Latest news with #intimidation
Bloomberg
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Burundi Holds Legislative Vote, Excludes Main Opposition Leader
Burundi is holding elections for the National Assembly and local councils that have excluded the main opposition in one of the world's poorest nations. Agathon Rwasa, whose faction was blocked from participating, has claimed the vote won't be fair because the electoral commission is not independent. He's also alleged that voters and opposition politicians have been the victims of intimidation by the youth league of the ruling party, which has been in power for two decades.
The Guardian
a day ago
- General
- The Guardian
BBC staff in London say their families are being ‘terrorised and punished' by Iranian regime
BBC staff in London say their families are being 'targeted and punished' by the Iranian regime as it intensifies a campaign of intimidation against journalists and media outlets. There have been more than 20 'threat-to-life' incidents against people in the UK by Iran in recent years, according to the Metropolitan police counter-terrorism commander. The officer, speaking to the parliamentary committee on transnational repression last month, said three men had been charged under the National Security Act over Tehran's threats towards Iran International, a UK-based television station. In March last year, an Iranian journalist was stabbed outside his London home and forced to move abroad, saying he no longer felt safe in the UK. The BBC says there has been a 'sharp and deeply troubling escalation' this year in the targeting of its journalists' families in Iran, orchestrated by Tehran. Transnational repression is the state-led targeting of refugees, dissidents and ordinary citizens living in exile. It involves the use of electronic surveillance, physical assault, intimidation and threats against family members to silence criticism. The Guardian's Rights and freedom series is publishing a series of articles to highlight the dangers faced by citizens in countries including the UK. Staff with BBC Persian, the Farsi-language broadcasting subsidiary of the World Service, say they have been left paranoid and in tears about the fate of their parents and other family members in Iran, who have been dragged into long interrogations by Iranian officials and threatened with losing their jobs, being sent to prison and having family assets seized. Behrang Tajdin, a BBC Persian journalist, said: 'They are trying to make our families' lives miserable. It's not just harassment any more, it is punishment – and only for being related to someone.' BBC staff have previously spoken out about the rape and death threats they have received, with one journalist saying she was warned: 'It doesn't matter that you don't live in Iran – we can also do whatever we want in London.' But the 'relentless' targeting of family members, including parents, cousins, siblings and even in-laws – telling them they will be punished for being related to a BBC journalist – is a new escalation, say staff. Tajdin said: 'It's psychological warfare. The scale and number of families targeted has gone up exponentially. They [the Iranian regime] have decided that everything they have done before [to force us to stop working for BBC Persian] has not worked so they are upping the pressure now. 'When we go to work, we have to try to forget that we have a family. We would not be able to continue working if they were in our minds because of the consequences for them,' he added. Tajdin said it was the reach of the BBC Persian service, which has an audience of almost 22 million people a week, that made BBC journalists and their families a prime target. Tim Davie, the BBC director general, said the persecution of family members was 'clearly designed to exploit family ties as a means of coercion – pressuring our journalists to abandon their work or return to Iran under false pretences'. He said the BBC was preparing to lodge a new complaint with the UN Human Rights Council.
ABC News
a day ago
- General
- ABC News
Superyacht worker Ethan Davis blames 'perfect storm' for kidnapping ex-girlfriend
A former superyacht worker who admitted to kidnapping and intimidating his ex-girlfriend blamed a "perfect storm" of circumstances which led to his "reprehensible" behaviour, his lawyer told a Sydney court. Ethan Davis pleaded guilty to six charges on Wednesday, including kidnapping, using a carriage service to harass, intimidation, threatening to distribute an intimate image, using an offensive weapon and possessing MDMA. Prosecutors unsuccessfully attempted to have the 24 year old taken into custody ahead of his sentencing, arguing the offending was serious enough for it to be "realistically inevitable" he would be handed a jail term. District Court Judge Stephen Hanley continued Davis's bail with strict conditions. As he left court, Davis was shielded with umbrellas by supporters, some of whom clashed with photographers and camera operators. According to the agreed facts, Davis was "unhappy with the relationship breakdown" and repeatedly told the woman he didn't want it to end. In 2023, Davis had asked to spend one last night with the woman and when she declined, he began to bombard her with messages and calls. "The offender made over 200 calls to the victim through normal phone calls, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, TikTok and FaceTime," the court documents said. "The offender bombarded the victim with messages, demanding that she answer his calls and threatened the victim that there would be consequences if she did not answer her phone." Davis also transferred $0.01 to her bank account with a message to "answer your phone". At one point he messaged her: "You do not understand this is not going to stop… If I have to break into your house to get you I will." One night in September 2023, the woman was walking to her car alone when Davis was crouched next to it, dressed in all black. He told her: "Come here. You're going to get in the car." According to the agreed facts, the woman broke away from his grip but he grabbed her again and placed his hand over her mouth, eventually bundling her into the car. Davis told the woman: "Co-operate, it doesn't have to be this bad." The court documents say when the woman asked why he was wearing gloves, he replied: "I don't want to leave fingerprints." The woman was crying and shaking during a 35-40 minute period while being driven to another suburb. Davis made her unlock her phone and delete all messages and screenshots from the multiple platforms they had communicated on. He then took her back to her car and followed her as she drove home. During a detention application on Wednesday, the Crown said the kidnapping charge involved a "lengthy" period and the use of a knife. Davis could not accept the relationship had come to an end, the Crown told the court, and his actions were a "serious escalation". His barrister David Carroll said his client was a young man with no criminal record. Mr Carroll conceded the offences were serious, but said the suggestion full-time custody was inevitable was not backed up by case law or statistics on sentences for similar crimes. The court heard Davis has sought psychological counselling and taken part in a behavioural change program for men. He was in an "eastern suburbs lifestyle" at the time and was given drugs as a young person, Mr Carroll said. "There was a perfect storm of situations which led him to behave reprehensibly," he said. The case returns to court in late August.
ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Activist Ted Hui targeted in intimidation campaign SA Law Society says is 'deeply concerning'
Four years after fleeing Hong Kong, outspoken pro-democracy advocate Ted Hui says he continues to be the target of an intimidation campaign involving an anonymous "wanted" letter and fake pamphlets. The South Australian Law Society has come out in support of Mr Hui, a former Hong Kong parliamentarian who is now an Adelaide-based lawyer, and said it was "deeply concerned" about the content of those documents. The anonymous letter sent to Mr Hui's colleagues purports to be from Hong Kong authorities and offered a reward of $HK1 million, about $200,000 Australian dollars, for information leading to the arrest of Mr Hui or the whereabouts of his family. Mr Hui posted the letter on his public social media accounts, and said it contained fictitious claims that he and his family had fled Hong Kong with the proceeds of crime. The fake pamphlet was sent to Adelaide mosques, misrepresenting Mr Hui with false claims that he was a pro-Israel lawyer who wanted to "wage war" against "Islamic terrorism". Mr Hui told the ABC the provocative pamphlet was "trying to stir conflict" and said the continued intimidation and harassment directed at him was "frustrating". "I've been here in Australia over four years now, but it's never been peaceful in the past four years," he said. "The Chinese regime's long arm has never stopped trying to harass me internationally. The 42-year-old father fled Hong Kong while on bail for protest-related criminal charges. He arrived first in Europe in December 2020 and, in March 2021, Mr Hui became the first Hong Kong politician to be granted a special travel exemption to enter Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, he was convicted in his absence of the protest-related charges and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail. He began working for an Adelaide law firm in 2023. Earlier this year, the federal government lodged diplomatic protests with China after Mr Hui and another pro-democracy advocate, Kevin Yam, was also targeted by the apparent intimidation campaign. In 2023, Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants for both men and placed a "bounty" on their heads in the amount of $HK 1 million, or about $200,000 Australian dollars. Mr Hui said he was viewed as a "fugitive on the run" and living in exile by Chinese authorities. "I have an arrest warrant over my head and a bounty of about $200,000 Australian, that's $HK1 million over my head," he said. "There are public appeals everywhere … with my picture showing up, saying that 'this man is on the run, please capture this man and bring him to the Hong Kong police'." Mr Hui said he spent his first year in Australia constantly looking over his shoulder, but said he now felt safer. But he said he could not rule out the threat of being kidnapped and handed over to Chinese authorities. "I will just be kidnapped and my family wouldn't know where I am." Mr Hui said the continued harassment made him more determined. "Over the past four years they couldn't make me shut up internationally, so they have to find some other way to make me shut up. "It's not going to work." He said he would use his freedom in Australia to "speak for my people back in Hong Kong". In a statement, SA Law Society president Marissa Mackie said the society was "deeply concerned" about the claims made in the material about Mr Hui. "No member of the legal profession, or anyone for that matter, deserves to be intimidated, harassed, surveilled, or impersonated by any other person," she said. "The Law Society denounces these intimidation tactics used against Mr Hui." Ms Mackie said the society "strongly supports a person's right to express their political beliefs without fear of persecution". The comments were echoed by chair of the Law Society's Human Rights Committee, Raffaele Piccolo, who said it was important for the society to speak out because Mr Hui "shouldn't be subjected to that type of harassment". "It's very concerning for the Law Society when one of our members, or for that matter, any person that's a member of our community appears to be targeted when they peacefully express a political opinion," he said. "That's one of the rights that we hold dear to our hearts in Australia, is that people can express their political opinions without interruption, in a peaceful manner." A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Australian government had raised concerns about this matter directly with Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. "Attempts to target individuals in Australia are reprehensible and threaten our national sovereignty, as well as the safety and security of Australians," the spokesperson said. The Chinese Embassy in Canberra has been contacted for comment. In a previous statement to the ABC, the Hong Kong government said it would not issue anonymous letters. "For those who have fled overseas and are suspected of having committed offences under the Hong Kong National Security Law, the law enforcement agencies of the HKSAR [Hong Kong] Government will definitely pursue them in accordance with the law and take every measure, including cutting off their funding sources, so as to prevent and suppress them from continuing to engage in acts and activities endangering national security," the statement said.
The National
2 days ago
- General
- The National
Iranian journalists in UK facing increasing threats
Iranian journalists in the UK say they have experienced an 'increasingly alarming escalation' in threats in recent months, with the BBC accusing Iran of intimidating staff and their relatives. Journalists working on BBC News Persian were experiencing a 'disturbing rise in the persecution of their family members' in Iran, the BBC's Director General Tim Davie said in statement. 'We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately cease this campaign of intimidation,' he said. Independent news organisation Iran International told The National that pressure on their staff has also increased since their anchor Pouria Zeraati was stabbed in London in March 2024. 'It's been a very noticeable upsurge over the last year, it is getting worst. We can't put figures on it,' said Adam Baillie, a spokesperson for the broadcaster. The channel is working very closely with the Metropolitan Police and its counter-terrorism unit, and the threats are 'only increasing', he said. 'Several individuals are being targeted very directly. It's ongoing, intense business that is continually developing.' Mr Baillie believes the rise is linked to the recent US and Israeli military pressure on Iran and its proxies, which is weakening the regime. 'We associate it with the very dire situation in Iran. [The Iranian government] have their backs against the wall,' he said. A court hearing for three Iranian nationals accused of targeting journalists working for Iran International will take place on Friday. The men were arrested under the National Security Act in early May. It is not the first time that the BBC has accused the Iranian regime of targeting its Persian-language journalists over the past decade. But there had been a 'significant and increasingly alarming escalation' recently, Monday's statement said. Constant threat Targeted journalists' relatives in Iran have endured random interrogations, travel bans, passport confiscations and threats that assets will be seized, the BBC said. Staff in the UK and elsewhere are unable to return to Iran, and have received threats and targeted violence aimed at pressuring them to stop their work. 'In addition to enduring personal security threats from Iranian state actors operating beyond Iran's borders, BBC News Persian journalists are now witnessing a disturbing rise in the persecution of their family members inside Iran,' said Mr Davie. 'These acts are clearly designed to exploit family ties as a means of coercion – pressuring our journalists to abandon their work or return to Iran under false pretences.' 'This persecution is a direct assault on press freedom and human rights. It must end now.' The broadcaster said it was preparing a fresh complaint to the UN. Mr Baillie said there was a 'constant threat' to its journalists, in person and online. Family members of staff in the UK have been threatened verbally on the street. Journalists want to continue their work but are struggling with security concerns for themselves and their families. 'These are very committed people. You can see the effect it has on them,' he said. Met Police Commander Dominic Murphy of the Counter Terrorism Command said its investigations into the threats to Iran International had shown the impact on the Iranian community in the UK. 'We use our local policing contacts to reach into that community to provide both reassurance and a two-way communication so that we understand how concerned they are,' he said at a hearing last month with the Human Rights Joint Committee. Complaints to UN Tehran is yet to respond to the latest allegations from the BBC. The Iranian regime has previously denied threatening Iranian journalists abroad, accusing the broadcaster of spreading false information to encourage its overthrow. The Persian-language service has a weekly global audience of almost 22 million people, including around 13 million in Iran, where the service is banned. The BBC lodged complaints to the UN Human Rights Council in 2018 and in 2022. The UN Secretary General and special rapporteurs have previously raised concerns about Iran's treatment of BBC staff and warned that harassment, surveillance and death threats violated international human rights law. Eight months ago, MI5 chief Ken McCallum said the agency had responded to 20 Iran-backed plots in the UK. He warned that Iranian state actors 'make extensive use of criminals as proxies', from international drug smugglers to petty crooks. Two Romanian nationals were charged in December over the stabbing of Mr Zaatari.
