Latest news
21 January 2013
A new United Nations (UN) report states that Afghan authorities are still torturing prisoners who had been transferred by foreign governments. Even though the international military force was making a serious effort to delay transfers if there was risk of torture, about 30 percent of 79 detainees who had been transferred to Afghan custody by foreign governments ended up being tortured, the report said. That is higher than in 2011, when the UN found that 24 percent of transferred detainees were tortured.
Source: The New York Times | UN: Prisoners Still Tortured in Afghan Custody
18 January 2013
The International Rivers Network published a report examining the legality of the controversial Xayaburi Hydropower Project undertaken by Laos on the Lower Mekong River. While Cambodia and Vietnam have voiced concerns about the project’s transboundary impacts, Thailand has financed the project and agreed to purchase its electricity.
Source: International Rivers | Xayaburi Dam: How Laos Violated the 1995 Mekong Agreement | Report by Kirk Herbertson | January 2013
Source: International Rivers | Xayaburi Dam: How Laos Violated the 1995 Mekong Agreement | Blog post by Kirk Herbertson | 13 January 2013
Source: VOA | Laos Dam Project Tests Credibility of Mekong River Commission
17 January 2013
The French corporation Amesys is being investigated for complicity in acts of torture by supplying communications surveillance equipment to the Gaddafi regime. The complaint filed by human rights associations in October 2011 had been considered inadmissible by the Prosecutor, but on 15 January 2013 the Court of Appeal of Paris allowed the investigation to proceed.
The role of Amesys and other companies in providing surveillance materials to the Libyan regime has been revealed by the Wall Street Journal in August 2011.
Source: FIDH | Amesys Case: The Investigation Chamber green lights the investigative proceedings on the sale of surveillance equipment by Amesys to the Khadafi regime
Source: Le Figaro | Libye: feu vert à l'enquête sur Amesys
17 January 2013
The New York Times reports that African Union (AU) troops mistakenly opened fire on a religious school while pursuing militants, killing five children and two adults. The troops are part of the African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM). The Acting Force Commander states that it was investigated whether rules pertaining to AMISOM’s responsibility to minimize civilian casualties during its operations had been breached.
Source: The New York Times | Somali Official: AU Troops Killed 7 Civilians
15 January 2013
Following a call for help by the Malian government after offensives by Islamists groups in northern Mali, France started engaging in air-strikes on 11 January 2013.
The operations are carried out in support of the Malian army, while the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (authorized by UNSC Resolution 2085) has been slow moving.
Other States have announced they were ready to provide some logistical support (e.g. assistance in the transport of troops and materials). At the same time, ECOWAS announced it will also deploying a number of troops in the area.
The French President stated that the intervention was agreed upon with the interim President of Mali and hence was in compliance with international law.
Source: BBC | French troops continue operation against Mali Islamists
Source: The New York Times | France Battling Islamists in Mali
Source: The Wall Street Journal | French Join Africa Battle With Islamist Rebels
Source: France24 | France seeks allies in Mali operation