April 3
BRUNEI:
Brunei will implement the Sharia laws from Wednesday, punishing sodomy,
adultery and rape with the death penalty
The United States on Tuesday criticized Brunei's decision to implement Islamic
laws that would allow death by stoning for adultery and homosexuality and urged
it to ratify and implement the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
"Brunei's decision to implement Phases 2 and 3 of the Sharia Penal Code and
associated penalties runs counter to its international human rights
obligations, including with respect to torture or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino
said in a statement.
Brunei, a Muslim-majority former British protectorate with a population of
around 400,000, will implement the Sharia laws from Wednesday, punishing
sodomy, adultery and rape with the death penalty, including by stoning, and
theft with amputation.
Oscar-winning actor George Clooney has called for a boycott of luxury hotels
owned by Brunei, including the Beverly Hills Hotel, because of the country's
plans to impose the punishments.
"We continue to encourage Brunei to ratify and implement the United Nations
Convention Against Torture, which it signed in 2015, and to sign, ratify, and
implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights," Palladino
said.
(source: Reuters)
**********************
Brunei enacts new penal code as sultan calls for 'stronger' Islam----New penal
code imposes death penalty for rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and introduces
public flogging.
Brunei is enacting a strict new penal code that imposes death by stoning for
adultery and gay sex, as well as amputations as punishment for theft, despite
widespread criticism.
An absolute monarchy, ruled for 51 years by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, oil-rich
Brunei first announced the new penal code in 2013, but full implementation has
been delayed.
Bolkiah, 72, is the world's 2nd-longest reigning monarch and ranks as one of
the world's wealthiest people.
The new law mostly applies to Muslims, though some aspects will also apply to
non-Muslims. It stipulates the death penalty for a number of offences,
including rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insulting or defaming the Prophet
Muhammad.
It also introduces public flogging as punishment for abortion as well as
amputation for theft and criminalises exposing Muslim children to the beliefs
and practices of any religion other than Islam.
The sultan first announced plans for the code in 2013.
The small Muslim-majority island had introduced penalties in stages, all of
which come into force on Wednesday.
The laws will make Brunei the first country in East or Southeast Asia to impose
the new penal code at the national level, joining several mostly Middle Eastern
countries, such as Saudi Arabia.
'Barbaric to the core'
The decision to push ahead with the implementation of the laws come after a
long line of politicians, rights groups and celebrities, including actor George
Clooney and musician Elton John, condemned the new laws.
Clooney and John are among those calling for a boycott of hotels owned by the
sultanate, which include the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Dorchester in London and
the Plaza Athenee in Paris.
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for the Human Rights Watch, said the code
was "barbaric to the core, imposing archaic punishments for acts that shouldn't
even be crimes".
Robertson also said there was "no place in the 21st century" for this kind of
penal code.
Governments have also weighed in with the United States saying the punishments
run counter to Brunei's "international human rights obligations".
"The United States strongly opposes violence, criminalisation and
discrimination targeting vulnerable groups," said deputy State Department
Spokesman Roberto Palladino.
France and Australia also called on Brunei to renounce the measures, with both
governments expressing concern.
(source: aljazeera.com)
*****************
Brunei implements stoning to death under anti-LGBT laws
Brunei is introducing strict new Islamic laws that make anal sex and adultery
offences punishable by stoning to death.
The new measures, that come into force on Wednesday, also cover a range of
other crimes including punishment for theft by amputation.
The move has sparked international condemnation.
Brunei's gay community has expressed shock and fear at the "medieval
punishments".
"You wake up and realise that your neighbours, your family or even that nice
old lady that sells prawn fritters by the side of the road doesn't think you're
human, or is okay with stoning," one Bruneian gay man, who did not want to be
identified, told the BBC.
The sultan of the small South-East Asian nation on Wednesday called for
"stronger" Islamic teachings.
"I want to see Islamic teachings in this country grow stronger," Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah said in a public address, according to AFP news agency,
without mentioning the new laws.
Homosexuality was already illegal in Brunei and punishable by up to 10 years in
prison.
Muslims make up about two-thirds of the country's population of 420,000. Brunei
has retained the death penalty but has not carried out an execution since 1957.
What is punishable under the changes to the penal code?
The law mostly applies to Muslims, including children who have reached puberty,
though some aspects will apply to non-Muslims.
Under the new laws, individuals accused of certain acts will be convicted if
they confess or if there were witnesses present.
Offences such as rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insult or defamation of
the Prophet Muhammad will carry the maximum penalty of death.
Lesbian sex carries a different penalty of 40 strokes of the cane and/or a
maximum of 10 years in jail
The punishment for theft is amputation
Those who "persuade, tell or encourage" Muslim children under the age of 18 "to
accept the teachings of religions other than Islam" are liable to a fine or
jail
Individuals who have not reached puberty but are convicted of certain offences
may be instead subjected to whipping.
What has global reaction been?
Sultan Hassanal heads the Brunei Investment Agency which owns the Dorchester
Collection, an operator of some of the world's top hotels including the
Dorchester in London and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.
Brunei's ruling royals possess a huge private fortune and its largely ethnic
Malay residents enjoy generous state handouts and pay no taxes.
But Hollywood actor George Clooney and other celebrities have now called for a
boycott of the luxury hotels. TV host Ellen DeGeneres also called for people to
"rise up", saying "we need to do something now".
The hotel operator said it did "not tolerate any form of discrimination".
"Dorchester Collection's code emphasises equality, respect and integrity in all
areas of our operation, and strongly values people and cultural diversity
amongst our guests and employees," it said. "Inclusion and diversity remain
core beliefs."
In another development, a honorary degree awarded by the UK's University of
Aberdeen to Sultan Hassanal is under review.
Is this the first time Islamic law is being introduced in Brunei?
The country first introduced Sharia law in 2014 despite widespread
condemnation, giving it a dual legal system with both Sharia and Common Law.
The sultan had said then that the new penal code would come into full force
over several years.
The first phase, which covered crimes punishable by prison sentences and fines,
was implemented in 2014. Brunei had delayed introducing the final two phases,
which cover crimes punishable by amputation and stoning.
But on Saturday, the government released a statement on its website saying the
Sharia penal code would be fully implemented on Wednesday.
In the days since, there has been international outrage and calls for the
country to reverse course.
"These abusive provisions received widespread condemnation when plans were
first discussed 5 years ago," said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, a Brunei researcher at
Amnesty International.
"Brunei's penal code is a deeply flawed piece of legislation containing a range
of provisions that violate human rights."
The United Nations echoed the statement, calling the legislation "cruel,
inhuman and degrading", and saying it marked a "serious setback" for human
rights protection.
According to rights group Human Rights Without Frontiers, stoning is still a
punishment in countries such as Iran, Somalia and Sudan among others. Why is
this being implemented now?
There are several theories, but Matthew Woolfe, founder of human rights group
The Brunei Project, said it could be linked to Brunei's weakening economy.
"One theory is that it is a way for the government to strengthen its hold on
power in the face of a declining economy that could potentially lead to some
unrest in future," Mr Woolfe told the BBC.
"Connected to this is [Brunei's] interest in attracting more investment from
the Muslim world, along with more Islamic tourists… this could be seen as one
way of appealing to this market."
Mr Woolfe also added that the government might have hoped to get away with the
latest roll-out without anyone realising.
"I think that the government did want to ensure that the international uproar
that followed implementation of the 1st phase in 2014 had well and truly died
down before further [implementation], in the hope it would just quietly [do so]
without anyone realising," he said.
"It wasn't until increasing international attention that it finally came out
and confirmed [this]."
The penal code changes were posted on the attorney general's website in
December but only came to public attention in late March. There was no public
announcement.
How are people in Brunei reacting?
One 40-year-old gay Bruneian currently seeking asylum in Canada said the impact
of the new penal code was already being felt in Brunei.
The ex-government employee, who left Brunei last year after being charged with
sedition for a Facebook post that was critical of the government, said people
were "afraid".
"The gay community in Brunei has never been open but when Grindr [a gay dating
app] came that helped people meet in secret. But now, what I've heard is that
hardly anyone is using Grindr anymore," Shahiran S Shahrani Md told the BBC.
"They're afraid that they might talk to a police officer pretending to be gay.
It hasn't happened yet but because of the new laws, people are afraid," he
said.
Another male Bruneian, who is not gay but has renounced Islam, said he felt
"fearful and numb" in the face of the laws being implemented.
"We ordinary citizens are powerless to stop Sharia law from being implemented,"
said the 23-year-old, who did not want to be identified.
"Under Sharia, I would face the death penalty for apostasy."
One gay man was hopeful that the laws might not be enforced widely.
"Honestly, I'm not too scared as the government here often bluffs with the
harsh punishments. But it can and will still happen even with it being rare."
(source: BBC News)
*****************
New Penal Code Imposes Maiming, Stoning----Immediately Suspend Highly Abusive
Law
The Brunei government’s introduction of a new Sharia penal code poses grave
threats to basic rights, especially for the country’s most vulnerable people,
Human Rights Watch said today.
The penal code, which goes into effect on April 3, 2019, requires death by
stoning for extramarital sex, anal sex, and abortion; amputation of limbs for
stealing; and 100 lashes with a whip for lesbian sex. Children who have reached
puberty and are convicted of these offenses can receive the same punishments as
adults; certain younger children may be subjected to whipping.
“Brunei’s new penal code is barbaric to the core, imposing archaic punishments
for acts that shouldn’t even be crimes,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia
director. “Sultan Hassanal should immediately suspend amputations, stoning, and
all other rights-abusing provisions and punishments.”
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah first formally published the Sharia, or Islamic Law,
Syariah Penal Code Order in October 2013. At that time, the government stated
it would implement the new law in three phases. The first phase would enact the
provisions punishable by fines or imprisonment in April 2014. The second and
third phases would then be introduced over the next two years, implementing
provisions that included punishments such as amputation, whipping, or stoning
to death. Following an international outcry over the severity of the
punishments, the government delayed further implementation of the law. However,
on December 29, 2018, Brunei’s attorney general quietly issued a notification
that the law would be enacted in full on April 3.
On March 30, the Prime Minister’s Office sought to contain global outrage
against the new law, issuing a statement that the code aims to “respect and
protect the legitimate rights of all individuals.” Claims that this draconian
law respects rights are without basis.
Brunei should immediately withdraw the order enacting Syariah Penal Code Order
2013, and amend its provisions in accordance with international human rights
standards.
“Every day that Brunei’s penal code is in force is a multifaceted assault on
human dignity,” Robertson said. “Governments around the world should make clear
to Brunei’s sultan that there can be no business as usual so long as the threat
of whipping, stoning or amputation remains on the books.”
How Do Punishments Included in Brunei’s Sharia Penal Code Violate International
Human Rights Law?
Provisions of the Sharia penal code violate Brunei’s obligations under
international human rights law, including the rights to life, freedom from
torture and other ill-treatment, expression, religion, privacy, and individual
autonomy, among others. The code is discriminatory on its face, and violates
many rights of women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
people, among others.
The punishments provided under the new code violate customary international law
prohibitions against torture and other ill-treatment, as reflected in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and treaties to which Brunei is party,
such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The use of stoning or
intentional amputation as a punishment violates the absolute prohibition of all
forms of torture, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or
punishment.
The United Nations Human Rights Committee has said in its General Comment No.
36 that “under no circumstances can the death penalty ever be applied as a
sanction against conduct” that is protected by international law, including
adultery and homosexuality. Retaining the death penalty for such “offenses” is
a form of arbitrary deprivation of life and violates Brunei’s international
legal obligations.
The code also imposes the death penalty for some forms of robbery and rape, and
for insult or defamation of the Prophet Mohammad (articles 63, 76, 220) by both
Muslims and non-Muslims. This is inconsistent with the international principle
that the death penalty should be reserved for only “the most serious crimes,”
namely those involving intentional killing.
How does Brunei’s Sharia Penal Code Violate Freedom of Expression?
The new Sharia penal code punishes both Muslims and non-Muslims for printing,
disseminating, importing, broadcasting, and distributing publications against
Islamic beliefs (articles 213, 214, and 215). This is an excessive and
disproportionate restriction on the rights to freedom of expression and
religion.
The law also punishes “indecent” dressing and cross-dressing (articles 197,
198), which arbitrarily restricts freedom of expression and association and
privacy rights, and constitutes a form of discrimination on the basis of gender
expression.
How Does Brunei’s Sharia Penal Code Harm Women, LGBT People, and Children?
The Sharia penal code sets up serious barriers for Muslim women to escape
violent marriages or seek equal employment opportunities. It criminalizes
anyone who prevents a legally married Muslim couple living together or
“entices” married Muslim women to leave their matrimonial home and similarly,
punishes those who leave the custody of their parents or guardians. The law
also punishes Muslim women for pregnancy outside of marriage (article 94).
However, the attorney general’s order of December 29, 2018, exempted article 94
from immediate implementation starting on April 3.
The code makes consensual same-sex acts illegal and punishable by death or by
whipping. It institutionalizes discrimination against lesbian, gay, and
bisexual people in its most severe form. At a time when many countries are
decriminalizing consensual same-sex conduct, Brunei is joining seven countries
that punish consensual homosexual acts with the death penalty. The law also
attempts to legislate transgender people out of existence by prohibiting
dressing in the attire associated with a different sex.
The penal code imposes criminal liability and punishment – including stoning,
whipping, and imprisonment – upon children who have obtained puberty, referred
to as baligh under the law. Children deemed old enough to know the difference
between right or wrong, referred to as mumaiyiz under the law and traditionally
interpreted under Sharia to be around age 7, may be punished, including by
whipping. These provisions violate international law, including the rights of
children protected in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, notably
prohibitions against the death penalty, and torture and other ill-treatment.
The penal code also criminalizes any conduct exposing Muslim children to the
beliefs and practices of any religion other than Islam.
Does the Sharia Penal Code Apply to Both Muslims and Non-Muslims?
In some legal systems said to derive from the Quran, Sharia applies only to
Muslims. In contrast, most of the laws in Brunei’s Syariah Penal Code are
applicable to both Muslims and non-Muslims. For example, articles 82 and 84,
punishing liwat, or anal sex between two men or a woman and a man, applies to
both Muslims and non-Muslims. Article 69, punishing zina, or extramarital sex,
and article 92, punishing musahaqah, sexual relations between women, apply in
instances in which the accused persons are 2 Muslims or a Muslim and a
non-Muslim.
Non-Muslims who commit khalwat – living together, cohabiting, or being in close
proximity to another in private – under article 196 will be punished with
imprisonment and a fine.
Anyone who publicly consumes food, drink, or tobacco before sundown during the
month of Ramadan faces imprisonment and a fine under article 195.
(source: Human Rights Watch)
*********************
EU condemns 'cruel' new Brunei laws
The European Union has condemned Brunei's new laws, saying some of the "cruel"
punishments now permitted under a sharia penal code amount to torture and
breach international human rights agreements.
The legislation introduced in Brunei, which includes death by stoning for
adultery and gay sex, as well as amputation of hands and feet for thieves, has
triggered a global criticism from politicians, celebrities and rights groups.
"Some of the punishments foreseen in the criminal code amount to torture, acts
of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment," an EU spokesperson said in a
statement.
The statement said the punishments breached the UN convention against torture,
which Brunei signed up to in 2015.
"It is critical that the government of Brunei-Darussalam ensures that the
implementation of the Penal Code Order does not infringe on human rights and is
fully consistent with all international and regional human rights commitments
and obligations undertaken by Brunei-Darussalam," the statement said, adding
that the EU expected Brunei to maintain its de facto moratorium on executions.
The laws make Brunei - ruled by the all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah - the
1st place in east or southeast Asia to have a sharia penal code at the national
level, joining several mostly Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia.
The decision to push ahead with the punishments after years of delays has
sparked alarm, with the UN labelling them "cruel and inhumane" and celebrities
led by actor George Clooney and pop star Elton John calling for a boycott of
Brunei-owned hotels.
The tough penal code in the tiny country on tropical Borneo island - will fully
come into force following years of delays.
The sultan has shown no sign of backing down despite the criticism, and the
Muslim-majority country issued a statement at the weekend insisting that Brunei
"enforces its own rule of law" and sharia "aims to educate, respect and protect
the legitimate rights of all individuals".
The sultan is due to attend a public event today, and may make an announcement
related to the implementation of the laws.
The sultan - who is one of the world's wealthiest men and lives in a vast,
golden-domed palace - announced plans for the penal code in 2013 and the first
phase was introduced the following year.
This included less stringent penalties, such as fines or jail terms for
offences including indecent behaviour, failure to attend Friday prayers, and
out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
A series of well-known figures have lined up to add to their names to the
chorus of condemnation, including former US vice president Joe Biden and
actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director for Human Rights Watch, said: "This kind
of law doesn't belong in the 21st century. It's going to be something that will
turn Brunei into a human rights pariah."
The sultan, who is the world's second-longest reigning monarch, is unlikely to
change course, however. He first called for the penal code in the late 1990s
and it appears to enjoy broad support in the former British protectorate of
about 400,000 people.
Analysts say he is seeking to burnish his Islamic credentials and shore up
support among the country's conservatives due to the waning fortunes of the
oil-dependent economy, which has been badly hit by recession in recent years.
It is also unclear whether death by stoning will actually be implemented, as a
high burden of proof is needed to hand down the punishment and Brunei has not
executed anyone for decades.
(source: rte.ie)
*********************
Oxford University refuses to strip Sultan of Brunei’s degree over gay death
penalty law
Oxford University has ignored calls from its student union to strip the Sultan
of Brunei of his honorary degree over the country’s implementation of sharia
law, which makes gay sex punishable by death by stoning.
The Southeast Asian country has been widely condemned by human rights groups
and celebrities alike for its draconian legislation, which came into force on
Wednesday (April 3).
Oxford University awarded Brunei sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who has ruled over
the country both as head of state and prime minister since 1967, an honorary
degree of civil law by diploma in 1993. But the institute has come under
pressure from its official student body to take back the academic honour.
Speaking to PinkNews, Ellie Macdonald, vice-president of welfare and equal
opportunity at Oxford University Student Union, said: “All honorary doctorates
should reflect the ethos of the University.
“We want to create a safe and inclusive society for all and the people who
receive this type of honour should be held to a high standard.
“If they fail to meet that, as in this case, they should be stripped of their
honour.”
The top university, however, has refused to strip the sultan of the honorary
degree.
“At present, the University will not be rescinding the Sultan of Brunei’s 1993
Honorary Degree of Civil Law by Diploma,” a University of Oxford spokesperson
told PinkNews.
“We share the international condemnation of Brunei’s new penal code and back
the United Nations’ call to stop the code entering into force.”
In 2016, the University of Oxford came under fire after it refused to remove a
statue of British imperialist Cecil Rhodes from Oriel College.
Aberdeen University says it will review Brunei sultan’s honorary degree
Oxford University’s statement comes after the University of Aberdeen in
Scotland, which awarded the sultan an honorary degree in 1995, said that it
would review the academic honour in light of the country’s new anti-gay
legislation.
A University of Aberdeen spokesperson told PinkNews: “The University of
Aberdeen is inclusive and open to all.
“In light of this new information this matter will be raised as a matter of
urgency with the University’s Honorary Degrees Committee.”
Bolkiah also has honorary degrees from King’s College London, Moscow State
University for International Relations, Chulalongkorn University of Thailand,
Universitas Gadjah Mada, National University of Singapore and Universitas
Indonesia.
The introduction of the strict Islamic legal system of sharia law in Brunei, a
former British protected state, will also impose the death penalty for
adultery, amputation for those found guilty of theft, and flogging for
abortion.
Brunei, which sits on the island of Borneo, first announced its intention to
introduce sharia law in 2013.
Celebrities including George Clooney and Ellen DeGeneres have condemned the
legislation, alongside humanitarian organisations.
UK government warns Britons travelling to Brunei
The UK government, meanwhile, has warned LGBT+ British citizens travelling to
Brunei.
In a statement released on March 29, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said
that it was concerned by the Southeast Asian country’s draconian legislation,
which will see the country implement sharia law on April 3.
“Corporal and capital punishment goes against our national values and has been
banned in the United Kingdom for decades,” a Foreign and Commonwealth Office
spokesperson told PinkNews.
“The Minister for Asia and High Commissioner have raised their concerns in
person, and we have updated the travel advice to warn British citizens of the
new local laws in Brunei.”
(source: pinknews.co.uk)
IRAN:
Iran Human Rights Monitor Monthly Report – March 2019
Death penalty
There were 15 executions of which one was carried out in public.
On Thursday, March 14, 2019, a prisoner was publically hanged in Jahrom, south
of Iran.
Also on Monday, March 11, three prisoners in Birjand Prison, northeastern Iran,
charged with killing 2 armed agents of the regime, were also executed. Two of
those executed were father and son.
A day prior to that, the Iranian regime executed another prisoner in Zahedan
Central Prison, southeastern Iran. He was married and a father of 2 children.
Some sources have mentioned that he was a former member of Iran’s national
kickboxing team.
These executions were carried out after Ebrahim Raisi, one of the men in charge
of the mass executions in 1988 massacre, was recently appointed as the head of
Iran’s judiciary by the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
During his speech at the inauguration ceremony, Raisi emphasized on the course
of massacre, execution, and suppression to safeguard the regime in the past 40
years. He said that he would consider Khamenei’s recent “2nd phase” statement
as his covenant and that the regime’s security is his absolute priority and
that justice is subsidiary compared to it.
(source: Iran Human Rights)
SAUDI ARABIA:
EU opposes capital punishment in Saudi Arabia----Foreign policy chief Mogherini
says it is ‘cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent’
EU foreign policy chief Tuesday said the bloc opposes capital punishments in
Saudi Arabia where the number this year passed 45.
"The European Union is unequivocally opposed to the use of capital punishment
in all cases and without exception," Federica Mogherini said in an official
statement.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia executed in the past days four people convicted
for drug trafficking offenses. These recent executions bring the number of
people put to death since January 2019 to over 45," she said.
Mogherini said capital punishment is a "cruel and inhumane punishment, which
fails to act as a deterrent.”
Saudi Arabia has been under increasing pressure for its detention of political
prisoners and activists, and in recent months the pressure has grown
considerably after claims that female activists being detained are subject to
lashings and electric shocks.
Moreover, the kingdom is under heavy scrutiny following the murder of Saudi
journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last October.
It is believed Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the killing of the
Washington Post journalist. The government admitted Khashoggi was killed in a
fight with “rogue” agents but contend the royal court had nothing to do with
it.
(source: aa.com.tr)
IRAQ:
Who are the 12 accused French jihadists to be tried by Iraq?
Iraq will try 12 French nationals accused of fighting for the Islamic State
group, who were caught by US-backed fighters in neighbouring Syria and
transferred to Baghdad in February.
No court date has been set, but the suspects will be tried according to Iraq's
counterterrorism law -- which can dole out the death penalty to anyone who
joined a "terrorist" group, even if they were not explicitly fighting.
Below are profiles of the 12 detainees, according to an Iraqi security
official, the French Terrorism Analysis Center (CAT) and other sources compiled
.
Leonard Lopez
Even before IS, 32-year-old Leonard Lopez was known to French authorities for
his activity on Francophone jihadist website Ansar al-Haqq in the 2000s.
In July 2015, the native Parisian travelled with his wife and 2 children to
IS-held Mosul in northern Iraq before entering Syria, according to French
investigators.
Lopez, known as Abu Ibrahim al-Andalusi after joining IS, was sentenced in
absentia in 2018 for his involvement in Ansar al-Haqq but is a lso wanted on
other charges.
Kevin Gonot
Kevin Gonot, 32, entered Syria through Turkey to join IS rival and former
Al-Qaeda branch Al-Nusra Front, according to a "confession" published by Iraq's
judiciary.
He then pledged allegiance to IS, fighting under the name Abu Sufyan, before
being arrested in Syria with his mother, wife, and half-brother Thomas
Collange, 31.
He said his father was killed in IS's de facto Syrian capital, Raqa.
French courts have already sentenced Gonot in absentia to 9 years in prison,
according to CAT.
Fodil Tahar Aouidate
Fodil Tahar Aouidate, 32, made a first trip to Syria in 2013 and returned in
2014 to join IS, according to the French judiciary.
After 130 people were killed in IS's 2015 Paris attacks, Aouidate appeared in a
video saying it was his "great pleasure and joy to see these unbelievers suffer
as we suffer here."
Authorities also linked him to Belgium's Salafist movement, including the Paris
attacks mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud.
France convicted 2 of Aouidate's sisters for "financing terrorism" for sending
15,000 euros to relatives in Syria.
Mustapha Merzoughi
A former French army soldier, Mustapha Merzoughi told Iraqi interrogators he
joined IS after "research on social media and websites by IS and Al-Nusra
Front".
He travelled to Aleppo in northern Syria for "religious and military training"
then pledged allegiance to IS in Mosul.
Merzoughi, who is of Tunisian origin, hails from Toulouse -- also the hometown
of Fabien and Jean-Michel Clain, who notoriously claimed the Paris attacks and
were killed in Baghouz, IS's last bastion in east Syria.
Yassin Sakkam
Yassin Sakkam, 29, left France in late 2014 to fight with IS, posting online
pictures of himself carrying arms and speaking to multiple media outlets about
IS.
France has been seeking his arrest since 2016 and Kurdish authorities detained
him in Syria in 2017.
His brother Karim committed a suicid e attack at the Iraqi-Jordanian border in
2015, according to CAT.
Karam el-Harchaoui
Karam el-Harchaoui, 32, left for Syria in 2014 from Belgium. According to
Belgian daily HLN, his younger brother and their Belgian wives were also IS
members.
Salim Machou
At 41, Salim Machou was a member of the infamous Tariq ibn Ziyad brigade, "a
European foreign terrorist fighter cell" that carried out attacks in Iraq and
Syria and planned the Paris and Brussels attacks, according to US officials.
Vianney Ouraghi
Vianney Ouraghi, 28, left France for Syria in 2013 and joined Al-Nusra, before
jumping to IS when the latter declared its "caliphate" in 2014, according to
CAT.
Of Algerian origin, Ouraghi told his Iraqi interrogators that he had abandoned
studies in psychology in France after "having been persuaded to join IS through
social media".
He admitted undergoing religious and military training and was also present at
"a foreign fighter shelter in Mosul".
Brahim Nejara
Brahim Nejara, 33, was involved in IS's foreign fighter operations, according
to CAT.
He helped foreign fighters join IS in Syria, persuaded one of his brothers to
commit an attack in France, and was associated with Foued Mohamed-Aggad, one of
the suicide bombers at the Bataclan theatre in the 2015 Paris attacks.
Bilel Kabaoui
This 32-year-old hails from Sevres, around Paris, and travelled to IS territory
in the summer of 2014, said CAT.
Mohammed Berriri
At 24, Mohammed Berriri worked with IS across various Syrian provinces,
according to CAT, who did not specify whether he had spent time in Iraq with
the group.
Iraq's prime minister, Adel Abdel Mahdi, has hinted that Baghdad may try
foreigners who have never fought in Iraq, saying his authorities had been
pursuing some who "provided logistical support to those in Iraq, because as you
know the battlefields became one."
- Mourad Delhomme - Mourad Delhomme, 40, is of Algerian origin and was arrested
around a year ago in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor, according to the CAT.
CAT describes him as a "jihadist veteran who worked as a judge" in IS courts,
which regularly doled out harsh punishments including death sentences and
lashings to anyone who violated the group's ultra-conservative rules.
(source: al-monitor.com)
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