Amnesty International Condemns Expansion of Cruelty in Middle East
Amnesty International in its annual report on the Middle East condemns the phenomenon of impunity for criminals. The organization also criticized Iran for the violent suppression of public demonstrations protesting poor economic and social conditions in the country.
Amnesty International in its annual report on the Middle East region, released on Tuesday, February 26, has criticized above all the increasing cases of immunity granted to perpetrators and criminals from punishment.
The human rights organization warned that “global indifference is fueling the flames of cruelty in the Middle East.”
Amnesty International wrote in its report: “The suppression of civil society activists and political opponents in Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia has increased sharply.”
Amnesty International states: “Throughout the region, government authorities use arbitrary detentions, excessive violence against protesters, and administrative measures to restrict civil society.”
The human rights organization says that “global indifference to human rights violations” in 2018 has fueled the fire of “cruelty and the phenomenon of impunity” in the region.
In Amnesty International’s report, reference is made to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi journalist, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, stating that “this case was not followed up with any specific action to ensure justice for those responsible for the killing.”
Amnesty International welcomes the “rare measures” taken by countries such as Denmark and Germany who halted weapons exports to Saudi Arabia, while noting that “Saudi Arabia’s important allies, including the United States, Britain, and France, have not taken such measures.”
The human rights organization also condemns Saudi Arabia’s military aggression against Yemen and says the Saudi-led military coalition “is responsible for war crimes” and bears major responsibility for creating a “humanitarian catastrophe” in this war-torn country.
Amnesty International also condemns the suppression of protesters in Gaza and the West Bank, which reportedly resulted in the killing of “at least 195 Palestinians, 41 of whom were children.”
Amnesty International also criticized Iran, including for suppressing public demonstrations protesting poor economic and social conditions in the country. In this regard, Amnesty International’s report states: “Security forces violently beat and dispersed protesters who were unarmed. They did so using ammunition, tear gas, and water cannons, causing casualties and injuries among the people.”
Amnesty International speaks of “war crimes” that have devastated Syria, Libya, and Yemen along with deadly conflicts and humanitarian catastrophes. In this human rights organization’s report, we read that in these three countries “military forces targeted the homes of civilians, hospitals, and medical facilities in air strikes and sometimes even used cluster munitions, which are prohibited worldwide.”
Amnesty International also pointed to several cases of human rights progress in the Middle East, which it called a “glimmer of hope.”
For example, in Maghreb countries (Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco), laws against violence against women were implemented, and in Saudi Arabia, the ban on women driving was lifted.
Source: DW
