Norway: Anders Behring Breivik and right-wing extremism on trial

Anders Behring Breivik, the man behind the 22 July 2011 massacre in Norway appeared in court this morning to stand trial for the cold-blooded killing of 77 people -  mostly teenagers - last summer. The man whose name is now synonymous with right-wing extremism, appeared in court this morning, stone-faced, defiant and showing no remorse for masterminding and executing what has been called "Norway's worst peacetime massacre."

The defiant 33-year-old right-wing extremist appeared in court and pleaded not guilty at 10:25am Oslo time. He acknowledged the killings but said he will not plead guilty because he was acting in "self defence."

Before entering a not guilty plea, Breivik said he does not recognize the court because it gets its mandate from political parties that support "multiculturalism" - echoing his fight against multiculturalism.

In today's trial, all the names of the victims were read out with a graphic description of how they were killed or wounded.

As I watched Breivik's first day in court this morning (see photo), I imagined the pain families of victims and survivors of his deadly rampage will have to endure throughout the trial. Listening to the names of the victims and how they lost their lives was very disturbing. Breivik showed no emotion when the prosecutor read out the names of victims of his carnage, but he appeared to shed tears when his propaganda video was aired in court.

However, there is hope that Anders Breivik will bear the full weight of the law for his "monstrously horrendous" acts - especially after results of a second mental assessment released on 10 April 2012 concluded that he was mentally competent at the time of the massacre (contrary to an initial conclusion that Breivik suffers from paranoid schizophrenia). Besides, his plea of self-defense makes no sense. Commonsense tells me that you can't attack and kill a bunch of unsuspecting unarmed kids in a summer camp in peacetime and successfully claim self-defense. Reports show that Breivik's actions were premeditated over a long period of time.

According to Breivik, the killing was in a bid to save Europe from "Islamic colonization" - a phrase widely used by right-wing extremists across Nordic and Western Europe as a justification for anti-immigration and Islamophobic sentiments.

Across Europe, many right-wing political parties share Breivik's tough stance against Islam and multiculturalism.

For example, in Finland, the Perrussuomalaiset (True Finns) espouse "traditional Finnish cultural values" as opposed to multiculturalism; in Denmark, the Danish People's Party (DPP) is anti-islamist and wants to ban immigration from non-western countries; in Sweden, the Sweden Democrats (SD) has close ties with Denmark's anti-Islamist DPP; in the Netherlands, there's the Dutch Freedom Party led by a fervent anti-Islamist. [Source]. The list goes on.

Analysts have said that Anders Breivik will use this high profile trial as a platform to promulgate his toxic anti-Islamist and anti-multiculturalism views. Regardless of what happens during the trial, I'm confident that justice will be served.

Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides that:

"In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, or to use their own language."

It follows that the ICCPR obligates States parties to allow many cultures to co-exist in society.

Norway and other countries that have ratified that ICCPR have an obligation under international law to protect religious, ethnic or cultural minorities from right-wing extremists and nationalists who seek to "assimilate" or terrorize linguistic, religious or ethnic minorities. From a legal (international human rights law) standpoint, immigrants from so-called "non-western" countries and other minority groups have the right to maintain and enjoy their own cultures while undergoing integration into society in a receiving country. They must not be forced to give up their culture, language or religion. On the other hand, minority groups must not force their culture, language, religion or way of life on the majority in the receiving country.

If it is found that Breivik was mentally stable during the 22 July massacre, he faces a sentence of 21 years in prison, which could be renewed to keep him imprisoned for life [Source] - locked away from the public he terrorized on that fateful summer afternoon.

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Video clip by European Union sparks racism row

In Europe, it is no secret that people of color belonging to minority groups are commonly blamed for crime, violence and other things that go wrong in the continent, by a growing number of individuals who see anything "foreign" or "different" as a threat to European culture and way of life. Many migrants from emerging or less developed economies bear the brunt of racism, xenophobia and stigmatization on a daily basis. Despite all odds, the European Union (EU) and its institutions, such as the European Commission are doing a noticeable job to promote respect for human rights, freedom, equality and diversity in the continent. But a recent video released by the Directorate General (DG) for Enlargement, a department of the European Commission, has sparked a racism row and outrage.

The "EU propaganda film", as the video is called, shows a Caucasian woman "attacked" by men belonging to some minority groups in Europe. The video, which was reportedly intended to show Europe as a force for peace and to attract new countries to join the EU, has come under fire. [Source]. Viewers have slammed it as "racist, sexist and imperialist". Some have branded it "distasteful" and "supremacist".



The controversial clip can be interpreted in many ways, but either way - believe it or not - it portrays non-Europeans as violent and aggressive. The woman in the video visibly represents a calm, non-violent and peaceful Europe while her visibly non-European "attackers" represent a "threat" that European countries must unite to neutralize.

A bunch of producers in Hollywood who thrive on reinforcing stereotypes in movies could get away with such a video that depicts individuals representing people of African decent, Asians and Indians as the "bad guys", but in matters related to the way people or groups of people are portrayed, the European Commission knows better and must be held to higher standards.

Following the racism row that followed the release of the video, DG for Enlargement released a statement that it has decided to stop the campaign and withdraw the video.

Given the EU's commitment and efforts to promote human rights, equality and diversity in Europe, I agree with Stefano Sannino, Director General of DG Enlargement, that the clip was not intended to be racist. However, there is no denying that the video reinforces stereotypes and prejudice.

Shout out to Afro-Europe International Blog for bringing this story to my attention.

 *Photo: Daily Mail.

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YLE News report could fuel hate against Roma in Finland

While researching Finland's asylum application procedure on 2 March 2012, I came across an unsettling news report about people of Romani descent, published by YLE, a major English language news outlet in Finland. The article, titled "Beggars Seek Asylum in Finland" picks on the Roma - a minority group that has historically been discriminated against and pushed to the fringes of society in every European country where they find themselves. [Source]. In 2010, people of Romani descent were deported from France - in violation of EU rules on freedom of movement. In Finland, according to a poll commissioned by Helsinki Sanomat, the Roma, besides Somalis and Muslims in general, are disliked the most. The news item published by YLE does nothing but fuel such negative attitudes toward the Roma by tying them to three things: begging, asylum, and social welfare benefits.

The following news report was published on the website of YLE on 28 April 2010 but is still relevant. It reads like a statement - a cautious "warning" - made at an anti-Roma rally:

"Beggars of Romani decent from Rumania have begun seeking asylum in Finland. Over 50 applications for asylum have been submitted to police at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.

Some of those seeking asylum are actively engaged in begging on the streets.

The Rumanians cannot, however, be granted asylum as they are EU citizens. They have the right to social benefits for as long as the applications are processed.

During this period they can reside in a reception centre and are entitled to receive social benefits to the tune of 292 euros per month if they procure food themselves or to 87 euros monthly if they consume food provided by the centre.

In April, the number of asylum applications submitted by Rumanians was equal to their total number last year.

A senior official at the Social Services Department of the City of Helsinki says the beggars can normally gain one month of benefits by filing an asylum application." [Source]

Mindful of the fact that not only the Roma are seeking asylum in Finland, it is unclear why this report focuses on the Roma. There is something inherently wrong with picking out one group of people from the pack.

Immigration, asylum and social welfare benefits are political hot potatoes and frequently used by a growing number of far-right extremists in Finland to fan hate against immigrants and other minority groups. YLE knows better that vulnerable groups tied to these hot potatoes could easily get burned.

Such reporting fuels negative sentiments against people of Romani descent from Romania and elsewhere by insinuating that their sole aim is to benefit from Finland's welfare system. It's of utmost importance that asylum cases be dealt with on individual basis. It would be more helpful and less prejudicial for YLE to shine the spot light on why the Roma are fleeing Romania and other parts of Europe to seek asylum in Finland and why they beg rather than find decent work. It would be interesting to know whether employers in Finland are willing to employ "the Rumanians" without discrimination, even in unskilled jobs, so that they won't have to beg on the streets to make a living.

*Photo of Roma woman begging in Helsinki: Kukka Ranta.

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'Slave-like' conditions for Chinese migrant worker in Sweden

The word "slave" evokes memories of one of the lowest points in human history; an era when millions of unsuspecting human beings were stripped of all rights, bought, sold, transported across continents and forced to work against their will under deplorable and inhuman conditions - without pay or appropriate compensation. This dehumanizing practice is now illegal in every country on the planet, but continues to manifest itself in what has been aptly termed "modern-day slavery." Practices reminiscent of slavery have been recently reported in countries such as the United States, Russia, and other countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Lebanon - just to name a few. The case of a Chinese migrant worker in Sweden who was forced to work under "slave-like" conditions in a restaurant, adds Sweden to the list of countries where modern-day slavery remains a reality.

A 37-year-old Chinese chef, identified as Jiang Zhaloin, collapsed from exhaustion on the streets of Gothenburg, Sweden's second city. The migrant worker collapsed after being forced to work long hours without appropriate compensation. He migrated to Sweden in May 2010 to work as a chef in a restaurant and ended up working 80 hours a week - from 9am till late at night - without overtime pay, sick leave benefits or vacation allowance. He was paid 14,000-15,000 kronor ($2,127-$2,280) a month, but paid almost half of his salary back to the employer - as rent for a "cramped two room apartment" arranged by his employer. The apartment was shared with four other workers employed by the same employer. [Source].

The exploitative conditions under which the Chinese migrant worker worked came to light when he collapsed on the streets. He was reportedly diagnosed with stress-related psoriasis.

The victim's migration to Sweden was arranged by a Chinese agency. He paid the employment agency 70,000 kronor ($10,500).

The Swedish Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union (HRF) condemned the actions of the restaurant and asked the unscrupulous employer to pay the victim a sum of 391,000 kronor ($59,400) in compensation. The employer agreed to pay. The victim is expected to have received compensation by 15 October 2011.

International human rights standards expressly prohibit slavery or servitude. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states in Article 4 that: "No one shall be held in slavery or servitude...".

Jiang Zhaloin was held in servitude in modern Sweden.

The steps taken by HRF to secure indemnity for the victim should be applauded. Employers and employment agencies should not be allowed to operate with impunity.

The story of Jiang Zhaloin should encourage other migrant workers forced to work under unacceptable  and illegal conditions to seek help.

Sweden, a respected member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and party to key international human rights treaties that prohibit slavery and promote decent work, has a legal obligation under international law to protect victims of practices akin to slavery within its borders.

*Photo: Wikipedia.

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Finland: Stop using racist hate speech to win votes

Over the years, Muslims and immigrants have been used as punching bags in Finland, but the situation is gradually spiraling out of control. Extreme right-wing politicians have hijacked the immigration debate and taken to the internet to incite hatred against immigrants and Muslims. The 22 July massacre in Norway has put the spot light on some politicians who have made a name for themselves by targeting Muslims and immigrants. The surge in extreme right populism and incitement of hatred online has prompted some prominent Finns to speak out - urging politicians to stop using racist hate speech to win votes.

On 3 August 2011, Finland's deputy Prosecutor-General, Jorma Kalske, condemned politicians in Finland for using racist hate speech to appeal to voters, pointing out that it is illegal to openly discriminate against minority groups.

Finland's Ombudsman for Minorities, Eva Biaudet, has expressed concern about hate speech both online and offline in Finland. According to Eva, the law should come down more heavily on hate speech and anonymous comments should not be published in online discussion forums. The use of pseudonyms should be limited to exceptional cases.

The president of Finland, Tarja Halonen has also expressed concern about hate speech and hardening attitudes in Finland.

Others who have spoken out include Finland's Culture and Sports Minister, Paavo Arhinmäki and Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja.

These are just a few of the many people of good conscience who have spoken out on behalf of voiceless immigrants in Finland - many of whom cannot speak for themselves due to language barrier.

The True Finns, a far right-wing political party that is gaining followers, has come under fire for spreading hate. The party's members of parliament make no secret of their extreme views about immigrants and Muslims. One particular Member of parliament for the party, Jussi Halla-aho (see photo), has come under fire in the wake of the politically motivated July 2011 Norwegian killings.

Jussi Halla-aho has been on the headlines in Finnish media and has been described by Helsinki Times as "the most articulate immigration critic in Finland today." Helsinki Times reports that the Member of Parliament "isn't afraid to make comments that many people describe as incitement to hatred."

Hate speech and racism has no place in a free and democratic society. The authorities in Finland should keep an eye on growing right wing extremism, championed by extremist elements of the True Finns. Those who incite racial hatred and use hate speech to score political points should be held to account.

In 2009, Jussi Halla-aho was fined 330 euros for defamation of religion. A charge for inciting racial hatred was overturned.

Tougher sanctions should be considered to stop incitement of hatred against Muslims, immigrants and other vulnerable minority groups in society.

Photo of Jussi Halla-aho: YLE.

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General Ratko Mladic first court appearance in The Hague

It is no secret that after 16 years on the run, justice caught up with General Ratko Mladic of the Bosnian Serb army. This morning, the General appeared in court before three judges. The first court appearance in The Hague was to inform Ratko Mladic of his rights and the charges brought against him. I was not in the court room in The Hague, but I followed the session live from my living room and took some pictures. I must say it was great to finally see the accused in court.

The session began with a verification of the identity of the accused. As a matter of procedure, the judge checked to confirm the name, date and place of birth of the accused. The General confirmed, "I am General Ratko Mladic."

Judge Alphons Orie also checked with Mladic to ensure that he understands the language of the proceeding and whether he has read the 37-page indictment written in a language he understand. Mladic claimed he is a "gravely ill man" and has been unable to read the indictment or sign any documents. Besides, he needs at least 2 months or more to read the indictment.

The judge informed Mladic of his right to have the entire 37-page indictment read to him in court, but the accused waived this right. However, judge Orie went ahead to read a summary of the indictment which including the following:

• Count 1: Genocide.
• Count 2: Also deals with genocide (complicity in genocide).
• Count 3: Persecution as a crime against humanity.
• Counts 4, 5 and 6: Extermination and murder as crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war.
• Counts 7 and 8: Deportation and inhumane acts as crimes against humanity.
• Counts 9 and 19: Terror and unlawful attacks as violations of rules and customs of war.
• Count 10: Taking of hostages (including UN Peacekeepers).

Guilty or not guilty?

Ratko Mladic entered a no plea for what he called "obnoxious charges" and "monstrous" words. 

He has 30 days to enter a plea.

The court moved into private session to hear Ratko Mladic's health concerns and when the court reconvened in open session, the presiding judge adjourned the trial until 4 July 2011 at 10am in courtroom number one.

General Ratko Mladic is being tried for his role in a military operation which killed more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys in the course of the 1992-1995 Bosnian War.

The wheels of justice have started to turn, but it remains to be seen how long before victims of the atrocities committed under the command of Mladic see justice. It is my wish that this case moves on fast so as to provide closure to the victims who have waited 16 years to see Ratko Mladic in court.

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Finland: President acknowledges rise of racism and xenophobia

On Sunday, 17 April 2011, voters in Finland went to the polls in a parliamentary election which changed Finland's political landscape and cleared all doubts about the level of racism and xenophobia in the country. Opinion polls conducted before the election predicted that a nationalist, racist and xenophobic political party known as the True Finns (Perussuomalaiset) was gaining support. Election results confirmed the polls and propelled the xenophobic True Finns to third position in Finland's parliament. This party which had only one Member of Parliament when it was founded in 1995 has steadily gained more seats despite its hard-line stance and now has a record 39 out of 200 seats with 560,075 votes in 2011.[Source]. Less than 2 months after the 2011 parliamentary elections, the President of Finland acknowledged the rise of xenophobia and racism in the Nordic country.

Speaking on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Amnesty International, an organization fighting for freedom and respect for the rights of all individuals, irrespective of race, ethnicity, nationality or immigration status, President Tarja Halonen (see photo) said:

"We have to take seriously the rise of racism and xenophobia in Finland...". [Source]

This is a kick in the groin of the good people of Finland and weakens the country's position in international human rights discourse in a time when democracies around the world, including Finland, are supporting calls for freedom and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa.

Electoral gains enjoyed by the True Finns and outright racist and derogatory statements by the party's Parliamentarians over the past couple of months, concretize fears that Finland is going down the wrong road.

Following the April 2011 parliamentary election, a video was posted on the internet in which a member of parliament for the True Finns, Teuvo Hakkarainen, made derogatory and racist comments on camera against African and Muslim immigrants. In the video, the parliamentarian mockingly mimicked a Muslim call for prayers and used a derogatory and offensive word to address immigrants of African descent.



A free society should be void of lawmakers who use immigration scaremongering and disparage a group of people in a bid to score political points.

The rise of racism and xenophobia in Finland is real. These vices are unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned. A blogger in Finland who shines light on the plight of immigrants on the ground notes that the internet is Finland's breeding ground for racism. "True" Finns publish derogatory articles and make no secret of their prejudice online.

Immigrants in Finland are a vulnerable group in need of protection. More votes for the nationalist anti-immigration True Finns signaled tough times for immigrants and tough times call for tough measures to ensure that immigrants and ethnic minorities are adequately protected in the European country.

According to a BBC article, the True Finns believe, amongst other things, that "young women should study less and spend more time giving birth to pure Finnish children." 

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Ratko Mladic extradition sends message to international law skeptics

Two days ago, I explained why all Serbians should welcome the arrest of Ratko Mladic and support his extradition to face justice. On 31 May 2011, the infamous former General of the Bosnian Serb Army was extradited to The Hague for his role in the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniaks during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. This extradition is "a milestone for international justice" and sends a message to international law skeptics.

It is no secret that the international justice system is regarded by many Africans as a tool designed to target African leaders. A growing number of international justice skeptics often argue that individuals charged for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other heinous crimes are predominantly Africans.

Former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor, is currently facing justice in The Hague before the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) for his role in the Sierra Leone Civil War.

The President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes committed in Darfur.

Six Kenyans, dubbed the "Ocampo Six" were indicted by the ICC for allegedly perpetuating violence against civilians during the 2007-2008 post-election violence that claimed more than 1,300 lives in Kenya.

The ICC has also issued arrest warrants for other Africans in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and Bosco Ntaganda.

More recently, the Prosecutor of the ICC applied for three arrest warrants for Colonel Gaddafi, his brother-in-law and son for their role in widespread violence against pro-democracy demonstrators in Libya.

Many skeptics have wondered why there has never been a concerted effort to try George W. Bush for international crimes - even after the former president of the U.S. defiantly justified widespread torture and violation of international law.

It is true that the majority of individuals in trouble with international law are Africans. However, this does not mean the system is designed to target Africans. The arrest of Ratko Mladic in Serbia on 26 May 2011 and his swift extradition to The Hague less than a week later adds weight to this assertion. Mladic is clearly not African, but he shares one thing in common with many Africans held or wanted in The Hague: charged with crimes against humanity, genocide, complicity in genocide, unlawfully inflicting terror upon civilians, war crimes and other crimes that have shocked humanity.

For too long, international law skeptics in Africa have taken their eyes off the ball and focused on the assertion that international law targets the continent. This explains why many kick against the extradition of individuals wanted at The Hague.  As a result, impunity for heinous crimes in the continent is endemic. The high level of impunity is compounded by the fact that national justice systems are either unwilling or unable to try perpetrators of human rights abuses - which is exactly why international courts step in.

The extradition of Ratko Mladic, a powerful former General regarded as a war hero in Serbia, is testament to the fact that international justice is blind and does not target Africans.

It is worthy to mention that Ratko Mladic is not the only Serbian or European extradited to The Hague. Others who have been extradited before him include, General Radislav Krstic, Vujadin Popovic and Ljubisa Beara. [Source].

Mladic was arrested after 16 years on the run. No matter how long it takes, perpetrators of grave crimes would eventually have their day in a national or international court of law.

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Belgium: Cameroon embassy and right to access information

The right to access information is a basic right enshrined in key international human rights instruments such as in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR). It's incumbent on states to ensure that this right is respected by state representatives and employees in public offices. An aborted phone call to the embassy of Cameroon in Brussels, Belgium this afternoon put into question the commitment of the embassy staff to uphold the right to access information.

At about 4PM (GMT+2), a call was made to the embassy of Cameroon to get information about the requirements for applying for a new passport and opening hours.

The call was answered by a gentleman who spoke only French due to inability or unwillingness to speak English. He routed the call to an angry lady who struggled to speak English. Instead of providing the needed information, she hastily referred the caller to the embassy's website. Speaking English seemed to be a burden for her and rendered her audibly nervous and unwilling to help. Then the unexpected happened - she hung up the phone.

Undeterred and shocked by the unwelcoming reaction of someone representing his country abroad, the caller called back. This time, the same gentleman who routed the first call reluctantly provided the requested information in French - ignoring the possibility that the English-speaking caller does not understand French.

I visited the referred website and noted that most pages on the English section of the site are "...still under construction... soon available."

According to the website, the embassy opens from Monday to Friday from 09h30 to 16h00. This conflicts with information provided by the staff today: passport applicants must be at the embassy before midday and are not welcomed on Fridays.

The embassy's website, as of the time of writing, was last updated more than 2 years ago on 29 April 2009 and looks inactive, hence the caller had reason to believe that perhaps something has changed after all these years. The French section of the site was last updated on 25 July 2009.

Cameroon is a bilingual country and all its citizens have the right to access information in the language they fully understand. The Constitution of the Republic provides that all official communications or documents be made available in both French and English, but Cameroon's embassy in Belgium, like many other state offices, is yet to make information on its website available in both languages.

There's a need to educate individuals who represent Cameroon in embassies abroad and to ensure that persons working in public offices understand that their job is to serve the people and should not interfere with the people's right to access information. Embassy staff should be polite and be able to communicate in both official languages of the country they represent so that a group of nationals is not alienated.

More importantly, the website of the Cameroon embassy in Belgium is in desperate need of a make-over. The authorities should take advantage of the advent of new technologies and make information available online.

An unprofessional embassy staff and a website - www.cameroon.be - whose English section is perpetually under construction damages the reputation of Cameroon abroad and sends a wrong message to millions of English-speaking Cameroonians.

On a side note: Finland is a small country in Northern Europe which has two official languages - Finnish (Suomi) and Swedish (Svenska). The websites of Finland's embassies in Washington and Abuja for instance, carry both official languages and I bet embassy staff would aptly and happily communicate in both languages. This is a good example for bilingual countries to emulate.

UPDATE, 21.11.2011: The website of the embassy has been updated, predominantly with news about the 2011 presidential election. The site still lacks useful information such as passport application fees, visa fees and application forms.

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Danish company supplies drug for death penalty in the U.S.

The European Union frowns on the death penalty and almost all European countries have banned state- sponsored killing. In Denmark, the last time the death punishment was meted out was in 1892 and the Scandinavian country completely abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1978. Despite the ban on the death penalty in Denmark, a Danish pharmaceutical company, Lundbeck, supplies a drug used for the death penalty in the U.S.

H. Lundbeck A/S, commonly known as Lundbeck was founded in 1915 and became pharmaceutical in 1924. The research-based company produces a drug called pentobarbital which is used for executions in the U.S.

According to The New York Times, Lundbeck has sold pentobarbital to four major U.S. executioners: Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. The Lundbeck-produced drug has replaced sodium thiopental which was once the drug of choice for the U.S. killing machine.

Italy, Austria, Germany and Britain have stifled the supply of sodium thiopental which was widely used for executions in the U.S. Due to the limited supply of sodium thiopental, U.S. executioners have switched to Lundbeck-produced pentobarbital.

Amnesty International has called on the European Commission to stop the trade in torture and death penalty equipment. You're encouraged to sign the petition urging the President of the European Commission, José  Manuel Borroso, to effectively ban the trade in "tools of torture" by European companies. This would go a long way to prohibit the use of pentobarbital produced by Lundbeck for executions in the U.S.

Lundbeck claims the death penalty is against what the company stands for. If this is the case, the company should take concrete steps to ensure that its drug is only used to safe life as it was intended, not claim life.

A legal action charity known as Reprieve notes that Lundbeck is the only supplier of pentobarbital in the U.S. The organization has repeatedly slammed Lundbeck for not doing enough to keep its drug out of death chambers. The execution of Jeffrey Moths on 6 May 2011 in South Carolina brought the number of persons killed in the U.S. with the drug supplied by Lundbeck to seven. The Danish company has apparently chosen big business over respect for human life.

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Denmark: Man found guilty of racism against Muslim men

At a time when xenophobia is on the rise in Europe, a 68-year-old Danish man has been found guilty of racism by a court in Denmark. Lars Hedegaard, a proclaimed "free speech advocate", was found guilty for making offensive and denigrating comments against Muslim men.

In December 2009, Lars Hedegaard granted a 35 minutes interview that was published on a Danish blog. Here's what he said during the interview, amongst other things:

"Girls in Muslim families are raped by their uncles, their cousins, or their fathers," and "when a Muslim man rapes a woman, it is in his right to do so." [Source].

Lars was dragged to court for comments depicting Muslim men as rapists  and "warriors" who believe that "women have no value, they are not human beings. Their function is to be wombs - they bear the warrior's offspring and create new warriors..." [Source].

The free speech advocate was acquitted in January 2011 by a lower District Court on grounds that he didn't know his offensive comments would be published.

The decision to acquit Lars was appealed by the state prosecutor and on 3 May 2011, the Eastern High Court found Lars Hedegaard guilty of racism. He was fined 5000 Danish Kroner (about 985 U.S. Dollars as of today) for his derogatory comments against Muslim men.

Lars Hedegaard is said to be a free speech advocate and President of the Danish Free Press Society. In this capacity, he's expected to know that the right to free speech has limitations prescribed by law and should not be used to insult, defame or instigate hate against a group of people.

Article 19(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides for the right to freedom of expression and many proponents of "hate speech" in the name of free speech often invoke Article 19(2) of the ICCPR, but fail to put into perspective Article 19(3) of the same Covenant that provides "certain restrictions" to free speech "provided by law."

At the level of the European Union, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) guarantees free speech. Article 10(2) on its part lays down duties and responsibilities in the exercise of free expression.

Section 266b of the Danish Penal Code provides certain limitations to free speech in Denmark. It states:

Whoever publicly or with the intent of public dissemination issues a pronouncement or other communication by which a group of persons are threatened, insulted or denigrated due to their race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation is liable to a fine or incarceration for up to two years.”

I concur with the decision of the Eastern High Court to fine Lars Hedegaard under Section 266b of the Danish Penal Code. There's a fine line between free speech and hate speech and it's important to ensure that the exercise of the right to free expression does not threaten, insult, denigrate or instigate hate against a group of people.

A lot has been written about the trial of Lars Hedegaard and comments on all the blogs and websites I've read reveal that many people are of the opinion that the conviction of Lars is an attack against freedom of expression. Some have labeled the trial a witch-hunt against truth-tellers. There's therefore a need to educate the public about the duties and responsibilities that go with freedom of expression.

*Photo of Lars Hedegaard.[Source].

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Sweden should do more to Protect victims of rape

This afternoon, I was appalled by news that a 20-year-old man found guilty for rape in Sweden was sentenced to probation - a suspended sentence on the promise of good behavior - for such a serious crime. This case is yet another reminder that Sweden ought to do more to protect victims of rape by slapping sex offenders with more severe sentences.

According to The Local - a local news outlet in Sweden - the 20-year-old sex offender was charged with raping an intoxicated 25-year-old woman after a party in December 2010. The 20-year-old denied all charges but later confessed on his Facebook page.

A district court in Solna - a municipality north of Sweden's capital, Stockholm, found the offender guilty on grounds of his Facebook confession and sentenced him to probation.

Another man who assisted the offender during the incident was slapped with a mere 6,000 Swedish Kronor ($940) fine.

With due respect for the Swedish judicial system - this court verdict gives the unnamed offenders in question an easy way out of an abominable crime. Light sentences for serious crimes do not adequately deter offenders. Sweden should do more to protect victims of rape and other forms of violence by ensuring that offenders bear the full weight of the law.

It is worth mentioning that many in Sweden are concerned that convicted sex offenders in the Scandinavian country are not named or identified. They enjoy absolute privacy while victims remain at risk.

In 2009, a 28-year-old woman and her 29-year-old boyfriend were found guilty for rape of two minors (17-year-old girls). The two sex offenders were not named or identified.

Sex offenders should be identified. This will go a long way to prevent repeat offences since potential victims will identify a predator and take necessary steps to avoid an incident.

Sweden reportedly has the "highest incidence of reported rapes in Europe" and a corresponding "low conviction rate."

The state should do more to protect victims of rape and ensure that sex offenders do not enjoy impunity.

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Christian Dior firing John Galliano sends a strong message

French fashion powerhouse, Christian Dior has fired its artistic designer, 50-year-old John Galliano, for making racist remarks - targeting Jews. Firing Galliano sends a strong message that those who racially vilify a vulnerable group of people will be held accountable.

John Galliano was initially suspended from his role at Christian Dior on 25 February after he was arrested on allegations of making anti-semitic remarks in a cafe in Paris, France.

After his arrest, a video surfaced on the internet showing the designer in another occasion saying, "I love Hitler" to two women in a cafe and spurting anti-semitic slurs. In this video that led to his dismissal, Galliano was smoking a cigarette and appeared intoxicated.

Racist insults are offensive, unacceptable and should be unequivocally condemned in strong terms. It is in this vein that together with people of good conscience around the world, I welcome the firing of John Galliano. Businesses and employers should distance themselves from employees with prejudice against people because of their race, ethnicity, skin color, you name it.

Galliano was reportedly Christian Dior's artistic designer for 14 years.

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Wear human rights t-shirts

The Council of Europe, a political organization that promotes human rights, democracy and the rule of law throughout Europe, has launched a campaign called "Wear Your Rights." Through this campaign, the organization encourages people to wear human rights t-shirts inscribed with articles of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

The Council has produced a number of t-shirts that quote articles of the ECHR such as:

• "Everyone's right to life shall be protected by law."
• "No one shall be held in slavery or servitude."
• "No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
• "Everyone is entitled to a fair trial."
• "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion."
• "Everyone has the right to say and write what he or she thinks and to receive and impart information. This right includes freedom of press."

Personally, I'll wear two of the human rights t-shirts produced by the Council of Europe. One will read: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" and the other t-shirt will scream: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion."

For more information about the human rights t-shirts, visit www.wearyourrights.org.

It is worth mentioning that this is a non-profit campaign and I'm not affiliated to the campaign. However, I encourage you to wear human rights t-shirts and be "an ambassador for a great cause: the defence of human rights."

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Russia not doing enough to stop racially motivated crimes

In February 1969, the Russian Federation ratified the landmark International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination. Forty two years later, the commitment of Russian authorities to eliminate racial discrimination and racially motivated crimes against national or ethnic minorities in Russia remains questionable. In Russia, non-slavic people, blacks and Asians remain easy targets for Russian so-called white supremacist groups which make no secret of their intentions.

This morning - thanks to Afro-Europe International Blog - I came across a disturbing video report that shines light on the surge in racially motivated crimes in Russia.

WARNING: You might find the following video offensive.

Watch...



It is evident from the above video that the perpetrators of such crimes against ethnic minorities are known and within reach. They are not afraid to be identified and filmed - inciting racial violence in the 21st Century. This highlights the level of impunity for racially motivated crimes in Russia.

The victims - in this case Africans - are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Back home in Africa, repressive regimes deny them basic rights. In Europe, they face sub-human conditions in a land far from home. Either way, they're victims of man's inhumanity to man and are in desperate need of protection.

Like all Russians, racial or ethnic minorities have the right to security of person and to be protected by the state against such mental and physical harm inflicted by racist groups. The government of Russia has an obligation to protect racial or ethnic minorities living within its borders. The authorities should therefore take concrete steps without delay to stop racially motivated crimes and restore the dignity of victims.

In March 2010, a Russian court imprisoned 9 members of white supremacist group for the brutal killing of a Cameroonian. But a lot more can and should be done to stop such crimes.

Russia will be hosting the FIFA 2018 World Cup. This compounds the urgency to curb hate crimes and ensure that racist criminals do not walk the streets.

You can watch Part II of the above video, here.

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." - Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human rights.

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Swiss freezing of Hosni Mubarak's assets and basic rights in Egypt

In a media release on 11 February 2011, Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs announced the freezing of assets of Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, the ousted president of Egypt. The department also announced the freezing of assets of "parties close to" Mubarak so as to avoid "misappropriation of Egyptian government assets."

It is believed that like Mubarak, many repressive leaders and dictators all across Africa swindle state funds and stash staggering sums of tax-payers' money in bank accounts in Switzerland. This thievery has damaging consequences on millions of suffering Africans - many of whom languish in poverty while the Swiss economy flourishes with money that was meant to build roads, construct schools, hospitals and lift one of the world's poorest people from poverty.

Institutionalized corruption in the backyard of one of the world's most developed democracies undermines core principles of democracy, including good governance, accountability and transparency, and goes a long way to deprive many Africans of the basic right to a decent life - in a continent where numerous families can't afford one decent meal a day; thoughtless of sending children to school.

By doing business with corrupt repressive leaders, Switzerland endorses corruption and the violation of basic rights that go with it.

The only way the Swiss government can "avoid misappropriation" of assets is by not accepting to bank misappropriated state funds.  By upholding principles of transparency and accountability, Switzerland would not have to always go through the cosmetic process of freezing assets of ousted African Heads of States. Commonsense suggests that prevention is better than cure.

The freezing of Hosni Mubarak's assets is good news for rights advocates and millions of Egyptians who have suffered repression and poverty for almost 30 years under the leadership of one man. Misappropriated state funds stashed in Switzerland should be returned to Egypt to help bolster the struggling economy.

Some have argued that Switzerland is a "staunch ally of corrupt third world leaders and a great beneficiary of third world corruption."

The exact amount of assets linked to Hosni Mubarak in Switzerland has not been made public.

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Somalian imprisoned for attacking cartoonist in Denmark

A court in Aarhus, Denmark has sentenced Mohamed Geele, a 29-year-old Somalian man to 9 years in prison in relation to the attempted murder of Kurt Westergaard, a Danish cartoonist famous for drawing Prophet Mohammed. 

75-year-old Kurt Westergaard. Photo: BBC World Service.

In 2005, Kurt Westergaard's depiction of Prophet Mohammed angered the Muslim world and triggered protests and a diplomatic storm between Denmark and the Muslim world. The cartoon which was published in a Danish newspaper resulted in death threats against the cartoonist. 


As a result of all the controversy surrounding his work, Westergaard - the cartoonist - was placed under police surveillance - for his own safety.

Many people around the world, including Mohamed Geele considered Westergaard's cartoon an insult to islam. In January 2011, Mohamed Geele broke into the house of Westergaard, armed with an ax, in a bid to get "revenge", but the intruder was stopped by the police before he could reach his target.

Mohamed Geele was found guilty of attempted murder and terrorism on February 3, 2011. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison, after which he will be expelled and permanently banned from Denmark.

This court verdict upholds democratic principles of free thought, free speech and the right to hold and express opinions. Although I would not exercise these rights and freedoms in a way that would be considered offensive or insulting, any attempt to murder or silence anyone who chooses to do otherwise is unacceptable.

You might like to listen to Kurt Westergaard speak to the BBC about the attack.

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Legal action against France over mass Roma expulsion

The European Commission has decided to take legal action against France over the controversial mass expulsion of Roma migrants. Talking to France 24 this morning, the EU Justice Commissioner - Viviane Reding said France breached European Union rules on freedom of movement by deporting the Roma. EU rules on freedom of movement give ALL European Union citizens the right to freely move and reside (for 3 months) in any member state. France is a member of the EU and the Roma are EU citizens but since July, thousands of Roma have been deported from France.

The mass deportation of the Roma clearly outraged Viviane Reding earlier this month, and the commissioner made no secret of her disappointment over France's action. She had some tough words for France, as highlighted in the video below. WATCH...



The commission notes that France has failed to incorporate the 2004 European directives of free movement into national law.

In today's interview (which I watched) on France 24, Viviane Reding said that "if France changes its laws quickly..." the legal action will be dropped.

Legal action by the European Union against France over the mass Roma expulsion is good news, but I'm disappointed by the Commission's decision not to take legal action against France for a discriminatory expulsion of the Roma, despite the fact that a leaked government memo revealed that the ethnic minority group was targeted. French authorities linked the Roma to a surge in crime and said the dismantling of Roma camps was a "priority."

It is no secret that the Roma have historically faced discrimination in Europe. The European Commission can do better to protect this vulnerable group of people against further discrimination in Europe.

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Sweden: Surge in Xenophobia puts Sweden Democrats in Parliament?

Photo of a member of Sweden Democrats, 1996: Expo.

You've probably heard that Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna, SD) - a xenophobic, extremist, far-right political party won seats in parliament for the first time since the party was founded in 1988. The break through came in a historic parliamentary election held on September 19, 2010. Does this radical-right political gain represent a surge in xenophobia in Sweden?

Following the election, Sweden Democrats secured 20 out of the 349 seats in the Swedish parliament (Sveriges riksdag). 20 seats might sound negligible, but with only 20 seats, this party that describes itself as nationalist has become a key player in Swedish lawmaking.

I must confess - prior to Sunday's general election, I knew nothing about the ideology of Sweden Democrats. But after reading about the party, I'm convinced that this election signals a surge in xenophobia in Sweden.

Sweden Democrats make no secret of a xenophobic and discriminatory ideology which targets immigrants and ethnic minorities, including Sweden's Sami  people (an indigenous ethnic minority group in Sweden). I won't dwell on the SD ideology, but it is worth reiterating that most of the party's beliefs are outright discriminatory and extreme.

Like many observant people who have kept a close eye on recent events in Sweden, including an increase in "white power" groups and the anti mosque demonstration in Gothenburg - Sweden's second largest city, I'm not surprised that a party with racist roots has secured seats in the Swedish parliament.

A lot more has happened, but these two instances clearly signaled a surge in xenophobia in Sweden.

Many Swedes, immigrants and foreign students in Sweden have expressed concern about this victory for xenophobia. In an article highlighting the reaction of some voters, published on the BBC website, a Swede (my classmate at Lund University) living in Norrkoping wrote, "I'm sad... but I'm not altogether surprised." Another voter in Malmö wrote, "... I feel that we are no longer the tolerant country we once were."

On Facebook, I was moved by the reaction of a foreign student living in Sweden. Following the election, the student updated his Facebook status with the following words: "Now that the Extreme Far Right Nazist party (Sverige Democraterna) has been voted into parliament, i guess it's time for me to flee the country... eller hur???"

Sweden is already tough enough for immigrants, many of whom meet unprecedented obstacles in the quest for acceptance and integration into Swedish society. With Sweden Democrats in parliament, minority rights and the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers in Sweden will dwindle.

History links Sweden Democrats to neo-Nazis.

Only time will tell what the historic election of September 19, 2010 will do to Sweden's reputation of promoting and protecting principles of human rights and equality.

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Nadja Benaissa: Sentenced for spreading HIV?

You've probably heard about Nadja Benaissa, a 28-year-old German pop star who was recently slammed with a 2-year suspended sentence for infecting a former partner with HIV. Nadja Benaissa was dragged to court on accusations of failing to inform her lovers that she was HIV positive. She faced up to 10 years imprisonment, but a German court tampered justice with mercy because the celebrity confessed and showed remorse.

Nadja Benaissa was arrested in April 2009 and charged with causing bodily harm by having unprotected sex without telling her partners that she was HIV positive. On August 26, 2010, the court found Nadja Benaissa guilty of causing "grievous bodily harm" and "attempted bodily harm." Nadja denied to have deliberately infected her former partner who contracted HIV during their relationship.

This verdict has sparked criticism from AIDS organisations. Many argue that Nadja Benaissa has been unfairly treated and stigmatized. Others argue that "safe sex" is the responsibility of everyone involved in a relationship; not the sole responsibility of the infected partner.

I sympathise with Nadja Benaissa because she discovered that she was HIV positive when she was only 16 years old and pregnant, and kept the infection secret to protect her child. But in the interest of public health, I concur with the verdict of the court.

Practicing protected sex is the responsibility of everyone involved in a relationship, but mindful of the high risk of transmitting HIV, Nadja should have abstained from [unprotected] sex or disclosed her HIV status to her partners. Perhaps, such a disclosure would have discouraged her former partners from recklessly participating in unprotected sex.

It is worth mentioning that Nadja Benaissa infected one of her partners and one remains free of HIV. The court ordered her to do 300 hours of community service (possibly helping people with HIV).

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