On Iran, Inner City Press Asks Ahmed Shaheed About His Sanctions Quotes, Murky World of Spin

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 27 -- What are the effects and place of sanctions and "de-SWIFT-ing" on countries, as relates to human rights? Inner City Press on October 27 asked the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, for this view, both in his formal reports and as reported.

  Specifically, Inner City Press asked if the removal of Iran from SWIFT made the purchase of medicine more difficult, and about a comment attributed to him the day before by Reuters, in an article that did not disclose where or in what context Shaheed said he favor travel bans and other "smart" sanctions.

  Shaheed said he does not favor general sanctions; to another question he appeared to step back from supporting sanctions on individuals. Inner City Press asked him directly where and with whom (at least, which countries' delegations) he had met the day before.

  The Reuters quotes (and a related CBS "humble-brag" in the UN's October 27 noon briefing, which may not have given rise to any actual reporting) he said were from a "breakfast with media" sponsored by Human Rights Watch. HRW unlike other NGOs does not disclose or open such session, nor would it tell Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access, when they asked, what HRW had raised to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

 Shaheed said he met met with the Missions of the US, (South) Korea, UK and Canada. Seeming to note the lack of balance, he added, "Iran." Oh.

  Still, Shaheed is one of the more transparent Rapporteurs; Inner City Press briefly asked him about Maldives afterward. Watch this site.


On October 26 when Idriss Jazairy, Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights held a UN press conference, Inner City Press asked him about sanctions on Sudan and Eritrea, his proposal for a registry, and about the use of SWIFT to in essence impose sanctions. Tweeted photo here.

  Idriss Jazairy declined to comment on Eritrea, saying Security Council sanctions are being his jurisdiction. He was critical of unilateral measures on Sudan, which he said he will visit in November. He likened his registry proposal to that in place for conventional arms.

  On SWIFT, he said he its use makes it impossible, for example, for cancer patients in Iran to get medicine. Earlier on October 26, the past president of UNCA, now the UN Censorship Alliance, bragged about UN Rapporteur Ahdmed Shaheed's "preview" of his presentation on Iran, which Reuters later channeled without saying where Shaheed spoke. Inner City Press for the Free UN Coalition for Access asked the OHCHR spokesperson, who said he didn't know. We'll have more on this.
 

On October 20 when the UN Special Rapporteur on torture Juan E. Méndez held a press conference, Inner City Press asked him for his view of the only partial release of the US Senate's report on CIA torture, about Guantanamo Bay and whether he thought President Barack Obama's visit to a prison might make his long-pending request to visit US prisons move faster. Video here.

   Mendez said there should be more release(s), and accountability. He said he had had to request the US' conditional offers to visit Guantanamo Bay and US prisons, as he would not be allowed to speak with all prisoners. He praise Obama's visit, but still - Mendez can't get in.

On October 16 when the Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Benyam Dawit Mezmur held a press conference at the UN, Inner City Press asked him about US President Barack Obama's decision to continue to provide military aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan, despite all four being on the UN's (and US') lists on children and armed conflict. Video here.  

    Benyam Dawit Mezmur said that while the US is the lone holdout on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the issue can still be gotten-at under the Optional Protocol. Inner City Press asked about the sexual abuse of children in the Central African Republic by French and UN peacekeepers.

   Benyam Dawit Mezmur replied that the Committee is asking France about the alleged sexual abuse of children, and will conduct a review in January. We aim to have more on this.

  At the press conference, there were only two correspondents, as there was an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Palestine at the same time. Inner City Press on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access thanked Benyam Dawit Mezmur for the briefing but suggested that in the future postponement of briefings, so that more journalists could attend, be considered. UNCA wasn't present at all; nor has it disclosed the extend of funding and connection by indicted David Ng and Frank Lorenzo and their affiliates.

 Also on the UN, when the UN find a staff member using the UN's email system to trafficking in sexual images of minors, a crime, what does it do? On October 16, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about this paragraph from a UN report it had dug up:

“49. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, pornographic material, including pornographic material involving a minor, and failed to report that another staff member had sent the staff member inappropriate material though the Organization’s e-mail system. Disposition: dismissal.”

  Inner City Press asked, was that all that happened, dismissal? Such that the person could, for example, work in a day care center? Haq said in instances the UN waives immunity.

  Inner City Press asked, how would law enforcement know that the person had used the UN's email system for child porn? Haq said there have been cases in which the UN told local authorities. Inner City Press asked, did it do so in this case? Apparently, the UN will not answer this. For now. Here are other paragraphs:

46. A staff member stored pornographic material, including pornography involving a minor, on the staff member’s United Nations computer, distributed other pornographic material through the Organization’s e-mail system and failed to report that another staff member had sent the staff member inappropriate material through the Organization’s e-mail system. Disposition: dismissal.

47. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, and stored on the staff member’s United Nations computer, pornographic material involving a minor and, on other occasions, distributed, through the Organization’s e -mail system, other pornographic material. Disposition: dismissal.

 48. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, pornographic material involving a minor and, on three other occasions, distributed other pornographic material through the Organization’s e-mail system and stored pornographic material on the staff member’s United Nations computer. Disposition: dismissal.

 The report is entitled "Practice of the Secretary-General in disciplinary matters and cases of criminal behaviour, 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015."

We'll have more on this. Watch this site.
   

Inner City Press Asks UN Rapporteur Idriss Jazairy of Unilateral Coersive Measures on Sudan & Eritrea, Use of SWIFT, Iran Sleight-of-Hand

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 26 --  When Idriss Jazairy, Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights held a UN press conference on October 26, Inner City Press asked him about sanctions on Sudan and Eritrea, his proposal for a registry, and about the use of SWIFT to in essence impose sanctions. Tweeted photo here.

  Idriss Jazairy declined to comment on Eritrea, saying Security Council sanctions are being his jurisdiction. He was critical of unilateral measures on Sudan, which he said he will visit in November. He likened his registry proposal to that in place for conventional arms.

  On SWIFT, he said he its use makes it impossible, for example, for cancer patients in Iran to get medicine. Earlier on October 26, the past president of UNCA, now the UN Censorship Alliance, bragged about UN Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed's "preview" of his presentation on Iran, which Reuters later channeled without saying where Shaheed spoke. Inner City Press for the Free UN Coalition for Access asked the OHCHR spokesperson, who said he didn't know. We'll have more on this.
 

On October 20 when the UN Special Rapporteur on torture Juan E. Méndez held a press conference, Inner City Press asked him for his view of the only partial release of the US Senate's report on CIA torture, about Guantanamo Bay and whether he thought President Barack Obama's visit to a prison might make his long-pending request to visit US prisons move faster. Video here.

   Mendez said there should be more release(s), and accountability. He said he had had to request the US' conditional offers to visit Guantanamo Bay and US prisons, as he would not be allowed to speak with all prisoners. He praise Obama's visit, but still - Mendez can't get in.

On October 16 when the Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Benyam Dawit Mezmur held a press conference at the UN, Inner City Press asked him about US President Barack Obama's decision to continue to provide military aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan, despite all four being on the UN's (and US') lists on children and armed conflict. Video here.  

    Benyam Dawit Mezmur said that while the US is the lone holdout on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the issue can still be gotten-at under the Optional Protocol. Inner City Press asked about the sexual abuse of children in the Central African Republic by French and UN peacekeepers.

   Benyam Dawit Mezmur replied that the Committee is asking France about the alleged sexual abuse of children, and will conduct a review in January. We aim to have more on this.

  At the press conference, there were only two correspondents, as there was an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Palestine at the same time. Inner City Press on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access thanked Benyam Dawit Mezmur for the briefing but suggested that in the future postponement of briefings, so that more journalists could attend, be considered. UNCA wasn't present at all; nor has it disclosed the extend of funding and connection by indicted David Ng and Frank Lorenzo and their affiliates.

 Also on the UN, when the UN find a staff member using the UN's email system to trafficking in sexual images of minors, a crime, what does it do? On October 16, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq about this paragraph from a UN report it had dug up:

“49. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, pornographic material, including pornographic material involving a minor, and failed to report that another staff member had sent the staff member inappropriate material though the Organization’s e-mail system. Disposition: dismissal.”

  Inner City Press asked, was that all that happened, dismissal? Such that the person could, for example, work in a day care center? Haq said in instances the UN waives immunity.

  Inner City Press asked, how would law enforcement know that the person had used the UN's email system for child porn? Haq said there have been cases in which the UN told local authorities. Inner City Press asked, did it do so in this case? Apparently, the UN will not answer this. For now. Here are other paragraphs:

46. A staff member stored pornographic material, including pornography involving a minor, on the staff member’s United Nations computer, distributed other pornographic material through the Organization’s e-mail system and failed to report that another staff member had sent the staff member inappropriate material through the Organization’s e-mail system. Disposition: dismissal.

47. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, and stored on the staff member’s United Nations computer, pornographic material involving a minor and, on other occasions, distributed, through the Organization’s e -mail system, other pornographic material. Disposition: dismissal.

 48. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, pornographic material involving a minor and, on three other occasions, distributed other pornographic material through the Organization’s e-mail system and stored pornographic material on the staff member’s United Nations computer. Disposition: dismissal.

 The report is entitled "Practice of the Secretary-General in disciplinary matters and cases of criminal behaviour, 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015."

We'll have more on this. Watch this site.
   

On DPRK, UN Rapporteur Darusman Links Nukes & Rights, Chides Military Spending

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 28, updated with video -- When the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Marzuki Darusman spoke at the UN on October 28, he said "given the intrinsic links between peace and security and human rights in the Korean peninsula, in my view this Assembly should also submit the report of the Commission of Inquiry to the Security Council for its deliberations and appropriate action."

  Inner City Press asked Darusman if, unlike his UN counterpart on Iran Ahmed Shaheed, he favored linking human rights to the nuclear issues, and if he considered the impact of sanctions on residents of North Korea.

  Darusman's answer was that the goal of taking it to the Security Council would be to seek a referral to the International Criminal Court, and also to put human rights into the Security Council.

  But human rights as an issue are already in the Security Council, as simply the most recent example in the October 27 discussion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  Darusman went on to say that the issues are linked because North Korea's spending on arms meant that people went hungry. Some would say, though to different degrees, this applies to some other countries, too.

  Rough transcript: "The two objectives of referring the report to the SC is to have the council consider referral to accountability mechanisms, but also to finally secure a place for discussions on human rights within the security council. In the case of DPRK, the imagery we have is a country chronically unable to secure food for its population, but at the same time able to build up its military capability at the expense of denying the fundamental right to food. It’s a direct link between human rights denial and the security risks that come out of a military build up at the expense of a population unable to feed itself."

  After saying this, Darusman asked Inner City Press, does this answer your question? It didn't, particularly on the impact of sanctions -- but aware that other journalists wanted to ask questions, Inner City Press in the manner of the new Free UN Coalition for Access let other ask.

  By contrast, the head of the old UN Correspondents Association had the first question set-aside, asked an obvious question -- does North Korea want the ICC language out of the draft? -- then insisted on similarly following up. FUNCA opposes this.


Update: FUNCA is also for transparency, and more rather than less. Scribes clustered around Darusman asking about possible changes to the draft of the co-sponsors, Japan and the European Union. Darusman referred to changes that would have the same consequences, but might be more acceptable. Video here.

   The mood of most of Darusman's press conference was that he and the journalists were part of a team, with Darusman recounting for scribes to re-type what reclusive North Koreans said. Darusman didn't even know who he'd met with, or only four of the two attendees, Deputy Ri and Counselor Kim.

 He said he conveyed their comments to the General Assembly resolution's co-sponsors, contrary to Shaheed, who said he has no involvement in the draft resolution on Iran.

When Shaheed held his press conference at the UN on October 27, Inner City Press asked him for an update on what he had said about the effect of sanctions and banning of Iran from the SWIFT payments system which Inner City Press asked him about one year and three days earlier, 2013 here from Minute 12:29.

  On October 24, 2013, Shaheed had acknowledged that the banning of Iran from the SWIFT payments system had had an impact. On October 27, 2014, Shaheed said he believes Iran is still banned from SWIFT, but he had no update. Instead he said that humanitarian exemptions to sanctions are having successes. 2014 video here.

 But banning from SWIFT or "de-SWIFT-ing" is not a targeted sanction at all, and he did not mention any exemptions to it.

   Overall, Inner City Press asked Shaheed what impact he thought "the nuclear issue" and the P5 + 1 talks have on human rights in Iran.  Shaheed said he doesn't like linkage, but added that when there's focus on the nuclear issue, it takes away from the focus on human rights. 

  Last year Inner City Press obtained and exclusively published an internal OHCHR plan to take over the "rule of law" functions of the rest of the UN system, and the staffing of the Special Representatives on Children and Armed Conflict, Sexual Violence and Conflict, R2P and the Prevention of Genocide.What has happened on that? Are rapporteurs, like sanctions monitors, still not given any training or orientation by the UN?

Footnote: on October 27, the UN Correspondents Association which so often demands the first question be set-aside for it didn't even send anyone to Shaheed's press conference. One attendee said, it's defUNCA-ed, as in defunct, or de-UNCA-ed, like de-SWIFT-ed. The new Free UN Coalition for Access, present, did not try to brand the press conference, because there was no need. Watch this site.

 Follow @innercitypress Follow @FUNCA_info

On Iran, ICP Asks Human Rights Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed of Sanctions & SWIFT, P5+1 Nuclear Talks Impact

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 27 -- When the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in Iran Ahmed Shaheed held a press conference at the UN on October 27, Inner City Press asked him for an update on what he had said about the effect of sanctions and banning of Iran from the SWIFT payments system which Inner City Press asked him about one year and three days earlier, 2013 here from Minute 12:29.

  On October 24, 2013, Shaheed had acknowledged that the banning of Iran from the SWIFT payments system had had an impact. On October 27, 2014, Shaheed said he believes Iran is still banned from SWIFT, but he had no update. Instead he said that humanitarian exemptions to sanctions are having successes. 2014 video here.

 But banning from SWIFT or "de-SWIFT-ing" is not a targeted sanction at all, and he did not mention any exemptions to it.

   Overall, Inner City Press asked Shaheed what impact he thought "the nuclear issue" and the P5 + 1 talks have on human rights in Iran.  Shaheed said he doesn't like linkage, but added that when there's focus on the nuclear issue, it takes away from the focus on human rights. 

  Last year Inner City Press obtained and exclusively published an internal OHCHR plan to take over the "rule of law" functions of the rest of the UN system, and the staffing of the Special Representatives on Children and Armed Conflict, Sexual Violence and Conflict, R2P and the Prevention of Genocide.What has happened on that? Are rapporteurs, like sanctions monitors, still not given any training or orientation by the UN?

Footnote: on October 27, the UN Correspondents Association which so often demands the first question be set-aside for it didn't even send anyone to Shaheed's press conference. One attendee said, it's defUNCA-ed, as in defunct, or de-UNCA-ed, like de-SWIFT-ed. The new Free UN Coalition for Access, present, did not try to brand the press conference, because there was no need. Watch this site.

   

Sanctions' Swift Impacts in Iran Reviewed by UN's Ahmed Shaheed, In Eritrea Entirely Ignored by Shelia Keetharuth: No Consistency

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 24 -- This is the tale of two special rapporteurs on human rights of the UN system, on two countries under sanctions: Iran and Eritrea.

  Iran rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed of the Maldives devotes what he Thursday called the longest section of his report to the impact of sanctions. Inner City Press asked him about financial restrictions making it difficult to import medicine, even to transfer funds to charities working after earthquakes.

  Shaheed acknowledged that the banning of Iran from the SWIFT payments system has had an impact. Other sources tell Inner City Press there are law firms preparing reseach on just this issue.

  On the other hand the UN's rapporteur on Eritrea, Shelia Keetharuth of Mauritius, has produced a 21-page report which mentions the word "sanctions" only once, there calling it a "targeted" sanctions regime.

  Inner City Press asked Keetharuth why the impact of sanctions was not included in her report, and what she thought the impacts were. Video here, from Minute 11:07.

  She replied that she has only the mandate since November 1, 2012 -- that is, in seven days, for an entire year. No time?

  The question arises: does the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights not give rapporteurs any training?

  Recently Inner City Press obtained and exclusively published an internal OHCHR plan to take over the "rule of law" functions of the rest of the UN system, and the staffing of the Special Representatives on Children and Armed Conflict, Sexual Violence and Conflict, R2P and the Prevention of Genocide.

Not does OHCHR not tell its rapporteurs what is expected to be covered in a report? Watch this site.

   

Shaheed Says UN Too Soft in Malvides, "Backsliding for Radical Islamic Groups"

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

 

UNITED NATIONS, October 24 -- When Ahmed Shaheed came to the UN on Wednesday it was, at least initially, to speak about his mandate of Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran.

  Inner City Press asked him questions on that -- on the effect of sanctions and Iran's position atop the Non-Aligned Movement -- and then asked Shaheed what the UN should be doing in his native Maldives, where he previously served as foreign minister.

   Shaheed said it would not be appropriate to answer the question during his Iran press conference -- all of the other questions seemed to come from Iranian journalists -- but said he'd be happy to answer afterward.

   Once the press conference ended, Inner City Press asked him, as it asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman, what the UN would or should do about for example the recent arrest of the Maldives' former president.

  Shaheed gave the following answer to Inner City Press: "Well, I think the UN should draw certain red lines to what a country can or cannot do. We are party to the ICCPR [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights] and other conventions we seem to be backsliding on a number of these things, at the behest of emerging radical Islamic groups."

   He continued, "The UN should play a far more active role. The UN is very discredited as being too soft on whoever is in power. They need to stand up for the principles the UN believes in."

 

This is rare at the UN, a country's former foreign minister saying the UN should be more active in his country, which he says is "backsliding... at the behest of emerging radical Islamic groups."

   In fact, other sources say that some such groups may be seeking to undermine Mr. Shaheed's mandate. But that's another story. Watch this site.