Latest news with #impunity
Al Jazeera
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israel is under the assumption 'it can act with impunity'
Jeremy Corbyn, an Independent MP in the UK, says the Israeli military's decision to shoot in the direction of diplomats in Jenin is an act of impunity.
Asharq Al-Awsat
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Civilian Protection, Justice and Accountability Must Be a National Priority for Libya
Recent events in Libya have once again laid bare security and other actors' persistent failure to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law and underlines the urgent need to break cycles of violence and impunity. The blatant disregard for fundamental human rights is not only a moral and legal outrage – it is a primary driver of Libya's enduring cycles of instability and conflict. On January 12, shocking videos emerged from Gernada detention facility, exposing the torture and ill-treatment detainees endured. Dozens of Libyan and some foreign detainees were seen forced into stress positions, beaten with sticks, and violently kicked by guards. On May 5, more harrowing images surfaced of Ibrahim Al-Dersi, a member of the House of Representatives, who has been missing for a year, was shown held in chains and bearing visible signs of torture. These are not isolated incidents; they are documented by UNSMIL and other independent monitors and reflect a deeply entrenched pattern of abuse where armed groups operate without fear of accountability. As people still reeled from the Al-Dersi videos, days later, on May 12, the killing of a militia leader in Tripoli triggered retaliatory violence, indicative of the volatile grip of armed groups. Sadly, civilians have borne the brunt of these clashes and several persons have been killed or injured. There was extensive damage to property, including protected infrastructure such as hospitals. Schools and universities were closed with air travel suspended. Following the clashes, thousands of Libyans took to the streets of Tripoli, demanding political change and the withdrawal of armed groups from the capital. Some protesters were met with excessive force and violence. A protester and a police officer were confirmed killed, with reports of more injuries and violence. These events underscore the urgent need to guarantee the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and assembly, as well as the need to protect civic space. Across Libya, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and deaths in custody persist. Security actors aligned with governing authorities across the country continue to target journalists, human rights defenders, political opponents, judicial officials, and other citizens. Video evidence from facilities previously controlled by the Stability Support Apparatus, including unofficial detention sites, such as the Abu Salim Zoo, reveals patterns of torture and inhumane conditions. These are not isolated incidents; they are methods of systematic repression used to silence dissent and instill fear. The zoo, a site that once held animals, became a place of unimaginable human suffering featuring minuscule dark cells. Even more chilling is that credible reports point to a mass grave in the vicinity. It is imperative that the entire area be treated as a crime scene and secured to ensure evidence preservation for future accountability processes. Al-Dersi's case and several others, is emblematic of a deeper national crisis—one in which the rule of law is subverted, justice is denied, and the rights and dignity of detainees is blatantly disregarded. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, remain illegally incarcerated across the country, numerous others have simply disappeared. Behind every disappearance is a grieving family desperately searching for answers and very often afraid to come forward to tell their story for fear of retaliation. Many cases remain unresolved from political activist Abdel Moez Banoun, missing since 2014, to parliamentarian Seham Sergiwa, abducted in 2019. The fate of the disappeared continues to torment families. These violations may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Libya's acceptance of the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction for alleged crimes in its territory from 2011 to the end of 2027 is a step in the right direction, but it must be coupled with concrete action. This includes full cooperation on outstanding arrest warrants and the surrender of individuals wanted by the Court. Fourteen years since the February 17 revolution, Libya remains mired in a legacy of unchecked violence. Ongoing human rights violations, which have become normalized, continue to fuel resentment, deepen fractures and undermine national reconciliation. Continued impunity erodes public trust, weakens institutions, and obstructs Libya's democratic transition, including the possibility of free and fair elections. Entrenching the rule of law requires strong and independent judicial institutions along with structural reform to establish a professional and accountable security apparatus that serves the people and upholds human rights for all. UNSMIL intends to launch a political process shortly to consult Libyans on a roadmap that would lead to, amongst other things, the formation of one government that has the mandate of the people and upholds fundamental human rights and freedoms, including economic and social rights. The recently brokered truce that brought an end to last week's conflict between armed groups in Tripoli offers a critical opportunity for a reset. It must be an unconditional and permanent ceasefire which centralizes civilian protection and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law. The truce committee convened by the Presidency Council and under UNSMIL auspices affords the opportunity to bring the recurring cycles of conflict in Tripoli to an end. UNSMIL will mobilize its resources to support that outcome. The protection of civilians is not a political choice, it is a legal obligation, a national imperative and a barometer for Libya's path towards peace, stability, and prosperity. *Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Gunmen kill 7 people, including children, in central Mexico; cartel messages left at crime scene
Why Trump is pushing military help for Mexico to help fight cartels Officials said gunmen opened fire and killed seven people, including some minors, in Mexico's most deadly state, where violence between warring drug cartels has triggered condemnation by the Catholic Church. The attack in the central state of Guanajuato occurred at around 2:00 am Monday in a plaza in the city of San Felipe where local police found seven bodies, all male, and a damaged van after reports of gunfire, the local government said in a statement. The officers also found two banners with messages alluding to the Santa Rosa de Lima gang, which operates in the area, the statement said. Messages are often left on victims' bodies by cartels seeking to threaten their rivals or punish behavior they claim violates their rules. Guanajuato is a thriving industrial hub and home to several popular tourist destinations, but it is also Mexico's deadliest state, according to official homicide statistics. The violent crime is linked to conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation cartel, one of the most powerful in the Latin American nation. Mexican leaders of the Catholic Church condemned the shooting on Monday, calling it "an alarming sign of the weakening of the social fabric, impunity and the absence of peace in vast regions" of the country, which is majority Catholic. "We cannot remain indifferent in the face of the spiral of violence that is wounding so many communities," the Episcopal Conference of Mexico, an organization of Mexican bishops, added in a statement. The shooting was "one more among so many that are repeated with painful frequency", it said. In December, the Church in Mexico called on warring cartels to declare a truce. Guanajuato recorded the most homicides of any state in Mexico last year, with 3,151, 10.5 percent of murders nationwide, according to official figures. Since 2006, when the military launched an anti-drug operation, Mexico has tallied about 480,000 violent deaths. Recent bloodshed in Guanajuato The mass shooting marks the latest deadly attack in Guanajuato, where bystanders and police officers are often casualties amid cartel turf wars. In February, five women and three men were shot dead in the street in Guanajuato. The month before that, security forces clashed with gunmen in the state, leaving 10 suspected criminals dead and three police officers injured. In December 2024, eight people were killed and two others wounded after gunmen pulled up to a roadside stand in Guanajuato and opened fire on customers. Last October, the bodies of 12 slain police officers — all bearing signs of torture and left with messages by cartels — were found in different areas of the region. The state prosecutor's office also said the perpetrators left messages in which a cartel claimed responsibility. The bodies were found less than 24 hours after gunmen attacked a residential center for people suffering from addictions in the same municipality, killing four. In June 2024, a baby and a toddler were among six members of the same family murdered in Guanajuato. In April 2024, a mayoral candidate was shot dead in the street in the state just as she began campaigning. The U.S. State Department urges Americans to reconsider traveling to Guanajuato. "Of particular concern is the high number of murders in the southern region of the state associated with cartel-related violence," the department says in a travel advisory.
