EIFA condemns murders of Iraqi Sunni leader, son and bodyguards

The European Iraqi Freedom Association has strongly condemned the murder of Sunni tribal leader Sheikh Qassem Sweidan al-Janabi, his son, and nine bodyguards by Shia militia affiliated to the Iranian regime.

The Sheikh and his entourage were ambushed and killed by gunmen in Baghdad. Moderate Sunni Muslim Janabi was found shot in the head with his hands tied behind his back, his son was killed by a bullet to the chest and most of his bodyguards were shot in the head.

EIFA President Struan Stevenson said: "Sheikh Janabi was a prominent figure in the religiously mixed areas south of Baghdad, often described as a key player in efforts to combat sectarianism. His son Dr Mohammed Al-Janabi, 29, was recently awarded his PhD in law from the Glasgow Caledonian University.

"Lawmaker Zeid al-Janabi, a nephew of the tribal leader, was with the group when they were ambushed but was later released after severe torture and humiliation.

"These murders came a few days after the statements of Hadi Al-Ameri, commander of the terrorist Badr organization, a well know agent of Iran and close friend of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, the Commander of the terrorist Quds Force.

"Al-Ameri had threatened the Arab Sunnis with more bloodshed in the coming days."

Mr Stevenson called on the UN Security Council to stop the sectarian atrocities against the Iraqi Sunnis, adding: "These crimes by Iranian backed Shia militias seriously undermine the fight against ISIS. Unless the Iranian regime’s agents are uprooted and evicted from Iraq the war against ISIS cannot be won."

Amnesty International: Saman Naseem beaten, days from execution

Iranian political prisoner Saman Naseem scheduled to be executed on 19 February was beaten on Sunday to force him to make TV ‘confessions,’ according to Amnesty International.

The human rights organization published an Urgent Action to save life of Naseem who was arrested when he was 17 years old.

Saman Naseem was sentenced to death in April 2013 by a criminal court in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, for “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and “corruption on earth” (ifsad fil-arz) because of his membership of a Kurdish opposition group.

“Saman Naseem was allowed no access to his lawyer during early investigations and he said he was tortured, which included the removal of his finger and toe nails and being hung upside down for several hours,” Amnesty statement said.

“Saman Naseem called his family on 15 February and told them that earlier that day men in plain clothes had taken him to the security department of the Oroumieh Prison. He said the men, who he believed belonged to the Ministry of Intelligence and were carrying cameras and recording equipment, beat him for several hours to force him into making video-taped ‘confessions’, but he refused to do so.”

Iran news in brief, 16 February 2015

Jordan sentences Brotherhood leader to jail time for Facebook post

 

Published yesterday (updated) 16/02/2015 12:00

Jordan's opposition Islamists rally in support of the Syrian
anti-government protests in Amman in 2013
(AFP/Khalil Mazraawi/File)

 

AMMAN (AFP) -- A Jordanian court Sunday sentenced a senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood to 18 months in prison for criticizing a decision by the United Arab Emirates to blacklist his organization.

The state security court in Amman found Zaki Bani Rsheid, deputy head of the Brotherhood in Jordan, guilty of making statements "likely to damage relations between the kingdom and a foreign country."

Rsheid, 57, made no comment after the verdict but his lawyer Saleh al-Armuti said he planned to appeal.

The Islamic Action Front, political wing of the Brotherhood's Jordanian branch, in a statement denounced the verdict as going against "individual liberties and the freedom of expression."

It was "a clear and negative political message," the IAF said.

Rsheid was arrested in November after he criticized the UAE for blacklisting more than 80 Islamist groups including the Brotherhood.

In comments published on his Facebook page, Rsheid described the UAE as "the prime godfather of terrorism," and accused the energy-rich Gulf state of serving US and Israeli interests in the region.

Jordan is a close ally of the UAE and both nations are part of the US-led campaign against the Islamic State group that controls swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

Organizations blacklisted by the UAE include al-Qaeda, IS, Yemen's Shiite Houthi militia, and the Muslim Brotherhood -- which was formed in Egypt in 1928 and has branches across the region.

The Jordanian branch of the Brotherhood is the main opposition force in the kingdom and has wide grassroots support.

U.N. Security Council tells Iranian-backed Houthi rebels to step down in Yemen

The United Nations Security Council on Sunday unanimously adopted a resolution demanding that rebels who are sponsored by the Iranian regime to immediately relinquish control of Yemen’s government.

The resolution sponsored by 10 countries and approved by all 15 council demands that the Houthi rebels “immediately and unconditionally” withdraw forces from government institutions.

The resolution was not under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which would have allowed it to be militarily enforced.

It was the first resolution adopted by the Security Council since the Houthi rebels effectively seized control of Yemen.

Arab countries have been pressing for the use of military force against what they call the rebels’ “illegitimate seizure of power.”

Worried about the Iranian regime’s meddling in Yemen, foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Sunday urged the Security Council to intervene.

They warned that if the world fails to respond, they are prepared to act on their own to maintain regional security and stability.

The UNSC resolution "deplores actions taken by Houthis" and calls on the rebels to adopt the roadmap drawn up by the GCC for a democratic transition in the country.

The council asked all parties, especially the Houthis, to cease all violence, while urging countries to refrain from any kind of interference in the conflict.

The Houthis, who are traditionally based in northern Yemen bordering Saudi Arabia, swept into Sanaa in September and have seized other territory since.

During the past week many officials of the Iranian regime have taken credit for training and arming the Houthis in Yemen.

Yemeni rebels are 'similar to the Lebanese Hezbollah' and 'will come into action against the enemies of Islam', Ali Shirazi, a representative of the regime’s terrorist Qods Force declared.

He told the Defa Press news agency on Sunday: "The Houthi group is similar to Hezbollah, and this group will come into action against the enemies of Islam.

"The Islamic republic directly supports the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the popular forces in Syria and Iraq,” he said.

"Hezbollah was formed in Lebanon as a popular force like Basij. Similarly popular forces were also formed in Syria and Iraq, and today we are watching the formation of Ansar Allah in Yemen," he added.

Update : Ukrainian pilot on hunger strike "checked by doctor "

MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Doctors from Germany have assessed the health condition of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko as satisfactory, the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) reported Monday.

The service told TASS that German medical specialists "checked the dynamics of her health for the entire period of her detention" and examined her.

"There have been no differences in the assessment of her health on the part of foreign colleagues and FSIN doctors," FSIN said. Besides, German experts did not find grounds for an additional examination and treatment.

During a medical board meeting, "foreign specialists assessed the state of her health as satisfactory, noted the professional approach and completeness of Savchenko’s diagnostic and treatment measures in conditions of a FSIN medical unit’s hospital."

Russian and German doctors "exchanged opinions on further tactic of patient management, noting that psychologic work should be conducted with the accused aimed at termination of her hunger strike and continuation of cooperation between medical specialists of Russia and Germany."

E. Ukraine Truce on Verge of Collapse

A new cease-fire in Ukraine is teetering on the brink of collapse as Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia separatist rebels are accusing each other of violating the truce around a key town which each side claims as under its control.

The Ukrainian military said on Monday that its forces have come under fire 112 times in the past day, with 88 attacks registered on the railway town of Debaltseve, a critical transport hub in Ukraine's east Donetsk region.

Five soldiers have been killed and 25 wounded in the latest attacks, which occured despite a European-brokered truce that went into effect Saturday at midnight.

On Sunday, pro-Russian rebels battling Ukrainian forces said the terms of cease-fire did not apply to Debaltseve, where thousands of government troops are said to be encircled by separatist fighters.