After the brief 'breath of freedom' of the Hirak, the mandate of Abdelmadjid Tebboune, candidate for re-election in September, has been marked by human rights violations Amine*, a 45-year-old former Algerian journalist who left his country for Paris two years ago, remembers with nostalgia the wave of hope that seized Algiers' newsrooms in February 2019 during the Hirak , the popular uprising that led to the downfall of long-time autocrat Abdelaziz Bouteflika. "A breath of freedom had blown over the country," Amine, who worked for a media outlet in the Algerian capital at the time, told Middle East Eye. "In marches, on television sets, in newspapers and on social networks, opposition politicians, community activists and ordinary citizens dared to be very critical without fear of reprisals," he added. However, this quickly came to an end with the subsequent mass arrests of Hirak activists who supported a democratic transition and opposed the presidential elections organised by the ruling establishment, Amine said. Following the election of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in December 2019, after a controversial vote , the arrests continued, targeting journalists, students, activists and members of the opposition. Last April, the National Committee for the Liberation of Detainees (CNLD), an association created during the Hirak by a group of lawyers, prisoners' families and intellectuals, published a list of 228 individuals "arbitrarily detained and sentenced to prison", and called for their release. The appeal, co-signed by other human rights NGOs, including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), followed the announcement by the Algerian authorities that snap presidential elections would be held on 6 September. "A wall of silence hangs over civil society. Since 2019, activists, journalists and human rights defenders have been prosecuted and sentenced, often to harsh sentences, for exercising their fundamental rights, notably on the basis of unfounded accusations of belonging to terrorist entities," the NGOs wrote. They added that the authorities had also increased arbitrary legal actions against civil society organisations, opposition political parties, trade unions and independent media outlets. Detentions, Closures, and Travel Bans Among the 228 detainees listed by the CNLD figure were two eminent Hirak activists, Brahim Laalami , 32, and Mohamed Tadjadit , 30, who have each spent almost 60 months in detention since 2019. They are accused of "apology for terrorism". In 2022, the authorities also arrested journalist Ihsane El Kadi, who was sentenced the following year to seven years in prison on charges of receiving foreign funding for political propaganda, which he denies.  Radio M and the Maghreb Emergent news site, two news platforms founded by El Kadi, were also closed. "The situation is disastrous because civic space and freedoms have been reduced over the years since the start of the Hirak [and] there are strong reasons to believe that the situation could potentially get worse," Nissaf Slama, then research assistant at Amnesty International, told MEE last March, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Hirak. Lawyer Aissa Rahmoune, secretary general of the International Federation for Human Rights and former member of the CNLD, shares these concerns. "Today, it is clear that the authorities are stubborn in their authoritarian logic," he told MEE. "They fear any dissenting voice, any opposition, even peaceful, to the public affairs in Algeria, in particular the question of the democratic construction of the rule of law," he added. A recent example is the arrest, in early August, of opposition activist Yacine Mekireche, who was handed a committal order on charges of spreading hate speech and discrimination on social media and inciting unarmed assembly. A few days earlier, a CNLD lawyer, Mourad Zenati, was notified of a travel ban at a border post with Tunisia , where he was due to spend his honeymoon. Far from being exceptional, the so-called ban on leaving the national territory (ISTN), rarely justified by a court decision, affects hundreds of activists, journalists, businessmen and politicians, lawyer Abdelghani Badi told MEE earlier this year. Rahmoune, who fled with his family to Tunisia in 2021 before seeking refuge in France , had a narrow escape himself. Arrested three times by the police for his participation in the defence of Hirak detainees, he felt threatened, and reluctantly opted for exile. Around a year after his departure, the Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights, of which he was co-president, was dissolved . The Youth Action Rally (RAJ), an association for the promotion of human rights that played a prominent role in the Hirak movement,  suffered the same fate. And the activities of two left-wing opposition parties, the Socialist Workers' Party (PST) and the Democratic and Social Movement (MDS), were also suspended and their headquarters closed during the same period. 'Liberticidal Laws' "The current regime fully assumes its authoritarian nature," Rahmoune told MEE, denouncing authoritarian laws that justify the repression of political opponents. In 2021, the Algerian authorities amended the penal code to qualify as a terrorist act and sabotage "any act targeting the security of the state, national unity, stability and the normal functioning of institutions" through actions that "work or incite by any means whatsoever to access power or change the system of governance by non-constitutional means and to undermine the integrity of the national territory." The amendment further established "a national list of terrorist individuals and entities that commit acts of terrorism and sabotage". In reaction to the legislative change, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) published a report criticising the vague wording of the definition of terrorism and denouncing that since 2019, "a growing number of activists, journalists and human rights defenders had been prosecuted on terrorism-related charges". Following a visit to Algeria in 2023, the UN special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, pointed out in a report the "use of repressive, unconstitutional laws from the pre-Hirak era to repress peaceful dissent". Article 97 of the penal code, for example, prohibits any type of gathering, while the 2012 laws relating to political parties and associations subject the formation of an NGO or a political party to prior government approval. In addition, another amendment to the penal code introduced in 2020 threatens with imprisonment any journalists who spread "false information" without specifying what is intended by this. In 2023, a new milestone in the restriction of freedom of expression was reached with the adoption of a law on information that bans Algerians with dual nationality from owning or being shareholders in a media outlet in Algeria. Furthermore, last May, the penal code was again amended to punish with heavy sentences up to life imprisonment any person who discloses confidential information and documents relating to national security. The new penal code also provides for prison terms of up to 10 years for "anyone who knowingly participates in an effort to demoralise the National People's Army or other security forces with the aim of harming national defence or security." "The Algerian authorities are maintaining their stranglehold on civic space," Nadege Lahmar, a member of Amnesty International's research team on Algeria, told MEE. And as the presidential election is drawing closer, repression is getting tougher, she added. The Algerian authorities are maintaining their stranglehold on civic space - Nadege Lahmar, researcher at Amnesty International Arrests for crimes of opinion, mainly targeting opposition leaders, have been increasing in the past weeks. On 20 August, Atmane Mazouz, chairman of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), whose main power base is in Kabylia, was arrested and later released. Karim Tabbou, president of the Social and Democratic Union, a party not approved by the authorities, was meanwhile notified that the conditions of his judicial supervision had been tightened. Tabbou, a major Hirak figure, has no longer the right to publish political comments or take part in debates. And Fethi Ghares, coordinator of the MDS, was placed under judicial control after a brief arrest. "We observe that the pre-election context is marked by continued restrictions on opposition political activism, journalists, civil society organisations or other citizens who try to exercise their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression," Lahmar said. In addition to President Tebboune, two candidates have been qualified to run in the election: Abdelaali Hassani Cherif, the president of the Movement of Society for Peace, and Youcef Aouchiche, the secretary general of the Socialist Forces Front. But a victory of the incumbent is almost certain , according to observers. The secretary general of the Workers' Party, Louisa Hanoune, imprisoned from 2020 to 2021 for "undermining military authority" and "conspiracy against state authority" in the context of the Hirak, preferred to withdraw her candidacy, denouncing "unfair conditions" and a "regressive and antidemocratic legislative framework". For Rahmoune, the conditions are indeed far from being met to ensure a fair election. "The presidential election in this atmosphere of non-freedom, of non-exercise of citizenship is an operation intended to comply with the institutional calendar in the absence of any democratic spirit," he told MEE. * The name has been changed for security reasons. Copyright © 2014 - 2023 .  Middle East Eye. All rights reserved.

September 2, 202 4 (GEDAREF) –  Authorities in Sudan’s eastern Gederaf state closed the Gallabat border crossing with Ethiopia on Sunday after the Fano militia seized the nearby Ethiopian town of Metemma, sources told Sudan Tribune. The Amhara region, which borders Gederaf, has frequently clashes between Fano and government forces since the federal government signed a peace deal with Tigrayan forces in 2020. The sources said the Sudanese authorities allowed Ethiopian federal police and army personnel to cross into Sudan after they were disarmed. In return, Fano allowed Sudanese stranded at the border to cross into Ethiopia. Thousands of Sudanese have crossed into Ethiopia through Gallabat since conflict broke out in Sudan in April between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fano also seized the Ethiopian border crossing at Metemma, aiming to cut off supplies of fuel and food to the Amhara region from Sudan, the sources said. Copyright @ 2024 | Sudan Tribune. All rights reserved.

More than 9 years of gruelling conflict has left Yemen facing a severe food crisis. More than 17.6 million people are suffering from severe food insecurity – with 6 million at high risk of severe malnutrition. The crisis in Yemen is exacerbated by the limited water available for farming, and contaminated water triggering recurring cholera outbreaks. Climate shocks, such as floods and cyclones, have damaged the agriculture sector, destroying crops and disrupting livelihoods, pushing struggling communities deeper into poverty. A decade of war has damaged Yemen’s vital infrastructure, leaving Yemeni people very few resources to help them during this crisis. Malnutrition is Widespread- And Levels Are Rising Recent reports have shown a 34% increase in acute malnutrition among children under 5 in southern Yemen. Additionally, 223,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished. The levels of malnutrition have reached ‘extremely critical’ levels in the governorates of Hodeidah and Taizz in northern Yemen, where rates have surged to over 30%. With dwindling global humanitarian assistance, the need for humanitarian support in Yemen has reached desperate levels, according to Siddiq Khan, Islamic Relief’s Country Director in Yemen: “Yemen’s crisis is not just a headline; it’s a harsh reality for millions of families. Immediate and collective support is crucial now, as we are at a critical moment where timely action can prevent further catastrophe.” Islamic Relief is a Lifeline in Yemen Thanks to our generous supporters, Islamic Relief, and our partners, are providing life-saving humanitarian aid in Yemen. We have provided food and financial aid to over 124,000 people. In recent months, we have treated more than 77,000 children and nearly 92,000 women for malnutrition across our 159 health centres located across Yemen. We have also provided farmers with essential resources and training, and supported small businesses to strengthen recovery efforts and ensure steady access to food. Despite these efforts however, the humanitarian needs in Yemen remain immense. More is Needed to Save Lives in Yemen Only 27% of the 2024 United Nations-led Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan has been funded.  This severe funding shortfall risks the progress made so far by Islamic Relief and other humanitarian actors operating in Yemen. The crisis in Yemen cannot be ignored. Both immediate relief and long-term strategies are needed to power sustainable recovery. The rising levels of acute malnutrition and continuous disease outbreaks underscore the critical need for a large-scale response in Yemen – that includes improving nutrition, health services, and access to safe water. © Islamic Relief (Worldwide) TM 2019

Tripoli-based Presidential Council appoints new board of directors, with banking operations suspended amid upheaval. Libya’s central bank Governor Sadiq al-Kabir says he and other senior employees of the institution have been forced to flee the country to escape threats from armed militia, the Financial Times reported. “Militias are threatening and terrifying bank staff and are sometimes abducting their children and relatives to force them to go to work,” said al-Kabir in a telephone interview the newspaper published on Friday. The Central Bank of Libya, which controls billions of dollars in oil revenue, is at the centre of the latest political crisis to hit a country riven with conflict since the 2011 NATO-backed overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, which is now divided between two rival administrations in the east and west. This latest spat between the two administrations escalated on Monday, when Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah , leading the internationally recognised Government of National Unity based in western Libya, attempted to remove al-Kabir, sending a delegation to take over the central bank governor’s office. According to the FT report, tensions between the two men were mounting. Al-Kabir had accused the prime minister of “overspending and painting a misleadingly ‘rosy’ picture of the economy in his speeches”. Critics of the governor have accused him of mishandling oil revenues. In response to attacks on the bank’s leadership and employees, the Benghazi-based eastern government, headed by Prime Minister Osama Hammad, announced on Monday that it was shutting down oilfields. The eastern government is not recognised internationally, however its military leader, Khalifa Haftar, controls most of Libya’s  oilfields . Al-Kabir told the FT that attempts by Dbeibah to replace him were illegal, and contravened United Nations negotiated accords on leadership appointments at the financial institution. Banking Suspended Reporting from Tripoli, Al Jazeera’s Malik Traina said that nobody seemed to be in full control of the bank. The Tripoli-based Presidential Council has appointed a new board of directors, the upheaval leading to the suspension of most banking operations in the country, with people unable to access their money or make transfers. “People don’t know what’s going on,” said Traina. “The new board of directors is in control of the building. The outskirts of the central bank are being highly guarded. There’s a huge security presence by the Ministry of the Interior.” While al-Kabir had called on employees to stay away from the bank’s premises, the new board of directors had told them to come in and start working. “The staff of the central bank are really confused about what they should do,” said Traina. “Banking transactions have been suspended for nearly a week now, so people can’t transfer money. There’s a huge liquidation problem, so they can’t pull out their money either. Also, there are threats that the salaries of public employees will be delayed,” he said. “From the day this problem started, prices are going up,” said Amal Dalha, a Tripoli resident, speaking to Al Jazeera. “Why do people work? They work to get their salaries to pay for their needs. Now they say the salaries are frozen and there’s now talks that it could be that way for months. How are people going to live?” Instability The crisis over the control of the central bank creates yet another level of instability in the oil-rich country, eastern and western factions drawing backing from Russia and Turkey respectively. The eastern authorities said on Monday that the shutdown applied to all fields, terminals and oil facilities, without specifying how long it would last. The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) this week called for the suspension of unilateral decisions, the lifting of force majeure on oil fields, the halting of escalations and use of force, and the protection of central bank employees. According to Traina, the mission is “meeting with stakeholders” and is planning to convene an “emergency meeting with all parties involved” to come up with a solution. © 2024 Al Jazeera Media Network

State media shows Kim looking ecstatic after a test in which drones crashed into what appeared to be a tank. State media said the drones hit a variety of predetermined targets [KCNA via Reuters] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised a test of domestically-developed attack drones, state media KCNA reported. Photos published by North Korean media on Monday showed a white drone with X-shaped tails and wings crashing into and destroying a target resembling South Korea’s K-2 main battle tank. Kim, who was pictured at a desk surrounded by advisers, has been modernising his country’s military and developing its weapons capabilities amid rising tensions with Washington and Seoul . The North Korean leader supervised the test on a visit to the Drone Institute of North Korea’s Academy of Defense Science, KCNA said. Kim said that global trends in military technologies and modern combat showed the importance of drones in war and that Pyongyang’s military should be equipped with them “as early as possible”. He called for accelerated development and production of various systems, including exploding drones to be used by the infantry and special operations units, reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones, and underwater suicide attack drones, KCNA said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said North Korea needed more drones to boost its war readiness [KCNA via Reuters] Pyongyang has ramped up its tactical warfare capabilities involving short-range missiles and heavy artillery aimed at striking South Korea, after making dramatic advances in its longer-range ballistic missile and nuclear programmes in defiance of international sanctions. The drone test comes as the United States and South Korean militaries conduct a large-scale exercise aimed at enhancing their combined capabilities to defend against the North Korean threat. The drills continue until Thursday. © 2024 Al Jazeera Media Network

The UN report, for the first time, meticulously documented the brutality of the North Korean regime and concluded that the regime is committing "systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations." North Koreans pay respect to the statues of former late leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang on Feb. 16 in this photo carried by the Korean Central News Agency the next day. PHOTO: YONHAP/THE KOREA HERALD SEOUL – The human rights situation in North Korea has remained the worst in the world, even 10 years after the UN released its first report unveiling systematic human rights abuses and violations by the North Korean regime, the US special envoy for North Korean human rights said Monday. One defector, however, asserted that North Korean people have started to adopt the notion of “human rights violations,” attributing this shift to the international community’s concerted efforts to shed light on and address human rights issues in North Korea. “The human rights crisis and the suffering of the North Korean people has gone on too long,” Ambassador Julie Turner said in a video message delivered at the “Seoul Freedom Forum for North Korean Human Rights.” Turner emphasized that there has been minimal progress since the release of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea’s comprehensive 400-page report on February 17, 2014. The UN report, for the first time, meticulously documented the brutality of the North Korean regime and concluded that the regime is committing “systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations.” The report also said that the fact that North Korea “has for decades pursued policies involving crimes that shock the conscience of humanity raises questions about the inadequacy of the response of the international community.” “These words continue to ring true. The human rights situation in the DPRK remains among the worst in the world. COVID has only allowed the regime to further its control and repression,” Turner told participants, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Turner emphasized the importance of member States following through on the COI’s recommendations, delivering a direct message to China regarding the imperative to refrain from forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors to their home country. “And to that end, the US continues to call upon all member states including the People’s Republic of China to abide by the principle of non-refoulement,” Turner said. Turner also said, “Now is the time to double down on increasing the free flow of independent information into the DPRK to help equip the citizenry with the information that they still crave.” North Korean defector Kang Chol-hwan, a former inmate of the notorious Yodok concentration camp, said the “North Korean regime is far from improving human rights. Instead, the human rights situation has worsened” even though a decade has passed since the release of the COI report. Under the Kim Jong-un regime, the clampdown on people has intensified with the establishment of laws such as the Law on the Elimination of Reactionary Thought and Culture, the Youth Education Guarantee Act, and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act. In North Korea, individuals can be deemed political criminals for merely watching films or listening to music that the rest of the world is allowed to enjoy, Kang said. Another North Korean defector, Hwang Ji-sung, who is a broker rescuing North Korean defectors, highlighted the heightened challenges of defection under the Kim Jong-un regime. Hwang claimed that the brokerage fee for defection has skyrocketed to 100,000 yuan ($13,800), from 15,000 yuan in 2010. The increase in fees was attributed to heightened control measures implemented by the Kim Jong-un regime and the suppression of North Korean escapees by the Chinese authorities. Furthermore, the availability of escape routes has dwindled due to China’s implementation of AI technology and stringent control measures, Hwang said. However, North Korean defector and human rights activist Kim Il-hyeok noted that changes were underway in North Korea and its people, attributing them to the ongoing efforts of the international community to publicize and address human rights issues. “In fact, it is part of this change that North Korean residents, who were previously unaware of the concept of ‘human rights,’ are now using the term ‘human rights violations,'” Kim, who testified human rights situation in North Korea at the UN Security Council in August last year, said in English. Kim highlighted that testimonies from defectors who arrived in South Korea shortly before the pandemic indicate the “term ‘human rights violations’ is being used among residents when unfair treatment occurs.” Emphasizing the importance of the international community’s pressure on addressing human rights issues, Kim suggested that such efforts “can lead to better outcomes for resolving North Korea’s human rights issues. Copyright © 2018 - 2024 Asia News Network. All rights reserved.

Address Serious Shortcomings; Robust Implementation is Key A Nepali man looks at photographs of disappeared persons displayed by human rights activists at an event to mark the International Day of the Disappeared in Kathmandu, Nepal, August 30, 2017. © 2017 AP Photo/Niranjan Shresth (Geneva) –  Nepal ’s long-awaited transitional justice law, adopted by the lower house of parliament on August 14, 2024, incorporates many positive provisions that could help in advancing justice, accountability, and redress for the widespread human rights violations and abuses committed during the 1996-2006 conflict, but still has elements that could undermine a successful outcome, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists said today. To ensure the integrity of the process and bring the law into compliance with Nepali and international legal standards, serious accountability gaps need to be addressed by lawmakers. In addition, all institutions involved in the administration of justice – including the courts, the transitional justice commissions, and the Attorney General – should make sure to construe the bill in accordance with international law and Nepal’s Constitution. “Transitional justice in Nepal is long overdue, and the new law can be an opportunity to finally deliver justice for victims, strengthen the rule of law, and create a positive precedent for the region,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “This should not turn into yet another exercise in which victims are encouraged to accept compensation without truth and justice.” A  previous attempt at a transitional justice law, which provided the possibility of amnesties for serious crimes, was found by the Supreme Court in 2015 to be unconstitutional and in violation of Nepal’s international human rights obligations. While the new law includes several significant improvements and positive provisions, parts again appear designed to shield those responsible for wartime crimes from prosecution. In Nepal, many survivors and families of those subjected to violations and abuses have lived in hardship for years, often suffering lasting mental and physical injuries, in desperate need of reparations, while struggling to learn the truth about their loved ones, to receive official recognition, and to see the perpetrators brought to justice. The lack of accountability for serious crimes under international law has contributed to ongoing rights violations and a wider crisis of impunity. “Victims have been waiting for full acknowledgement of the harms they have suffered and reparations for almost 20 years. For a transitional justice process to accomplish its aims, all of the five essential pillars of this process – truth, justice, reparation, memorialization, and guarantees of non-recurrence – must be pursued,” said Mandira Sharma, senior international legal adviser at the International Commission of Jurists. “Current gaps in this law could serve to threaten the outcome of the process and defeat the purpose of providing effective remedies to victims.” The transitional justice bill envisages a major role for donor funding to implement the process. Once it is finally adopted as the law, donors and the Nepali authorities should develop and implement a system for oversight of the management of funds to support transitional justice. This will facilitate access to expertise and safeguard against political and other unwarranted interference, particularly in the handling of justice and reparation processes. The vagueness of the law on some points, and lack of detail in many areas, mean that interpretation and implementation of the mandates of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons will be critical. The appointments of highly qualified and independent commissioners, and of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission secretary, will be especially important early decisions. It is critical that the transitional justice process be implemented in a robust and independent fashion, and that safeguards are established to achieve credible and durable outcomes. Past Nepali governments have repeatedly failed to deliver truth, justice, and reparations for conflict-era atrocity crimes. Transitional justice is a major outstanding commitment of the  2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement , which ended a decade-long armed conflict between the then royal government and Maoist rebels, and inaugurated a peace process that included constitutional reform. “In the past, the commissions have failed to win trust from victims due to repeated political interference in the appointment of the commissioners,” said Smriti Singh, South Asia director at Amnesty International. “The commissioners must be trusted by victims’ groups for their work to be effective and credible. This requires victims’ rights and views to be at the center of a fully transparent nomination and appointment procedure. Commissioners must be competent, impartial, and fully independent from any political party.” Shortcomings in the law The new law, officially titled  A Bill to Amend the Disappeared Persons’ Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, 2071 , widely referred to as the transitional justice bill, was introduced in parliament in  March 2023 , and finally passed in the lower house with the support of Nepal’s three largest political parties following protracted negotiations. However, there has been little formal consultation with civil society and  victims or their families , who hold a range of views on the legislation. While all agree that progress towards addressing their rights and needs has been unacceptably protracted, many also continue to voice concerns that the law as presently drafted might not deliver justice, calling for reform of the bill. Under the current bill, crimes committed during the conflict are either classified as “violations of human rights” or “serious violations of human rights.” While offences defined as human rights violations could be granted amnesty, “serious violations of human rights” could be referred to and prosecuted in a special court. The definition of “serious violations” is limited to “rape or serious sexual violence;” “intentional or arbitrary killing;” enforced disappearance , provided that the victim’s whereabouts remains unknown; and “inhuman or cruel torture.” However, these definitions are not consistent with international law and exclude other serious crimes. For instance, the prohibition of torture and the requirement that it be criminalized is absolute and there can be no qualification for “inhuman or cruel” torture, since torture by its nature is inhuman or cruel. The law defines “violations of human rights” as “any act except serious human rights violations committed in contravention of Nepali laws, international human rights or humanitarian law” (emphasis added). In previous iterations of the law, this category of crimes was completely excluded from prosecution. In the current version, it appears that the special court can adjudicate violations of human rights (not defined as “serious”) that are not granted amnesty, which the Truth and Reconciliation Commission can provide if the alleged perpetrator fulfills certain conditions (such as disclosing the truth, making an apology to victims, or paying compensation), and with the consent of the victims. However, the language of the law is imprecise, and while an expansion of the mandate of the special court is an improvement, any amnesty for serious crimes is contrary to Nepali and international law and standards and violates victims’ right to effective remedy and reparation. The law also requires that both categories of violations (defined as “serious” and not) – except for rape and “serious sexual violence” – are committed “in a targeted or planned manner against an unarmed individual or community.” This could exclude many cases not only from any criminal accountability but also other measures under the bill, such as civil and administrative remedies and reparations. These provisions create a large accountability gap for many crimes under international law, including possible crimes against humanity and war crimes , contrary to Nepal’s Constitution and its international legal obligations. A provision which was added to the law during the final phase of negotiations would allow for the attorney general, excluding in cases of rape or “serious sexual violence,” to make a binding request for a 75 percent reduction in the sentencing for those convicted of serious violations. This provision, amounting to a disguised amnesty, contradicts the principle that criminal sanctions must be proportionate to the gravity of the crime, and also undermines the fundamental role and competency of the judiciary. The court should decide what reduction may be appropriate, if any, based on its own consideration of the facts and submissions by the parties to the proceedings. The law now permits the special court to adjudicate disputes related to reparations, an important expansion of its role. However, it still provides for the appointment of only three judges to the special court, which was envisioned when the court’s jurisdiction was more limited. With the expansion of the jurisdiction of the court, the number of judges should be increased to fulfill its expanded mandate.  © 2024 Human Rights Watch

Algeria is also worried about the escalating situation in Libya, its eastern neighbour—another country where Wagner is reportedly active. Algeria has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to halt "mercenary activities" in Mali following a deadly attack near its borders. On Monday, Ammar Benjamaa, Algeria's representative to the UN, urged international accountability for "those responsible for a drone attack" that struck civilians in Mali's Tinzaouatene, near the Algeria-Mali border. The attack claimed the lives of more than 20 Malian civilians. "We need to stop the violations committed by private armies employed by some countries", said Benjamaa during the 75th-anniversary session of the Geneva Conventions at the UNSC.  Though Algeria maintains good ties with Moscow, Benjamaa appeared to be hinting at the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary organisation reportedly cooperating with the Malian army. On 26 August, a spokesperson for a coalition of Tuareg-majority groups fighting for independence in northern Mali reported that drones hit a pharmacy and a group of people, killing 21, including 11 children, and injuring dozens. Mali's army confirmed the drone attacks on national television, stating that "precision strikes targeted terrorists." Located in the northern of Mali, Tinzaouatene has witnessed air attacks before, most recently in July, when Tuareg-led groups claimed to have killed many Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner mercenaries. The Malian army did not confirm the death toll at the time. In Mali, military rulers, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, took power in 2020 and turned to Russia's Wagner Group for security assistance after expelling French forces in 2022. However, the Malian army has maintained that Russian forces are not Wagner mercenaries, but trainers assisting local troops with equipment purchased from Russia. In July, an AFP report confirmed Wagner's presence in the African country. The Tuareg, an ethnic group fighting for independence since 2012, previously launched an insurgency in 2012, inflicting humiliating defeats on the army before agreeing to a ceasefire in 2014 and a peace deal mediated by Algeria in 2015. However, after seizing power in a coup in 2020, the military rulers prioritised re-establishing sovereignty over all regions, including the key Tuareg stronghold Kidal region. Last year, they annulled the Algiers Peace Agreement and resumed fighting after the ruling junta demanded the withdrawal of the 10-year UN peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMA, and began taking over blue helmet bases in northern areas. Algeria, which has repeatedly voiced concerns over the security of its borders with Mali, has offered to mediate another peace deal with the warring parties. The North African state is also worried about the escalating situation in Libya, its eastern neighbour—another country where Wagner is reportedly active. Earlier this month, the UN expressed concern over intense military movements by forces affiliated with Khalifa Haftar near the Libyan-Algerian border. The Wagner Group has had a foothold in Libya since 2018. To break its growing regional isolation, Algeria has established a three-state Maghreb union with Tunisia and Libya to discuss cooperation in energy, trade and security. Morocco was not invited, as Algeria maintains no diplomatic relations with the country, citing security threats after Rabat's normalisation with Israel in 2020. © 2024 The New Arab

By Michelle Nichols and Mohamed Ghobari UNITED NATIONS/ADEN, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi group has agreed to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach a damaged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea, Iran's mission to the United Nations said on Wednesday, after the Iran-aligned militants attacked the Greek-flagged vessel last week. The Sounion tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes, or 1 million barrels, of crude oil and poses an environmental hazard , shipping officials said. Any spill has the potential to be among the largest from a ship in recorded history. "Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area," Iran's U.N. mission in New York said. "In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request," it said. Yemen's Houthis spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed to allow the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group. The Sounion was targeted last week by multiple projectiles off Yemen's port city of Hodeidah. There have been seemingly conflicting reports about oil escaping from the ship. Reuters has not independently confirmed if the oil is leaking or spilling from the vessel. The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous regions, said they attacked the Sounion. The militants began aerial drone and missile strikes on the Red Sea in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers. The Pentagon said on Tuesday a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them . In a statement on Wednesday, Iran's U.N. mission said "the failure to provide aid and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea stems from the negligence of certain countries, rather than concerns over the possibility of being targeted." Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Mohamed Ghobari; Additional reporting by Yomna Ehab and Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Katharine Jackson, Jonathan Oatis and Richard Chang © 2024 Reuters. All rights reserved

As Afghanistan’s rulers mark three years in power, the future of an entire generation of girls is ‘in jeopardy’, UN says. Afghanistan’s Taliban government has “deliberately deprived” at least 1.4 million girls of their right to an education during its three years in power, according to the United Nations. About 300,000 more girls are missing out on school since UNESCO last carried out a count in April 2023, it said on Thursday and warned that “the future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy”. Taking into account the number of girls not going to school before the Taliban came to power in August 2021, the UN’s educational and cultural agency said 80 percent of Afghan school-age girls – a total of 2.5 million – are now being denied their right to an education. “UNESCO is alarmed by the harmful consequences of this increasingly massive drop-out rate, which could lead to a rise in child labour and early marriage,” it said in a statement . Afghanistan is the only country in the world to stop girls and women attending secondary schools and universities. Since the Taliban came to power, it has barred education for girls above sixth grade, arguing that it does not comply with its interpretation of Islam – although no other Muslim country prohibits girls from being educated. UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay urged the international community to remain mobilised “to obtain the unconditional reopening of schools and universities to Afghan girls and women”. The Taliban administration, which is not recognised by any other country, has imposed restrictions on women that the UN has described as “gender apartheid”. The number of primary pupils has also fallen. Afghanistan had 5.7 million girls and boys in primary school in 2022, compared with 6.8 million in 2019, UNESCO said. It blamed the drop on the authorities’ decision to ban female teachers from teaching boys, adding that parents also lacked incentives to send children to school. Enrollment in higher education in equally concerning, it said, adding that the number of university students had decreased by 53 percent since 2021. “As a result, the country will rapidly face a shortage of graduates trained for the most highly-skilled jobs, which will only exacerbate development problems,” according to UNESCO. © 2024 Al Jazeera Media Network

Analysis on third anniversary of seizure of power finds regime officials implicated in more than half of reported incidents of gender-based violence. The analysis found 840 women and girls had been subject to gender-based violence between January 2022 and June 2024. Photograph: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images The 300-plus reported cases of Afghan women being killed by men since the Taliban seized power are just “the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the true scale of gender-based violence in Afghanistan , according to new data analysis. Open-source investigators at the Centre of Information Resilience ’s Afghan Witness project combed through social media and news sites to record 332 reported cases of femicide since the Taliban took Kabul on 15 August 2021. The analysis , which is one of the first attempts to try to collect data on the levels of sexual and physical violence against women in Afghanistan, also found 840 women and girls had been subject to gender-based violence from 1 January 2022 – when Afghan Witness began collating data – to 30 June this year, almost one a day. More than half of the reported cases said that Taliban officials were responsible. Analysis of crimes allegedly perpetrated by the Taliban revealed 115 incidents of sexual violence, including forced marriage, sexual slavery, assault and rape. Another 73 incidents concerned non-sexual violence and torture, while 113 involved the reported arrests of women, many for flouting the regime’s repressive policies on women and girls, which include forbidding them to travel significant distances without a male guardian. The Taliban’s shutdown of most independent media outlets and the widespread restriction and persecution of journalists – as well as continuing political repression and online intimidation – means that the number of cases reported is likely to be a vast underestimation of the true scale of death and violence inflicted on Afghan women, according to David Osborn, the project director of Afghan Witness. “What we have collected is only the tip of the iceberg,” he says. “[It is] more and more difficult for Afghan women to speak out and for us to document gender-based violence and the impact of Taliban rule on women and girls.” In the three years since seizing power from the US-backed government, the Taliban have imposed what human rights groups are calling a “gender apartheid” on Afghanistan’s 14 million women and girls, excluding them from almost every aspect of public life and denying them access to the justice system. Women and girls are blocked from attending secondary school; banned from almost every form of paid employment; prevented from walking in public parks, attending gyms or beauty salons ; and told to comply with a strict dress code. The Taliban have also announced the reintroduction of the public flogging and stoning of women for adultery . A UN survey last December found that 76% of Afghan women and girls who responded classed their mental health since the Taliban seized power as “bad” or “very bad”, reporting insomnia, depression, anxiety, loss of appetite and headaches as a result of their trauma. A Taliban guard stands by as an Afghan woman waits to receive a winter kit from Unicef at Fayzabad in Badakhshan province, 25 February 2024. Photograph: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images In response to repressive Taliban policies, some women have continued to resist, staging a series of street protests in Kabul and other major cities. Last month, the Guardian published accounts from female protesters who described how they were beaten, abused or jailed for speaking out – one video viewed by the Guardian appeared to show a female protester being raped inside a Taliban jail. Afghan Witness’s open-source data analysis also chronicles how public protests against the Taliban regime have declined significantly over the past three years. The research shows that in the months after the 2021 Taliban takeover, 88% of protests were held outdoors. This dropped to 49% in 2022 and continued to fall. Now 94% of demonstrations are held online, often with locations and identities hidden. The Taliban also appear to have tightened their enforcement of certain restrictions over the past year. Afghan Witness verified footage of women being arrested “en masse” in Kabul in January 2024, allegedly for failing to comply with hijab rules. Some young women who said that they were arrested for “bad hijab’’ also say they were subject to violence and sexual assault while in detention. © 2024 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.

By Reuters August 25, 2024 Rapper Macklemore performs during the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games, in Duesseldorf, Germany, September 9, 2023. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights DUBAI, Aug 25 (Reuters) - American rapper Macklemore said he has cancelled his October show in Dubai in protest over the United Arab Emirates' support for Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a warring party in the country's civil war . "The current situation in Sudan is urgent, horrific and it's going largely unnoticed globally. I'm following the lead of Sudanese organizers and activists who are trying to be heard,” he wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday explaining his decision to cancel the Oct 4 concert. "Until the UAE stops arming and funding the RSF I will not perform there." As the UAE’s glitzy political and tourism hub, Dubai frequently hosts international artists and sporting events. Macklemore's decision to cancel an engagement because of the country's politics is extremely rare. Neither the UAE's foreign ministry nor its global media office immediately responded to Reuters' request for a response to Macklemore's decision to cancel. Sudan's army has publicly criticised the UAE over its alleged support for the RSF, its rival in the war. The UAE denies the allegations, though U.N. experts have said they are credible. The allegations surfaced in a fiery back and forth at the U.N. security council in June. The war in Sudan began in April 2023 when competition between the army and the RSF, who had previously shared power after staging a coup, flared into open warfare. Efforts in pursuit of a ceasefire, including talks ongoing in Switzerland, have not eased the fighting, and half of Sudan's 50 million population lack food. Macklemore, a Grammy-winning artist, said in his post that the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza prompted him to reconsider how he earns money and his ability to use his artistic platform for activism. "If I take the money, while knowing it doesn't sit right with my spirit, how am I any different than the politicians I've been actively protesting against?" he wrote, urging other artists scheduled to play in Dubai to reconsider. Macklemore in May released Hind's Hall, a high-profile protest anthem in solidarity with pro-Palestinian activists occupying university campuses in response to the war in Gaza. Reporting by Andrew Mills Editing by Bernadette Baum © 2024 Reuters. All rights reserved