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Japan must respect rights of detained Greenpeace activists

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:47:49 +0100

Amnesty International has expressed its deep concern to the prime minister of Japan about the detention of two Greenpeace activists, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, who have been charged with theft and trespass.

Amnesty International said: “These two must be allowed to challenge their detention before an independent and impartial court in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness.

“It is imperative that their rights to freedom from arbitrary deprivation of their liberty are fully respected, in accordance with international human rights treaties to which Japan is a state party.

“We also ask that an independent, impartial and thorough investigation is begun into their arrests and that the findings of the investigation be made public.”

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki were arrested on 20 June; they were initially detained by Japanese prosecutors for 13 days on suspicion of trespass and theft. Their detention without charge or trial was extended by ten days. On 11 July, as the maximum period for their continued pre-charge detention was due to expire, they were charged with theft and trespass.

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki are cooperating fully with the police and prosecution. They have provided written depositions to the public prosecutor, and voluntarily and proactively submitted relevant evidence. They acted with a view to raising public awareness around the Japanese government-sponsored Southern Ocean whaling programme, rather than for illegitimate personal gain, while working for a well-respected international organization.

“We are also concerned that their detention, the charges against them, and the police raids on Greenpeace’s office and the homes of five of its staff are aimed at intimidating both activists and non-governmental organizations.

“We ask the Japanese prime minister to make a clear statement assuring human rights defenders, including environmental activists such as Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki and organizations such as Greenpeace, that their right to engage in peaceful activities without intimidation or harassment will be respected by the state, including the justice system."

Japan: Environmental activists must be treated in accordance with international law

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:13:10 +0100

Amnesty International said: “These two must be allowed to challenge their detention before an independent and impartial court in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness.

“It is imperative that their rights to freedom from arbitrary deprivation of their liberty are fully respected, in accordance with international human rights treaties to which Japan is a state party.

“We also ask that an independent, impartial and thorough investigation is begun into their arrests and that the findings of the investigation be made public.”

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki were arrested on 20 June; they were initially detained by Japanese prosecutors for 13 days on suspicion of trespass and theft. Their detention without charge or trial was extended by ten days. On 11 July, as the maximum period for their continued pre-charge detention was due to expire, they were charged with theft and trespass.

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki are cooperating fully with the police and prosecution. They have provided written depositions to the public prosecutor, and voluntarily and proactively submitted relevant evidence. They acted with a view to raising public awareness around the Japanese government-sponsored Southern Ocean whaling programme, rather than for illegitimate personal gain, while working for a well-respected international organization.

“We are also concerned that their detention, the charges against them, and the police raids on Greenpeace’s office and the homes of five of its staff are aimed at intimidating both activists and non-governmental organizations.

“We ask the Japanese prime minister to make a clear statement assuring human rights defenders, including environmental activists such as Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki and organizations such as Greenpeace, that their right to engage in peaceful activities without intimidation or harassment will be respected by the state, including the justice system.”

'Comfort Women': waiting for justice after 62 years

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:59:18 +0100

"The Japanese Government thinks that if all comfort women die, it will be buried and forgotten. But it won’t. As long as our next generation knows about it, it will not be forgotten." Gil Won-Ok (below, right), former "Comfort Woman" from South Korea.

Thousands of women known as "comfort women" were forced into servitude by the Government of Japan for the armed forces in the 1930s before and after the Second World War. In what became known as a system of "military sexual slavery", women were abducted, beaten, raped and coerced into providing sexual services for the Japanese military.

The full extent of the sexual slavery system has never been fully disclosed by the Government of Japan, though it is thought that as many as 200,000 women were enslaved. The Government of Japan continues to refuse to officially acknowledge its responsibility for these crimes.

The "comfort women" system of forced military prostitution allowed for a range of abuses, such as sexual violence including gang rape and forced abortions, in what has been described as "one of the largest cases of human trafficking in the 20th century."

Many of these women continue to suffer the consequences of these abuses and are courageously speaking out about their experiences and campaigning for justice. Pressure is mounting on Japan as a range of governments across the world have passed resolutions calling for justice for "comfort women".

Resolutions have been passed in the USA, Netherlands, Canada and the European Parliament for the Government of Japan to:

accept full responsibility for the abuses of "comfort women"
officially apologize for the crimes committed against the women
provide adequate and effective compensation

The Government of the Philippines is currently considering passing a resolution that has particular significance because of the number of Filipino women who were enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Army.

Join the former "Comfort Women" in their battle for justice. Show your support for the Philippines to be the next country to pass a resolution calling for Justice for the Comfort Women.

Japan: executions must stop, says Amnesty International

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:39:07 +0100

Amnesty International deeply regrets the hanging of four men -- Akinaga Kaoru, 61, Nakamoto Masayoshi, 64, Nakamura Masahuru, 61 and Sakamoto Masahito, 41 -- in Japan today, Thursday 10 April.

These executions bring to seven the number of executions announced in Japan in 2008.

"We are extremely concerned about the increased number of executions. We call on the Japanese government to adopt an immediate moratorium on executions in accordance with last year's UN resolution," said Amnesty International.

The executions have taken place despite the UN General Assembly's adoption in December 2007 of resolution calling upon all member states to uphold a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty. The resolution (62/149) was passed by a large majority: 104 votes to 54.

Executions in Japan are typically held in secret. Until December 2007 the Ministry of Justice did not disclose the names of those executed or details of their offence. Prisoners are still only informed hours before their executions and these are carried out without prior notice to their families.

Under the Minister of Justice Hatoyama Kunio, there have been ten executions in less than six months. He announced publicly in September 2007 that he was considering scrapping the rule under the Criminal Procedure Code requiring the signature of the Minister of Justice for executions. This will allow for death row inmates to be automatically executed within six months of the end of their appeals process.

In 2006 only 25 countries carried out executions. Among G8 members Japan is now the only country with a fully operational death penalty system: the US Supreme Court has suspended all executions until it rules on the use of lethal injections.

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Public Document

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org

International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK www.amnesty.org

Japan: Amnesty International condemns new round of “streamlined” executions

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:12:24 +0000

Amnesty International strongly condemns the hanging in Japan today of three men: Keishi NAGO (aged 37), Masahiko MATSUBARA (aged 63), and Takashi MOCHIDA (aged 65).
“The Japanese government has shown its disregard for both the universal protection of human rights and the clear international trend to move away from using the death penalty,” said Tim Parritt, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific Programme. On 18 December 2007 the United Nations General Assembly adopted, by 104 votes in favour, a resolution calling for a moratorium on executions.
Very few countries currently carry out executions. Data gathered by Amnesty International suggests that, in line with the UN moratorium, fewer countries executed in 2007 than in 2006. Among major industrialized countries, Japan is conspicuously the only country with a fully operational death penalty system. In the US, the Supreme Court has blocked all planned executions in the country pending its rules on whether executions can be carried out by lethal injection.
“The Japanese government must end executions and adopt an immediate moratorium on executions in accordance with the UN resolution,” added Tim Parritt.

Background:
These are the second set of executions during the term of office of current Minister of Justice Kunio HATOYAMA, who has sought to streamline capital punishment after final appeals. In September 2007 he announced a plan to scrap the rule under the Criminal Procedure Code which requires the signature of the Minister of Justice for executions.
“We have considered a variety of factors so that we can carry out executions in a methodical manner, rather than thinking about the intervals and the timing,” Minister Hatoyama told reporters.
Japan executed nine people in 2007, and over 100 are currently on death row. At least 23 cases carrying the death sentence were confirmed by the courts last year – the highest number since 1962. Executions in Japan are typically held in secret and carried out without prior notice to the prisoners or their family; prisoners are informed just hours before their executions.

Video: Worldwide actions to close Guantánamo

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:28:43 +0000

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Thousands of people, including Amnesty International members and supporters from around the world, have taken action to mark the sixth anniversary of the first transfers of detainees to Guantánamo. Amnesty International staged protests in 30 countries on Friday, 11 January.

The world shouts 'Close Guantánamo'

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 12:55:25 +0000

Click on the pictures to the right to watch a slideshow with images of the day.

More than simply a call for closure, Amnesty International once again presented the US government with the organization’s framework for ending illegal detentions, whether at Guantánamo or elsewhere. This time, the framework was supported by over 1,200 parliamentarians from around the world.

In some countries, including Belgium and Ireland, some of the parliamentarians accompanied Amnesty International activists at their events and demonstrations.

The infamous orange jumpsuit – closely associated with the inhumanity and illegality of Guantánamo – became once more the icon of this anniversary. There was also street theatre, poetry readings, the recreation of Guantánamo cells in city centres, speeches, rallies and cyber activism.

US military chief wants to close Guantánamo

On Sunday, two days after the anniversary, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Navy Admiral Michael Mullen became the latest US official to say that Guantánamo should be shut down.

“More that anything else, I just think it has been the image – how Gitmo has become around the world, in terms of representing the United States. I believe from the standpoint of how it reflects on us that it’s been pretty damaging.”

What you can still do

Go to tearitdown.org and add your support to Amnesty International’s framework to end illegal US detentions.

Post a tearitdown banner in your website or blog.

Breakthrough in battle for justice for ‘comfort women’

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:47:38 +0000

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on survivors of Japan’s military sexual slavery system (the so-called ‘comfort women’ system), which urges the Government of Japan to acknowledge, apologize and compensate the victims.

Thousands of women, known as ‘comfort women’, were officially commissioned by the Government of Japan from the 1930s through the duration of the Second World War for sexual servitude for the armed forces. The full extent of the sexual slavery system has never been fully disclosed by the Government of Japan though it is thought that as many as 200,000 women were enslaved. To this day, the Government of Japan has refused to acknowledge its responsibility for the crimes committed against former ‘comfort women’.

The ‘comfort women’ system of forced military prostitution allowed for a range of abuses, such as sexual violence including gang rape and forced abortions, in one of the largest cases of human trafficking in the 20th century. Many of the women are now in their 80s and hoping that justice can still be achieved in their lifetime and have been courageously speaking out and sharing their experiences.

Gil Won Ok, 79, was born in what is now North Korea. When she was 13 she was promised factory work, but eventually found herself in a comfort station in northeast China where she worked as a ‘comfort woman’. Gil caught syphilis and developed tumors during her work as a ‘comfort woman’ and eventually, a Japanese military doctor removed her uterus leaving her unable to bear children.

Gil, who broke her silence in 1998, 53 years after her traumatic experience, recently gave testimony at the European Parliament. Gil said of the need to continue campaigning , “the Japanese Government thinks if all ‘comfort women’ die, it will be buried and forgotten…as long as our next generation knows about it, it will not be forgotten”.

The European Parliament is one of a string of Parliaments taking a stand against past atrocities calling for the Government of Japan to provide justice to the survivors of Japan’s military sexual slavery system. Other countries are considering tabling similar resolutions.

The Government of Japan must act immediately to provide redress to those who suffered under the ‘comfort women’ system. Many survivors have subsequently suffered from mental and physical abuse, ill-health, isolation, shame and often extreme poverty. The Government of Japan must act now to
•   Acknowledge full responsibility for the ‘comfort women’ system and publicly apologize to the survivors
•   Provide adequate and effective compensation to survivors and their immediate families
•   Publicly denounce sexual violence against women whenever and wherever it occurs

Japan: Amnesty International condemns executions

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:03:08 +0000

Amnesty International strongly condemns and regrets the hanging of three men (FUKAWA Hiroki, FUJIMA Seiha, and IKEMOTO Noboru), in Japan today (7 December). These executions have taken place despite the UN General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions on 15 November.

This action runs counter to the universal protection of human rights and comes at a time when there is a clear international trend away from the use of the death penalty. On 15 November, the Third Committee of 62nd session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution on global moratorium on executions with 99 countries voting in favour of the resolution. The resolution will now come before the plenary of the UNGA for final adoption in mid-December.

Executions in Japan are typically held in secret. Prisoners are only informed hours before their executions and carried out without prior notice to the prisoners or their family.

These executions are the first under the present Minister of Justice HATOYAMA Kunio, who announced publicly in September that he was considering scrapping the rule under the Criminal Procedure Code requiring the signature of the Minister of Justice for executions. As of 7 December 2007, there are at least 107 prisoners on death row; 23 cases carrying the death sentence were confirmed by the courts in 2007, which marks the highest number since 1962.

Very few countries currently carry out executions: in 2006, only 25 countries carried out executions. Among major industrialized countries, Japan now is conspicuously the only country which has a fully operational death penalty system: the US Supreme Court has blocked all planned executions in the country until it makes a ruling on conducting executions by lethal injections.

Amnesty International calls on Japanese government to cease executions and adopt an immediate moratorium on executions in accordance with the UN resolution.

Stop the death penalty: Worldwide abolition now

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:40:40 +0000

Three men who escaped the death penalty joined forces in New York to campaign for a global abolition of this irreversible punishment.

Each was sentenced to death for a crime they did not commit - and each shares a brutal experience of living on death row. Together, they lived under the shadow of execution for a combined 54 years.

In Uganda, Mpagi Edward Edmary spent 20 years in prison, 18 of those on death row. He flew 18 hours to continue his fight for abolition at the UN headquarters in New York.

Mr Menda, now 81, travelled from Japan. A fervent campaigner, he is one of only four people in Japan who have ever been found innocent on retrial and therefore released from death row.

Ray Krone, from Pennsylvania, was the 100th prisoner on death row in the US to be released after being found innocent since the death sentence was first reintroduced in 1973.

At a panel session at the UN headquarters, hosted by Amnesty International on October 16, the three men gave their compelling personal accounts. Each one reminded the audience, including UN delegates and journalists, how men and women – who are not guilty of the alleged crime – can be sentenced to death as a result of unfair trials, erroneous decisions and human error.

Mpagi Edward Edmary was accused of murdering a man who was later found to be alive and well. Because a doctor had received a bribe to falsely testify that he had carried out a post-mortem on a body, Mr Mpagi and his brother – who was also implicated (and also innocent) – were sentenced to death.

"Life is terrible on death row in Uganda," recounted Mr Edmary in the UN chamber. "No one was ever given any notice that they would be executed. Each time, we were taken by complete surprise. We lived in complete fear of any unusual activity from the wardens."

Through his family's persistence and determination to clear his name, Mr Edmary was finally granted his freedom by a nine-person presidential committee in 2000, after years of facing each day with the fear that he could be executed.

Sakae Menda was charged with murdering two people. He gave an extraordinary account of how through his own persistence to obtain a retrial he was eventually released. After six retrials and 34 years and 6 months in prison, Mr Menda was acquitted of charges and released in July 1983.

"During my interrogation, investigators were divided into three teams, taking turns to interrogate me," said Mr Menda. "Through coercion, extortion, leading questions and brutal force, they were determined to elicit a confession."

"On March 23, 1950, [the judge] rendered the court's decision sentencing me to death, with a trace of a smile. During my imprisonment, I thought hard about the death penalty," continued Mr Menda. "During this time I saw off many death row inmates to their end. I saw off 56 inmates... and this is only those I remember."

Ray Krone vividly recounted how he was an innocent man on whom a waitress in a bar in Arizona had a crush. The waitress was murdered and he became the prime suspect of the murder case, being found guilty and then ultimately being sentenced to death – all for a crime which he did not commit. Eventually after two trials and then DNA testing that confirmed his innocence, Ray Krone was released from jail.

"What happened to me can happen to anyone," said Ray. "It's not enough to know that you're innocent as I did. Before I knew it I was being sentenced to death for a crime which I did not do."

The three men spoke with calmness, authority and tenacity, appealing to the delegates at the well-attended event to support the call for a UN resolution.

Edward Edmary reaffirmed his opinion about the death penalty after the event: "The death penalty is not a punishment. A punishment is intended to reform. By killing someone you are denying them the chance to reform."

It is time for UN member states to end this form of punishment by taking the first step to call for a global moratorium on executions in November 2007.