Freedom Alert

Shabaz Taseer, the son of a Pakistani governor killed for criticizing blasphemy laws was abducted by gunmen on Friday, August 26. His father Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab and member in the Pakistan People’s Party, was murdered by his bodyguard in January 2011 after speaking against blasphemy laws. Shabaz was reportedly kidnapped and forced into a car. His whereabouts are unknown and there is no clear motive, although his family suspects extremists are behind the kidnapping after receiving threats. Shabaz is the owner of a number of companies including Media Times Ltd, and his sister is a journalist who has spoken publicly against extremism. Extremists have kidnapped scores of people and often used them as bargaining tools to secure the release of imprisoned militants. Earlier this month a U.S. aid worker was abducted and remains missing.

Despite a May 2011 ruling prohibiting its destruction, a building in Baku, Azerbaijan that housed three NGOs: the Institute for Peace and Democracy, the Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines and the Women’s Crisis Center, was destroyed on August 11. The demolition was part of a two-year “beautification” campaign demolishing homes and businesses instigated by the mayor of Baku and condemned by the United Nations High Commissioner as well as human rights groups. City officials reportedly did not give tenants warning or allow them remove their belongings before demolition began. Anti-corruption campaigns spearheaded by NGOs could be a potential factor in the demolition.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution to establish a “commission of inquiry” to investigate massive human rights violations in Syria during an emergency session in Geneva starting on August 22. Investigators are tasked with looking into possible crimes against humanity during the five-month crackdown on anti-government protesters. Thirty-three countries voted in favor of the resolution, nine abstained and four voted against it, including frequent human rights violators China, Russia and Cuba. The UN also intends to impose an arms embargo, has sent around a draft resolution that will impose sanctions on Bashar al-Assad, his family and associates, and continues to send humanitarian missions to Syria.

Journalist Shokrukh Saipov was attacked and beaten by unknown assailants on August 10. Saipov is a Kyrgyz citizen and ethnic Uzbek, who runs the news website UzPress, which has commented on ethnic tensions between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks. In 2007, his older brother and prominent journalist Alisher Saipov was murdered– Alisher's murder remains unsolved.