More Iranians at imminent risk of execution: rights groups

More Iranians at imminent risk of execution: rights groups
A woman joins protestors as they gather outside of an Iranian diplomat's residence to denounce the Iranian government and the recent execution of a protester on December 10, 2022 in New York City. (AFP)
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Updated 14 December 2022

More Iranians at imminent risk of execution: rights groups

More Iranians at imminent risk of execution: rights groups

PARIS: Several Iranians were on Sunday at risk of imminent execution over protests that have rocked the country’s clerical regime, rights groups warned, after an international backlash over Iran’s first hanging linked to the movement.
The almost three-month protest movement was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested by the Islamic republic’s morality police.
It is posing the biggest challenge to the regime since the shah’s ousting in 1979.
Iran calls the protests “riots” and says they have been encouraged by its foreign foes.
Authorities are responding with a crackdown activists say aims to instill fear in the public.
Iran on Thursday executed Mohsen Shekari, 23, who had been convicted of attacking a member of the security forces. Rights groups said his legal process, which they described as a show trial, was marked by undue haste.
Iran’s judiciary has reported that 11 people received death sentences so far in connection with the protests, but campaigners say around a dozen others are facing charges that could see them also receive the death penalty.
Unless foreign governments “significantly increase” the diplomatic and economic costs to Iran, the world “is sending a green light to this carnage,” said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
Amnesty International said Iran was now “preparing to execute” Mahan Sadrat, 22, just a month after his “grossly unfair” trial. He was convicted of drawing a knife in the protests, accusations he strongly denied in court.
On Saturday Sadrat was transferred from Greater Tehran Prison to Rajai Shahr prison in the nearby city of Karaj, “sparking concerns that his execution may be carried out imminently,” Amnesty said.
“Like all other death row prisoners, he was denied any access to his lawyer during the interrogations, proceedings and show trial,” said another group, Oslo-based Iran Human Rights.
Amnesty warned the life of another young man arrested over the protests, Sahand Nourmohammadzadeh, was also at risk “after a fast-tracked proceeding which did not resemble a trial.”
He was sentenced to death in November on accusations of “tearing down highway railings and setting fire to rubbish cans and tires,” the group said.
Among others given the same sentence is rapper Saman Seyedi, 24, from Iran’s Kurdish minority. His mother pleaded for his life on social media in a video where she stated “my son is an artist not a rioter.”
Another dissident rapper, Toomaj Salehi, who expressed support for anti-regime protests, is charged with “corruption on earth” and could face a death sentence, Iranian judicial authorities confirmed last month.
“We fear for the life of Iranian artists who have been indicted on charges carrying the death penalty,” United Nations experts said in a statement, referring to the cases of Sayedi and Salehi.
Amnesty and IHR have also raised the case of Hamid Gharehasanlou, a medical doctor sentenced to death. They say he was tortured in custody and his wife was coerced into giving evidence against him which she later sought to retract.
“Protester executions can only be prevented by raising their political cost for the Islamic Republic,” IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said, calling for a “stronger than ever” international response.
The US, European Union members and UK strongly condemned the execution of Shekari. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said it showed a “boundless contempt for human life.”
Iran on Saturday and Friday again summoned the British and German ambassadors to protest their countries’ actions, marking the 15th time in less than three months Tehran has called in foreign envoys as the demonstrations continue.
Many activists want the foreign response to go further, extending even to severing diplomatic ties with Iran and expelling Tehran’s envoys from European capitals.
After the widespread international outrage at Shekari’s execution, Iran said it was exercising restraint, both in the response by security forces, and the “proportionality” of the judicial process.
Iran’s use of the death penalty is part of a crackdown that IHR says has left at least 458 people killed by the security forces.
According to the UN, at least 14,000 have been arrested.


US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks -White House

US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks -White House
Updated 12 sec ago

US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks -White House

US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks -White House
  • Syria’s foreign ministry on Sunday condemned US strikes, saying Washington had lied about what was targeted and pledging to “end the American occupation” of its territory

WASHINGTON: The United States will not back away from its nearly eight-year-old deployment to Syria, where it is battling the remnants of Islamic State, despite attacks on US forces there last week by Iran-backed militia, the White House said on Monday.
A one-way attack drone struck a US base in Syria on March 23, killing an American contractor, injuring another and wounding five US troops.
That triggered US retaliatory air strikes and exchanges of fire that a Syrian war monitoring group said killed three Syrian troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian fighters who were aligned with the government.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said he was not aware of any additional attacks over the past 36 hours but cautioned, “We’re going to stay vigilant.”
Kirby also referred to President Joe Biden’s remarks on Friday, in which Biden warned Iran that the United States would act forcefully to protect Americans.
“There’s been no change in the US footprint in Syria as a result of what happened the last few days,” Kirby said, adding the mission against Islamic State would continue.
“We’re not going to be deterred ... by these attacks from these militant groups.”
Syria’s foreign ministry on Sunday condemned US strikes, saying Washington had lied about what was targeted and pledging to “end the American occupation” of its territory.
Iran’s foreign ministry also condemned the strikes, accusing US forces of targeting “civilian sites.”
US forces first deployed into Syria during the Obama administration’s campaign against Islamic State, partnering with a Kurdish-led group called the Syrian Democratic Forces. There are about 900 US troops in Syria, most of them in the east.
Prior to the latest spate of attacks, US troops in Syria had been attacked by Iranian-backed groups about 78 times since the beginning of 2021, according to the US military.
Iran has been a major backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad during Syria’s 12-year conflict.
Iran’s proxy militias, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah and pro-Tehran Iraqi groups, hold sway in swathes of eastern, southern and northern Syria and in suburbs around the capital, Damascus.

 


Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 

Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 
Updated 59 min 35 sec ago

Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 

Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 
  • International envoys criticize militia attacks and call for de-escalation

AL-MUKALLA, Yemen: Yemen’s presidential council has promised to confront the “terrorist” Houthis and called for resistance as international envoys criticized the militia’s renewed assault.

The council, chaired by Rashad Al-Alimi, said the latest Houthi attacks, primarily in Marib and Shabwa, demonstrated that the militia had no wish to end the war. It promised to thwart their advances and said it would help people in Houthi-controlled areas to resist their domination.

“The council urged the international community to recognize the gravity of this terrorist escalation, with the continuous smuggling of additional Iranian weaponry to militias, and the disastrous consequences for world peace and security,” the council was quoted by the SABA news agency as saying.

It did not specify how it would respond but pledged to “take all steps necessary to protect public interests and deter terrorist groups.”

The eight-man presidential council has faced increasing public pressure to launch counter-strikes since the militia attacked oil installations in Hadramout and Shabwa provinces last year.

The Houthis have made minor advances in Shabwa and Marib since early last week, targeting government forces with heavy weaponry and explosive drones.

The Houthis seized some villages in Marib’s Hareb and Shabwa’s Merkhah Al-Ulya districts before government troops received reinforcements and pushed them back.

The militia also attempted to assassinate Taiz Governor Nabeil Shamsan, targeting his car with artillery and missiles on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Western ambassadors in Yemen have condemned the renewed attacks and urged the Houthis to de-escalate and comply with efforts to end the war.

Richard Oppenheim, the British ambassador, said the militia must “cease their provocative actions and show genuine commitment to peace in Yemen.”

Steven Fagin, the US ambassador, said: “We condemn the recent Houthi escalation in Taiz and Marib, which led to fatalities, and express our condolences to the victims' families. 

“The Houthis must stop exacerbating Yemenis’ suffering and support a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

Yemeni government officials say that the Houthi escalation coincided with the eighth anniversary of the Arab coalition’s military intervention to show that they had not been defeated.

“The Houthis took advantage of the anniversary of Decisive Storm and Ramadan to demonstrate their might,” a Yemeni government official, who wished to remain anonymous, told Arab News.


2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos

2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos
Updated 28 March 2023

2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos

2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos
  • New light shed on King Ramesses II and Ptolemaic era from 332 B.C. to 30 B.C.
  • These and other animals found may have been sacrificed to the gods

CAIRO: The American archaeological mission affiliated with New York University, working in the area of ​​the temple of King Ramesses II in Abydos, southern Egypt, has uncovered more than 2,000 mummified ram heads dating back to the Ptolemaic era (332 B.C. to 30 B.C.), in addition to a huge building from the Sixth Dynasty.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, an institution entrusted with the protection of Egyptian heritage, said the find was important because it reveals more details about the history of the Temple of King Ramesses II in Abydos Sohag governorate and the surrounding area.

He said the mission also uncovered a number of mummified animals next to the heads of the rams, including ewes, dogs, wild goats, cows, deer and mongooses. They were found in one of the newly discovered storage rooms inside the northern area of the temple.

Sameh Iskandar, the head of the mission, said the mummified rams are thought to have been used as votive offerings in Abydos during the Ptolemaic period.

Meanwhile, the huge uncovered building, which dates back to the era of the Sixth Dynasty, is characterized by a unique architectural design. It is distinguished by huge, thick walls, which are about five meters wide.

Iskandar said the study of this building would contribute to the research being undertaken about the activities and architecture of the Old Kingdom in Abydos.

Mohamed Abdel Badei, head of the central department of Upper Egypt Antiquities at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the mission also succeeded in uncovering parts of the northern wall of the edifice surrounding the temple and its appurtenances.

The team also uncovered fragments of statues, papyri, remains of ancient trees, clothing and leather shoes.

Abydos is one of the oldest ancient cities in Upper Egypt, and contains many important structures, including the Temple of Seti I and the Temple of Ramses II.


What’s on the iftar menu this Ramadan?

Muslims breaking their fast at a free public iftar in Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. (AP)
Muslims breaking their fast at a free public iftar in Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. (AP)
Updated 28 March 2023

What’s on the iftar menu this Ramadan?

Muslims breaking their fast at a free public iftar in Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. (AP)
  • The government has been working to help those struggling with the cost of living, with Ahlan Ramadan discounted outlets playing a big part in securing families’ needs ahead of the holy month

CAIRO: Egyptians are heading into the holy month this year with economic concerns that will prevent them from going all out with their celebrations of Ramadan, and result in overflowing dining tables not creaking quite so much as usual.

The first day of Ramadan usually means a busy kitchen as everyone lends a hand to prepare the feast. It requires bringing out the fancy china for special guests, so that when the Maghrib prayer starts everyone is gathered around an impressive dining table full of soups, juices, duck, meat, and an assortment of carbs.

This year might be different as Egyptians continue to struggle with the cost-of-living crisis. February’s inflation rate jumped to 31.9 percent, a five-and-a-half-year high, according to official data.

Food prices led the jump with a 61.8 percent annual increase, with poultry prices leading the way.

This jump in inflationary pressures, paired with the Egyptian pound’s continued depreciation against the US dollar and other currencies, has hit people’s purchasing powers.

This will result in the iftar table being emptier than usual this time around.

Menna Mahmoud, who has three children, said: “This year we will definitely cut back on inviting people over for iftar.

“Our food spending is so high and our salaries are not able to cover our usual level of living. We have had to stop buying name brands and switch to generic products.

“Meats have become so expensive and you can’t really host an iftar without a variety of meat dishes, so we decided to keep our hospitality scarce this Ramadan season. We can’t afford to host as many people as we once did.”

The government has been working to help those struggling with the cost of living, with Ahlan Ramadan discounted outlets playing a big part in securing families’ needs ahead of the holy month.

The outlets sell rice, oils, sugar, flour, poultry, fish, vegetables, and other items, at a 25-30 percent discount. The state has thousands of Ahlan Ramadan outlets to ensure all families are able to get their hands on essentials.

Bank teller Mohamed Abdo, a father of three, said: “Things are significantly more expensive these days but Ramadan isn’t about fancy dinner tables and piles of food.

“It is about bringing family and friends together, so even if we’re breaking our fast with just cheese sandwiches, we will invite people over.”

Ramadan was hit by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, while last year a global wheat shortage resulted from the Ukraine conflict. This time economic concerns are the issue, but people are still keen to celebrate.

 

 


UK charity Penny Appeal takes part in humanitarian aid event in Dubai

UK-based international Charity Penny Appeal took part in the recent Dubai International Humanitarian Aid, Development Conference
UK-based international Charity Penny Appeal took part in the recent Dubai International Humanitarian Aid, Development Conference
Updated 27 March 2023

UK charity Penny Appeal takes part in humanitarian aid event in Dubai

UK-based international Charity Penny Appeal took part in the recent Dubai International Humanitarian Aid, Development Conference
  • The aim of the event was to gather aid experts and organizers to address the needs of communities affected by crises and disasters
  • The charity said it wants to find ways it can offer more aid at a time charities face greater demands to support vulnerable people affected by ever-greater levels of poverty

DUBAI: UK-based international Charity Penny Appeal took part in the recent Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition.

The annual event gathers decision-makers from non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, charities and governmental bodies, along with aid workers, educators, and construction businesses from the private sector, to address the needs of communities affected by crises and disasters.

During the event, which ran from March 21 to 23, Penny Appeal said it highlighted its work around the world while networking with other participants.

Ridwana Wallace-Laher, the charity’s CEO, said the aim of participating was to find ways in which it can offer further aid at a time when charities are facing greater demand to support vulnerable people who are affected by ever-greater levels of poverty.

By forging partnerships with other organizations, she added, Penny Appeal aims to combine resources, exchange best practices, and coordinate efforts so that aid can be delivered more effectively.