackmailed and was not in control.

Presumed cartel members apparently intercepted a radio frequency used by security forces, one video showed, warning of reprisals against soldiers if Guzman was not freed.

A state police spokesman confirmed to Reuters that several prisoners escaped from a prison during the chaos. Video footage showed a group of at least 20 prisoners running in the streets. It was not immediately clear how many had escaped.

“They are freeing them,” a panicked woman said in the video apparently filmed from an tall building. “No we can’t go outside!” she said as other voices debated making a dash for their car.

In another video, a man driving repeatedly shouted: “There is a big gunfight,” before taking a sharp turn and leaving his car at a gas station to take cover. His voice then became inaudible because of the rattling roar of automatic gunfire.

‘El Chapo’ Guzman led the Sinaloa cartel for decades, escaping from prison twice before being arrested and extradited to the United States. He was found guilty in a U.S. court in February of smuggling tons of drugs and sentenced to life in prison.

He is believed to have about 12 children including Ovidio. The U.S. Department of Justice unveiled an indictment against Ovidio and another of the brothers in February, charging them with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana in the United States.

The indictment gave Ovidio’s age as 28, and said he had been involved in trafficking conspiracies since he was a teenager.

Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza, a lawyer for the Guzmans, told news network Milenio that Ovidio had been in touch with the family and said he was free.

By Steve Herman

WASHINGTON - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will head a high-level delegation to Turkey to press that country's president to halt his invasion of northeast Syria, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday.

"Mike is heading it up with Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo. They'll be leaving tomorrow," Trump said at an event in the White House Rose Garden. "We're asking for a cease-fire. We've put the strongest sanctions that you can imagine. We have a lot in store if they don't have an impact, including massive tariffs on steel."

Also joining the delegation to Ankara, which on Thursday is to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will be national security adviser Robert O'Brien and Ambassador James Jeffrey, who is the special envoy for Syria engagement and the global coalition to defeat the Islamic State group.

Pence will voice the U.S. commitment "to reach an immediate cease-fire and the conditions for a negotiated settlement," according to a White House statement.

During the meeting, the vice president also will reiterate Trump's "commitment to maintain punishing economic sanctions on Turkey until a resolution is reached," the statement said.

"Goal number one is to carry out diplomacy to try to find a cease-fire. Get the situation under control. It's very, very confusing. It's dangerous for our troops. It's placing the fight against ISIS [Islamic State] at risk. It's placing at risk the safe imprisonment of almost 10,000 detainees," a State Department official said earlier Tuesday.

The official noted there had not been "any major successful breakout so far of detainees," referring to imprisoned IS fighters and their families. Syrian Kurdish officials have said hundreds of suspected IS prisoners have escaped.

Officials in Washington said American military aircraft had conducted a "show of force" in Syria after Turkish-backed fighters came too close to American forces during the Turkish offensive into northeastern Syria.

As Turkish-backed militias advanced toward the Lafarge Cement Factory, the SDF set fire to and then vacated its facilities and equipment, a U.S. official said.

"No U.S. forces or equipment were ever in jeopardy and remain within separate, secure facilities. Our priority is protecting the remaining coalition forces at the LCF as multiple forces converge in northeast Syria," said U.S. Army Colonel Myles B. Caggins, a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve.


Nuclear weapons


Democratic Senator Edward Markey asked Trump to "immediately" remove U.S. nuclear weapons stored in Turkey.

Markey said about 50 weapons were at the Incirlik Air Base, about 400 kilometers from the Syrian border.

"While Russia's nuclear threat continues, our nuclear weapons deployment must reflect today's evolving security environment," Markey said in a statement.

Erdogan cut power to Incirlik and prevented U.S. aircraft from flying in or out of the base during the failed 2016 uprising against the Turkish government.

Trump has faced harsh criticism in the week since the White House announced Turkey was going forward with its long-held plans to try to carve out a buffer zone along its border with Syria free from the U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters it accuses of being terrorists linked to separatist Kurds in Turkey. The U.S. military has long said its Kurdish allies have been instrumental in the fight against IS, and the elimination of IS's caliphate.

"We're very concerned about their [Turkey's] actions and the threat that they presented to peace, security, stability and territorial integrity of Syria, of our overall political plans, and the risk of humanitarian disaster, and human rights violations, some of which we've seen not by Turkish troops but by what we call the TSO – Turkish-supported Syrian opposition elements, armed opposition elements, who are responsible for those horrible pictures you saw," the U.S. official said.

Turkey's incursion pushed the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces to reach an agreement with the Syrian government that has brought Syrian troops back into the northeastern part of the country for the first time in years, including on Monday when they reached Manbij.

A U.S. military spokesman said Tuesday that American troops had left Manbij as part of their withdrawal from the area.


Syrian Kurdish Refugee in Turkey Killed in Shelling From Syria


In addition to the call to halt the military operation, the United States raised steel tariffs and halted negotiations on a $100 billion trade deal with Turkey.

U.S. Democrats and Republicans have faulted the Trump administration for what is unfolding, saying the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the area cleared the way for U.S. ally SDF to be put in danger and increased the potential for Islamic State militants under SDF detention to break free and stage a resurgence.

Congress' leading Democrats – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer – announced Tuesday a joint bipartisan resolution opposing Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria, calling it a "reckless action, which threatens countless lives."

"With one voice, we call on President Trump to support Kurdish communities, to work to ensure that the Turkish military acts with restraint, and to present a clear strategy to defeat ISIS," Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement.

Trump spoke Monday with both Erdogan and General Mazloum Kobani, the head of the mostly Kurdish SDF that the United States has relied on to battle IS in Syria.

Erdogan on Tuesday said he told Trump the previous day that Turkey would never declare a cease-fire in northern Syria.

By Joshua Lipes

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which will require Washington to review Hong Kong's human rights situation annually and to take sanctions against officials linked to rights abuses in the city, if approved by the Senate.

The act was one of four measures related to the situation in Hong Kong that was passed by House lawmakers in unanimous votes.

The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, a bill introduced in June by Marco Rubio and Chris Smith, co-chairmen of Congressional Executive Commission on China, would revise current U.S. policy since Britain handed the city to China in 1997, which treats Hong Kong separately from the rest of China in trade, investment, commerce, and immigration–based on Beijing's pledge to give the territory a high degree of autonomy under the "one country, two systems" model.

If passed by the Senate, the bill would require the U.S. State Department to report annually to Congress whether Hong Kong is "sufficiently autonomous from China" to justify unique treatment, and whether China has "eroded Hong Kong's civil liberties and rule of law," as protected by the city's Basic Law.

Other measures in the bill include the requirement that the President provide Congress with an assessment as to whether to withdraw from the U.S.-Hong Kong extradition treaty, and what actions are needed to protect U.S. citizens and national security interests if Hong Kong amends its laws to allow the rendition of individuals to countries that lack defendants' rights protections, such as China, or passes a national security law.

The bill, if enacted, will also enable the U.S. to freeze the assets of, and refuse visas to, officials deemed responsible for human rights violations in the city.

It was not immediately clear when the bill will go to the Senate for a vote.

Also passed by the House on Tuesday was Resolution 543, reaffirming the relationship between the U.S. and Hong Kong, voicing support for the protesters, and condemning Chinese interference in the city, as well as the Protect Hong Kong Act, which would end exports to Hong Kong of crowd control devices.

Additionally, lawmakers approved House Resolution 521, which commends Canada for launching extradition proceedings in the U.S. case against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.


Support for bill


While Rubio has said the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act aims to "hold China to its promise" to respect the freedoms afforded residents of Hong Kong through the "one country, two systems" model, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam has called it an attempt to interfere in the city's internal affairs.

Democracy activists Joshua Wong and Denise Ho have pushed for the bill's passage, saying it will protect democracy in Hong Kong, and more than 100,000 protesters joined a rally on Monday night in which they sang the U.S. national anthem, waved American flags, and urged Congress to approve the act.

Wong on Monday called on the U.S. to pass the law, then use it to pursue police officers accused of human rights abuses and torture of detainees during the protests, amid multiple allegations of the torture and sexual abuse of detained protesters.

Protests that erupted in June in Hong Kong against plans by the city's government to allow extradition to mainland China have grown into a broader movement, even after Carrie Lam pledged to scrap the plan.

The protesters five key demands are: the formal withdrawal of planned amendments to extradition laws; an amnesty for arrested protesters; an end to the description of protesters as rioters; an independent inquiry into police abuse of power; and fully democratic elections.

In recent days, protesters have also begun calling for the current Hong Kong police force to be disbanded, particularly after widespread reports of the sexual abuse and torture of detainees at the hands of police have been publicly dismissed by senior officers.

Over the weekend, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of the state of Missouri traveled to Hong Kong and met with protesters, urging them to refrain from violence, but slamming Hong Kong police for ramping up their use of force.

Hawley–the third U.S. Republican Senator to visit the city since the protests began, following Ted Cruz and Rick Scott–warned that Hong Kong is in danger of becoming "a police state," and later urged Carrie Lam to resign, prompting the Chief Executive to fire back that his comments were "totally irresponsible and unfounded."

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA - Opinion polls suggest no party will gain a majority of seats in the Canadian election on Oct. 21. That leaves the two frontrunners - Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative opposition leader Andrew Scheer - trying to govern with a minority. Six parties are contesting the election.

Here’s how events could play out after the vote:


IF ONE PARTY WINS A MAJORITY


If Trudeau wins a majority of the 338 seats in the House of Commons, he will stay on. A party needs at least 170 seats for a majority. The Liberals currently have 177 seats.

If Scheer wins a majority, he would take over as prime minister after a two-week transition period.


ONE PARTY WINS THE MOST SEATS BUT FALLS SHORT OF A MAJORITY


To govern Canada, a prime minister must show that he or she has the confidence of the House of Commons, the elected lower chamber of Parliament.

If the result is a minority, the incumbent prime minister has the opportunity to test their standing with a vote of confidence. This would be the case even if Trudeau wins fewer seats than Scheer.

“He is the prime minister until he resigns or is defeated in the House,” said Gerald Baier, a political science professor at the University of British Columbia.

If the Liberals win more seats than the Conservatives but fall short of a majority, Trudeau has several options.

With 160 seats or more, Liberal insiders say Trudeau will most likely govern as though he has a majority, effectively daring the opposition to bring him down in a confidence vote.

If the Liberals get fewer than 160 seats, he will seek an arrangement with the minority opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) or the Greens, who are also both left-leaning.

There is almost no chance of a formal coalition, where New Democrats would serve in a Trudeau cabinet. Canada has only ever had one coalition and that was in 1917, during World War I.

More likely is a deal whereby the NDP backs the Liberals in exchange for Trudeau committing to some of their priorities. The NDP helped keep Liberal minority governments in power from 1972-1974 and in 2005.


THE FIRST STEPS


If Trudeau decides to test the confidence of the House, he could first swear in a cabinet during a ceremony presided over by Governor General Julie Payette, the Canada-based representative of the head of state, Queen Elizabeth.

This does not have to happen immediately, especially if there are automatic recounts in some seats where the results are particularly tight.

Presenting a new cabinet “would be a way of signaling that he intends to keep governing,” said Professor Philippe Lagasse of Ottawa’s Carleton University. It is an optional step.

“All ministers currently retain their portfolios and it would not be necessary for him to swear a new cabinet prior to testing confidence,” added Lagasse.

Assuming Trudeau tries to govern either alone or with another party, he would then convene Parliament. This does not have to happen immediately, since the rules dictate Parliament only has to meet once a year.

That said, Trudeau will not wait forever. In 1979, the Conservatives won a minority of seats in June and did not bring Parliament back till October, the longest such gap in Canadian history.


IF TRUDEAU LOSES HIS FIRST VOTE OF CONFIDENCE


If Trudeau were to lose his first confidence vote, he could request another election but in all likelihood, the Governor General would then ask Scheer whether he could create a government, citing the need to avoid two elections in quick succession.

Scheer would, on paper, have more challenges, since the NDP says it will not work with him under any circumstances.

This leaves the separatist Bloc Quebecois, which seeks independence for the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec. The idea of federal parties cooperating with the Bloc is especially sensitive and Scheer has said he would not strike a deal with them.

This would leave Scheer running a minority government by himself. Former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper did just that for more than five years between 2006 and 2011, when he had two successive minorities, alternately cajoling and threatening other parties to make sure they did not bring him down. He won a majority in 2011.


IT COULD TAKE MONTHS TO CREATE A STABLE GOVERNMENT


The best example of how long the process could take comes from the 2017 electihere in the Canadian province of British Columbia, where the gap between election day and the creation of a new government stretched out to 52 days. That election used the same rule book as the federal vote.

WASHINGTON - The United States carried out a secret cyber operation against Iran in the wake of the Sept. 14 attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, which Washington and Riyadh blame on Tehran, two U.S. officials have told Reuters.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the operation took place in late September and took aim at Tehran’s ability to spread “propaganda.”

One of the officials said the strike affected physical hardware, but did not provide further details.

The attack highlights how President Donald Trump’s administration has been trying to counter what it sees as Iranian aggression without spiraling into a broader conflict.

Asked about Reuters reporting on Wednesday, Iran’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said: “They must have dreamt it,” Fars news agency reported.

The U.S. strike appears more limited than other such operations against Iran this year after the downing of an American drone in June and an alleged attack by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on oil tankers in the Gulf in May.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Germany have publicly blamed the Sept. 14 attack on Iran, which denied involvement in the strike. The Iran-aligned Houthi militant group in Yemen claimed responsibility.

Publicly, the Pentagon has responded by sending thousands of additional troops and equipment to bolster Saudi defenses - the latest U.S. deployment to the region this year.

The Pentagon declined to comment about the cyber strike.

“As a matter of policy and for operational security, we do not discuss cyberspace operations, intelligence, or planning,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Elissa Smith.


GULF TENSIONS RISE SHARPLY


The impact of the attack, if any, could take months to determine, but cyber strikes are seen as a less-provocative option below the threshold of war.

“You can do damage without killing people or blowing things up; it adds an option to the toolkit that we didn’t have before and our willingness to use it is important,” said James Lewis, a cyber expert with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Lewis added that it may not be possible to deter Iranian behavior with even conventional military strikes.

Tensions in the Gulf have escalated sharply since May 2018, when Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Tehran that put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the easing of sanctions.

It was unclear whether there have been other U.S. cyber attacks since the one in late September.

Iran has used such tactics against the United States. This month, a hacking group that appears linked to the Iranian government tried to infiltrate email accounts related Trump’s re-election campaign.

Over 30 days in August and September, the group, which Microsoft dubbed “Phosphorous,” made more than 2,700 attempts to identify consumer accounts, then attacked 241 of them.

Tehran is also thought to be a major player in spreading disinformation.

Last year a Reuters investigation found more than 70 websites that push Iranian propaganda to 15 countries, in an operation that cybersecurity experts, social media firms and journalists are only starting to uncover.

Tensions with Iran have been high since the Sept. 14 attack. Tehran has said an Iranian tanker was hit by rockets in the Red Sea last week and warned that there would be consequences.

On Monday, President Hassan Rouhani reiterated his country’s policy toward the Trump administration, ruling out bilateral talks unless Washington returns to the landmark nuclear deal and lifts crippling U.S. economic sanctions.

LONDON - 

Lebanon security forces used excessive force to disperse an overwhelmingly peaceful protest in downtown Beirut, including by firing huge amounts of tear gas into crowds, chasing protesters down streets and alleys at gunpoint and beating them, Amnesty International said today.

Protesters started assembling in multiple towns and cities across Lebanon on the evening of 17 October, following a cabinet announcement of new tax measures. Throughout the day on 18 October thousands of protesters gathered in downtown Beirut, in Tripoli, Zouk Mikhael, Tyre, and other areas accusing the political leadership of corruption and calling for social and economic reforms.

On 18 October in downtown Beirut, at 8pm, shortly after the speech of Prime Minister Hariri, security forces used excessive force to disperse the overwhelmingly peaceful protests and by 11.30pm, they had cleared the square of all protesters.

“We call on the Lebanese authorities to respect the right of protesters to freedom of peaceful assembly and investigate the excessive use of tear gas as well as the beatings and harassment at gunpoint of protesters that took place last night. Promises by government officials to address protesters’ grievances ring terribly hollow and deceitful when security forces are given free rein to prevent the Lebanese people from voicing their anger in what was until then a largely peaceful manner,” said Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s Middle East Research Director.

“Isolated incidents of property damage do not warrant such excessive use of tear gas against an overwhelmingly peaceful protest; and nothing can justify beating protesters. The intention was clearly to prevent protesters gathering – in a clear violation of the right to peaceful assembly.”

Amnesty International staff were present to monitor the protests in downtown Beirut and observed the protests going on in other parts of the country. The organization interviewed 21 witnesses and a human rights lawyer, as well as reviewed video footage of the dispersal.

At around 8pm in downtown Beirut, riot police fired excessive amounts of tear gas in the middle of overwhelmingly peaceful crowds who had gathered over the day.

Researchers spoke to six protesters who said that they had seen security forces start to advance on protesters leading to a scuffle near the security barrier. In response, riot police fired into the air and subsequently shot tear gas into the crowds. Amnesty International staff observed how the security forces continued to fire significant amounts of tear gas over the following hours, leading to an extremely high density of tear gas across areas of downtown Beirut.

One protester, Maryam Majdoline Lahham who was resting with a group of friends in a protest tent at around 10pm, told Amnesty that they suddenly saw crowds of protesters running towards them, followed by security forces: “When they got to us, they hit us with stones and fired more tear gas bombs into the tents. Everybody started shouting, coughing, trying to run in all directions but there was nowhere to go… People started fainting, I saw a man carrying a 60-year-old woman who had passed out from the gas.”

Hospital officials announced that at least 64 patients had been admitted that evening due to tear gas inhalation.

Another protester told Amnesty: “Around 10pm, teargas clouded the whole area, we couldn’t breathe anymore, and people started fainting. Around 10.30pm, army vehicles advanced into Riad El Solh to evacuate the area. Some of us retreated into Mar Mkhayel and others toward Annahar building. Army forces followed us and they started hitting and arresting whoever they laid hands on. We were all peaceful protesters. They were hitting people on their heads and bodies with their hands, rifles and batons.”

Security officers chased peaceful protesters who had fled the scene into the side streets, beating them with batons and arresting some. Daily Star reporter Timour Azhari captured on video military officers beating and kicking a man who was lying helpless on the ground. The man had been riding his motorcycle on the Ring road when the military officers had stopped him.

Another protester told Amnesty International that she had gathered with a group of protesters around 10pm to rest in Saifi Village after the protest had been dispersed with tear gas. She told Amnesty International:

“As we were sitting there peacefully, army forces attacked us. They terrorized us by pointing their rifles in our faces and asking us to leave the area immediately. I felt they were about to shoot us and we heard live shots in the background as we were running. They violently attacked at least two people and one of them was hit on his head and was bleeding. I took a video of what happened, and one soldier saw me and threatened to hurt me.”

The Internal Security Forces said on their Facebook page that they had arrested at least 70 people for “acts of vandalism and looting in downtown Beirut.” While Amnesty International observers witnessed some phonebooths with broken glass and broken parking meters, they could also confirm that the protests were overwhelmingly peaceful from start to finish [or until the security forces intervened].

Amnesty International spoke to Ghida Frangie, a human rights lawyer who confirmed that a number of detainees had been ill-treated and beaten by security forces at the point of their arrest and while they were being taken to the police station.

Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Lebanon is a party, the authorities are obligated to respect freedom of assembly. International standards dictate that security forces can only use force when strictly necessary for a legitimate purpose and must ensure such force is proportionate..

“With so many people demonstrating in the streets across the country, and more protests expected in the coming days, the priority of the authorities must be to reduce tensions and allow all who wish to peacefully express to do so safely and without fear of reprisal,” said Lynn Maalouf.

“The authorities must also signal their commitment to respecting peaceful protest by immediately and effectively investigating all report arbitrary and abusive force against protesters and allegations of ill-treatment of those arrested.”

CAIRO - Authorities in Egypt are being urged by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, to immediately release scores of citizens who have been arrested in connection with recent anti-government demonstrations in several cities.

Civil society groups report more than 2,000 people were detained before, during and after the protests on 20 September, which prompted the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to express concern about reports of lack of due process.

On Friday her office reported that the arrests are continuing, with a number of well-known and respected civil society figures affected, some of whom have been accused of terrorism.

“Once again, we remind the Egyptian Government that under international law people have a right to protest peacefully, and a right to express their opinions, including on social media. They should never be arrested, detained – let alone charged with serious offences such as terrorism – simply for exercising those rights”, spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told journalists in Geneva.

Prominent members of civil society detained

Ms. Shamdasani provided information about some of the detainees, who include Esraa Abdelfattah, a journalist and human rights defender based in the capital, Cairo, who was arrested on 12 October.

Plainclothes security officers took her to an undisclosed location where she reportedly was beaten for refusing to unlock her mobile phone. She was also allegedly forced to stand facing a wall for seven hours after her phone was unlocked through enforced use of her fingers or thumb, thus allowing it to be searched.

Ms. Abdelfattah appeared before a prosecutor the following day and was given 15 days’ detention pending investigation on charges that include collaborating with a terrorist organization and "defamation and the spread of false news".

“We call on the Egyptian authorities to promptly and effectively investigate any allegations of torture or ill-treatment in detention and to take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent such acts”, Ms. Shamdasani said.

Prominent blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah as well as his lawyer, Mohammed El-Baqer are currently being held at the Tora Maximum Security Prison, south of Cairo.

Both have been accused of belonging to a terrorist group, funding terrorism, spreading false news that undermines national security and “using social media to commit publishing offices”, the UN human rights office said.

Mr. Abdel Fattah has been arrested and jailed previously. He was released from prison in March 2019 after serving a five-year sentence for organizing a protest without permission and is required to spend each night in a prison cell.

Security forces arrested Mr. Abdel Fattah on 29 September when he reported to a Cairo police station to fulfill his probation conditions. He allegedly was blindfolded, forced to strip down to his underwear and walk down a prison corridor while being beaten on his back and neck.

Mr. El-Bager was arrested that same day while attending his client’s interrogation at the State Security Prosecution. Since that time, he allegedly has been subjected to physical and verbal abuse, in addition to being denied access to drinking water, sanitation and medical assistance.

“All those arrested and detained solely for exercising their rights, or lending legal assistance to others who have been arrested, should be released immediately,” Ms. Shamdasani stated.

OHCHR also called on the authorities to “promptly and effectively” investigate any allegations of torture or ill-treatment.

THE UNITED NATIONS - There are “small signs” of hope for Yemeni civilians caught up in fighting, following a reduction in violence, coupled with a 20 per cent increase in funding for the UN’s humanitarian response, the Security Council heard on Thursday.

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, together with relief chief Mark Lowcock, told members there was “cause for optimism” but still a long way to go, to decisively end more than four years of fighting between the Saudi-led coalition supporting the southern-based, internationally-recognized Government, and Houthi rebels who control the capital, Sana’a, and other key areas.

Mr. Griffiths said the signs are “fragile, and in need of our diligent care and attention”. He highlighted the initiative from the Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, “to suspend all drones and ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, and the reduction of violence that followed the announcement.”

Airstrikes had “reduced considerably across Yemen”, he said, since the beginning of this month. “This is a very recent and inevitably fragile gain, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

He also noted the “tenuous calm” in the seat of Government in Aden, in the south, where fighting has calmed down between formerly allied Government forces and separatists. He called on a full agreement to be signed soon so law and order – and services – can be restored to the region.

Noting also the breakthrough in detainee releases and the renewed access to fuel ships entering the key port city of Hudaydah, he said they were “positive indications” adding: “By the time we meet again, I hope Mr. (Security Council) President, that we shall have more clarity, more certainty and more reason to hope.”

‘Deadliest month’ for civilians, but millions more in aid pledged

The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and OCHA chief, Mark Lowcock, told members September had been “the deadliest month for civilians so far this year” with an average of 13 killed every day.

But when it comes to lifesaving aid, the Government has made “substantial progress” clearing backlogs in humanitarian delivery caused by the in-fighting across the south, he added, noting that funding gaps in recent months had forced “key programmes” to simply close.

Turning to the key issue of funding the UN response plan, he welcomed the generous contributions last month of $500 million from the Saudis, and $200 million from the United Arab Emirates, together with a recent $88 million pledge from Kuwait.

“With hundreds of millions in new funding over the last six weeks, the response plan has gone from 45 per cent funded in early September, to 65 per cent funded today”, said Mr. Lowcock, adding that although “substantial gaps remain, UN agencies have re-opened many programmes that had been suspended, including support for health facilities, malnutrition treatment centres and vaccination campaigns.”

There are signs, he added, that the battered Yemeni economy was also beginning to push the country towards the brink of widespread famine once again, coupled with a worrying Government policy, blocking commercial fuel imports, that has caused severe fuel shortages – although some vessels have been allowed to enter Hudaydah in recent days.

“Rising fuel prices also mean families are less likely to get help when they need it, because transport becomes too unaffordable or unavailable. In some areas, the number of people reporting to health facilities over the last several weeks dropped by 50 per cent because people could not reach them. At the same time, mobile health teams struggle to reach patients where they are, as the teams don’t have enough fuel.”

In conclusion, the relief chief noted that the surge in funding for the UN response plan “will allow humanitarian agencies to continue keeping millions of people alive. This is cause for optimism. But there is much more to do if our aim is not just to reduce people’s suffering, but to end it altogether.

The only way to achieve that, is to stop the war.”

THE UNITED NATIONS - Civilians are still fleeing shelling and clashes in northern Syria on the border with Turkey, despite a ceasefire deal between Turkish forces and Syrian-backed Kurdish military, the UN said on Friday.

The agreement comes nine days into a military campaign launched by Turkey against Kurdish-held territory on its southern border, east of the Euphrates river. To date, more than 166,000 people have been displaced.

The World Health Organization reported that Tal Tamr hospital is now the main reception point for people wounded by the conflict in Ras al Ain, but that it is struggling to cope with the influx of patients. The World Food Programme (WFP), meanwhile, announced that it plans reach 580,000 people in affected areas this month.