Apr 11, 2011


Bahrain unrest: Torture fears as activists die in jail

A relative of Ali Issa Saqer cries during his funeral in Manama, 10 AprilRelatives of Ali Issa Saqer mourn during his funeral in Manama

Bahrain Protests

Two Bahraini Shia activists who were detained after weeks of anti-government protests, have died in police custody.
The interior ministry said Ali Issa Saqer, 31, had died when guards tried to restrain him for "causing chaos".
Another detainee, Zakaraya Rashed Hassan, 40, had died of sickle cell disease, the ministry added. It was the second such death in a week.
Several Shia activists have complained of being tortured while in custody. The government denies the allegations.
(Warning: Towards the end of the story, there is a photograph of Mr Saqer's body which viewers may find disturbing).
Bahrain imposed emergency rule last month after weeks of anti-government protests in the tiny Gulf kingdom, where the Sunni monarchy is accused of discrimination against the Shia majority.
The authorities used force to put down the protests, which started on 14 February and have left more than 25 people dead.
Rights groups say the government has since detained more than 400 people - including human rights activists, doctors, bloggers and opposition supporters.
Latest deaths
The interior ministry said Mr Saqer was injured while resisting guards' attempts to restrain him. He later died in a hospital.
Newspapers with headlines reporting Bahrain has suspended opposition newspaper Al-Wasat in a coffee shop in Manama, 3 April
Photos taken prior to his burial showed purple lash marks all over his back. His legs were also badly bruised, and his toes and feet were covered in purple bruises.
Mr Saqer was detained on 13 March for the attempted murder of a policeman, the ministry said. The government denies any torture but says all such accusations will be investigated.
It said the other detainee, Mr Hassan, had been "found dead" in his cell. A post-mortem said he died of complications from sickle-cell anaemia.
Mr Hassan was detained on 2 April on charges of "inciting hatred, publishing false news, promoting sectarianism and calling for the overthrow of the regime" on social networking sites, the interior ministry said.
Activists say both men were abused physically and mentally, and may have died as a result.
"We believed they killed them in prison," Nabeel Rajab of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
Campaign of fear
On Monday, the authorities accused Mr Rajab of publishing fabricated images on the internet and summoned him for questioning.
An observer from Human Rights Watch takes notes as the body of Ali Issa Saqer is washed for burial, 10 AprilA researcher from Human Rights Watch examines Mr Saqer's injuries
Meanwhile, the former chief editor of Bahrain's main opposition newspaper - al-Wasat - said he too had been summoned by a prosecutor investigating the paper's allegedly unethical coverage of the uprising.
The latest moves come two days after a leading opposition figure and rights activist, Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, was beaten up and arrested in the capital, Manama.
The unrest started on 14 February, when Shia protesters - emboldened by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt - took to the streets urging democratic reform. Some called for the overthrow of the monarchy.
Weeks of protests prompted the Sunni-led government to impose martial law and invite in troops from Sunni-ruled neighbours such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Since then the Bahrain government - a key US ally in the region - has launched a crackdown against opposition activists, journalists and doctors.
It accuses Iran of fomenting the unrest - which Tehran denies.

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French troops enter centre of Abidjan

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French ground troops have entered the centre of the main Ivory Coast city of Abidjan.
On Sunday, UN and French helicopter gunships began a new operation to destroy heavy weapons near leader Laurent Gbagbo's residence in Abidjan.
French helicopter strikes have partially destroyed the residence of Mr Gbagbo, one of his aides said.
The strikes came after a hotel serving as the base of UN-recognised president Alassane Ouattara came under fire.
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Woman in face veil detained as France enforces ban

Kenza Drider wears her niqab on a French train, despite it being banned under a new lawKenza Drider said she was carrying out her citizen's rights

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A woman has been detained in France for wearing an Islamic veil across her face, after a law banning the garment in public came into force.
Police said she was held not because of her veil but for taking part in an unauthorised protest against the ban.
France is the first country in Europe to ban publicly a form of dress some Muslims regard as a religious duty.
Anyone caught breaking the law will be liable to a fine of 150 euros (£133, $217) and a citizenship course.
People forcing women to wear the veil face a much larger fine and a prison sentence of up to two years.
Under the law, any woman - French or foreign - walking on the street or in a park in France and wearing a face-concealing veil such as the niqab or burka can be stopped by police and given a fine.
It is a small fine, but symbolically this is a huge change, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris.
Guidelines issued to police say they should not ask women to remove their veils in the street, but should escort them to a police station where they would be asked to uncover their faces for identification.
The French government says the face-covering veil undermines the basic standards required for living in a shared society and also relegates its wearers to an inferior status incompatible with French notions of equality.
The new law has angered some Muslims and libertarians.

Gavin Hewitt's Europe

“Start Quote

The law is likely to be largely symbolic... It will be difficult to prove that a woman is being forced to wear a niqab because of her husband or family”
image of Gavin HewittGavin HewittBBC Europe editor
A French Muslim property dealer, Rachid Nekkaz, said he was creating a fund to pay women's fines.
"The street is the universal home of freedom," he said in a statement.
"I am calling on all free women who so wish to wear the veil in the street and engage in civil disobedience."
In the southern city of Avignon a woman boarded a train wearing a niqab - as she had long declared she would - unchallenged by police.
"It's not an act of provocation," said the woman, Kenza Drider.
"I'm only carrying out my citizens' rights, I'm not committing a crime... If they ask me for identity papers I'll show them, no problem."
But opposition protests by Islamists and libertarians are unlikely to make much of an impression, our correspondent says.
What is more open to question, he says, is whether an out-and-out legal ban is necessary when, on most estimates, only 2,000-or-so women in France actually wear the niqab or burka.
Critics of French President Nicolas Sarkozy say it suits him to play up the Muslim question because he is an unpopular president in need of an easy vote-winner.

Muslim headscarves


The word hijab comes from the Arabic for veil and is used to describe the headscarves worn by Muslim women. These scarves come in myriad styles and colours. The type most commonly worn in the West is a square scarf that covers the head and neck but leaves the face clear.
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Are you in France? What is your reaction to the ban? Does a face-covering veil undermine the basic the standards required for living in a shared society, as the French government claims? You can send us your views and experiences using the form below.
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Libya: African Union offers truce plan to rebels

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A rebel spokesman said any deal designed to keep Colonel Gaddafi or his sons in place would not be acceptable

Libya Crisis

Members of an African Union delegation are offering a peace proposal to end Libya's eight-week-old conflict to rebel leaders in the city of Benghazi.
The AU says the government has already accepted the plan. The delegation met leader Col Muammar Gaddafi on Sunday.
Rebels promised to study the plan, but ruled out a truce unless Col Gaddafi stepped down and his forces withdrew.
Pro-Gaddafi forces have recently pushed back rebels - but Nato has thwarted their advance.
Nato says its planes destroyed 25 government tanks in Ajdabiya on Sunday alone.
Meanwhile in Misrata, the only city in western Libya controlled by the rebels, their spokesman told Reuters news agency that five people had been killed and more than 20 injured in a bombardment by pro-Gaddafi forces.
The AU deal's main points are:
  • An immediate ceasefire
  • The unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid
  • Protection of foreign nationals
  • A dialogue between the government and rebels on a political settlement
  • The suspension of Nato airstrikes

Analysis

Will RossBBC News, Nairobi, Kenya
The African Union does not have a good reputation when it comes to solving crises. On Libya it is sounding determined and maintains it is in the unique position of being able to speak to both Col Gaddafi and the forces in Benghazi.
But any intervention which does not involve the removal from power of Muammar Gaddafi will be seen by some as the AU saving the Libyan leader. It has often been accused of standing up for the incumbents and is criticised as being a club which serves the interests of the continent's presidents more than the people.
The situation is muddied by money. Col Gaddafi has bankrolled the AU for years and he has bought friends in Africa.
Having complained that the West was ignoring Africa's view on Libya and pushing for regime change, the AU has a chance to take the lead. Now the tough part - convincing the Libyan rebels to hold fire and talk.
In all, the AU mission comprised representatives from five nations: presidents Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Amadou Toumani Toure of Mali and Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville, and Uganda's Foreign Minister Henry Oryem Okello.
Mr Zuma, who led the delegation on its visit to Tripoli, is now returning to South Africa.
The five-strong panel was approved by the European Union.
Opposition uneasy
The AU delegation arrived in Benghazi to a rough reception, with demonstrators shouting "Gaddafi out" and mobbing their vehicles, reports the BBC's Jon Leyne in the city.
More protesters have gathered at the hotel where they are due to stay.
Our correspondent says the opposition will be very uneasy that they are in danger of being outmanoeuvred by this delegation, which they will see as being very sympathetic to Col Gaddafi.
Earlier rebel spokesman Mustafa Gheriani told Reuters the proposal would be considered, but "the Libyan people have made it very clear that Gaddafi must step down".
Another spokesman, Shamsiddin Abdulmolah, told AFP news agency: "The people must be allowed to go into the streets to express their opinion and the soldiers must return to their barracks."
"The world has seen these offers of ceasefires before and within 15 minutes [Col Gaddafi] starts shooting again," he added.
The British-based representative of the Libyan opposition leadership, Guma al-Gamaty, has told the BBC that any deal designed to keep Col Gaddafi or his sons in place would not be acceptable.
Meanwhile "taking note" of the AU initiative, Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said the alliance had "always made it clear that there could be no purely military solution to this crisis".
"We welcome all contributions to the broad international effort aimed at stopping the violence against the civilian population in Libya."
Before his departure , Mr Zuma said Col Gaddafi had give his approval to the plan.
"The brother leader delegation has accepted the roadmap as presented by us," he declared.
"We have to give the ceasefire a chance."
'Desperate situation'
An AU official said the idea of Col Gaddafi stepping down had been discussed, but gave no further details.
"There was some discussion on this but I cannot report on this. It has to remain confidential," said AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Ramtane Lamamra.
"It's up to the Libyan people to choose their leaders democratically."
Nato air strikes have been continuing: the alliance says its planes destroyed 25 government tanks on Sunday alone.
Eleven were reportedly destroyed as they approached Ajdabiya and 14 were destroyed earlier near Misrata, the only city in western Libya still in rebel hands.
Accusing government forces of "brutally shelling" civilian areas, Nato said it was responding to a desperate situation in the two towns, under its UN mandate to protect civilians.
It was one of the biggest series of air strikes since the coalition's initial onslaught, our correspondent says.
Ajdabiya is important to the opposition as it controls a strategic crossroads and is the last town before the main rebel city of Benghazi.
Map
Are you in Libya, or do you have relatives there? What is your reaction to the AU peace plan? You can send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
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Japan: Powerful earthquake hits north-east

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The BBC's Roland Buerk in Otsuchi: "We felt the earthquake, a rocking side-to-side"

Japan quake

A powerful earthquake has hit north-east Japan, exactly one month after the devastating earthquake and tsunami.
The 7.1-magnitude tremor triggered a brief tsunami warning, and forced workers to evacuate the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
The epicentre of the quake was in Fukushima prefecture, and struck at a depth of just 10km (six miles).
It came as Japan said it was extending the evacuation zone around the nuclear plant because of radiation concerns.
The cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were damaged in last month's disaster. Workers have been struggling to prevent several reactors from overheating, and avert a large-scale release of radiation.
The plant's operator, Tepco, said power used to pump water to cool three damaged reactors had been cut briefly but early indications suggested the plant had not sustained any further damage.
The zone around it will be widened to encompass five communities beyond the existing 20-km (12-mile) radius, following new data about accumulated radiation levels, officials said.
Top government spokesman Yukio Edano said the new evacuations would take place over the coming month, from areas including Iitate village, which lies 40km from the power station, and part of the city of Kawamata.
"There is no need to evacuate immediately," he told a news conference, but added that there were concerns about long-term health risks.
'Standing together'
The latest tremor struck shortly after the country stopped to observe a minute's silence to remember the nearly 28,000 dead or missing in the 11 March disaster.
Click to play
Silence in Minamisanriku to mark one month since the devastating earthquake and tsunami
Survivors in shelters marked the moment the quake and tsunami hit at 1446 (0546 GMT) with bowed heads.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan thanked people around the world for their support.
In an open letter carried in seven newspapers around the world, he said that the support had brought hope and inspired courage at a desperate time.
"Through our own efforts and with the help of the global community, Japan will recover and come back even stronger. We will then repay you for your generous aid," he wrote.
"With this in our hearts, we now stand together dedicated to rebuilding the nation."
The official death toll from the disaster is 13,127, while 14,348 remain unaccounted for. More than 150,000 people have been made homeless.
The prime minister has also tried to reassure survivors that the fishing industry - which many in the area rely on for their livelihoods - would resume as soon as possible.
The tsunami wrecked boats and piers, closing down large-scale fishing operations.
But the damage to the nuclear plant has also hit the fishing industry, as public and international buyers ditch Japanese food products over fears of contamination.
Workers have been feeding water into three reactors at the plant to cool fuel rods.
They are continuing to inject nitrogen into the No 1 reactor to prevent another blast caused by a build-up of hydrogen gas.
They have also been releasing water with low levels of radioactivity into the sea so that they can transfer highly radioactive water to a sealed area on site.
Officials have warned it will be several months before the situation at the nuclear facility is brought fully under control.
Are you in Japan? Have you been affected by the aftershock? Are you in the evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant? You can send us your experiences using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
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