Core international crimes monitor (12/20)

Peter ten Hove
13 januari 2021

This month:

  • Ethiopia
  • Nagorno Karabach
  • Nigeria

Ethiopia

The ongoing conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia raises serious concerns:
  • allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, such as targeting populated areas and civilians, extrajudicial killings and looting;
  • the failure to protect civilians;
  • the mass displacement of civilians;
  • the alleged mass killing of several hundred people, mainly Amharans, in Mai Kadra, on 9 November 2020;
  • limited access for help organisations and UN staff;
  • limited means to verify reports on incidents.

Nagorno Karabach

Disturbing information is coming out of Nagorno Karabach after the armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan between 27 September 2020 and 10 November 2020. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have released reports on their findings.

Amnesty International has reported that both Azerbaijani and Armenian forces committed war crimes. It has analysed and verified 22 videos that depict extrajudicial executions, the mistreatment of prisoners of war and other captives, and desecration of the dead bodies of enemy soldiers. Also Human Rights Watch released a report documenting how Azerbaijani forces had subjected Armenian prisoners of war to physical abuse and humiliation, including beating and slapping. It furthermore documented instances of indiscrimate attacks conducted by both warring parties.

Nigeria

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the killing 76 rice farmers in northern Nigeria. This incident took place in the last weekend of November 2020. The attach is said to be a  retribution for farmers cooperating with the Nigerian military.

On 11 December 2020 a school in the town of Kankara was overrun by militants. Several hundreds students were abducted. A week or so later, 344 students were freed. It remains unclear who was behind the attack, either Boko Haram or local gangs. Several reports suggest that still some students are missing.