International
Ecuadorian Ombudsman’s Office reports violent deaths of prisoners in prisons under military control
The Ombudsman’s Office of Ecuador issued a statement where it reported cases of violent deaths of prisoners in prisons under military control “with signs of alleged torture,” as well as warnings of deaths of prisoners due to malnutrition.
This report was issued by the Ombudsman’s Office after a judge ordered this institution to investigate the allegations of human rights violations filed by non-governmental organizations during the militarization of prisons ordered by the Government of President Daniel Noboa in the framework of the “internal armed conflict” that he declared against organized crime.
According to its report, the Ombudsman’s Office counted 24 deaths of prisoners in various prisons in the country between February 9 and March 7, 2024, “by natural deaths and in other cases by violent deaths, with indications of alleged torture. Likewise, there are alerts of the death of PPL (persons deprived of liberty) with signs of malnutrition.”
That record corresponds to the first of the three months that the state of emergency that Noboa decreed at the national level against criminal gangs lasted, and whose declaration of “internal armed conflict” remains in force, with which the Government has come to name these groups as terrorists and non-state belligerent actors.
“From the information collected by family members, people deprived of liberty, the media and civil society, the increase in deaths in the CPL (centers of deprivation of liberty) was identified, they are in the custody of the Armed Forces,” said the Ombudsman’s Office.
The institution that ensures the fulfillment of fundamental rights in Ecuador pointed out that it is constantly monitoring the prisons of the provinces of Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo, Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha (whose capital is Quito), Cotopaxi, Sucumbíos and Napo, in which the food service was suspended since May 1.
Likewise, it echoed the journalistic reports that warn that the suspension of the food service will be extended to the province of Guayas, whose capital is Guayaquil, where the largest prison complex in the country is located, which with about 12,000 inmates, approximately a third of the country’s prison population.
“The authorities were aware of the possible risk of incidents in the centers due to food problems,” said the Ombudsman’s Office.
The SOS Cárceles Ecuador platform denounced the alleged death of an inmate from the Latacunga prison, in the province of Cotopaxi, for alleged malnutrition, information that so far has not been confirmed nor denied by the National Service of Integral Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI), the State’s prison agency.
The Government has attributed the suspension of the food service to an alleged link of the supplier company to organized crime, while the company has pointed out in the media that it registers a significant State debt.
In some prisons, the relatives of the prisoners have organized themselves to collect donations and provide food to their imprisoned relatives.
Ecuador’s prisons are one of the epicenters of Ecuador’s violence crisis, as many of them are under the control of criminal gangs, so Noboa went on to militarize them when he decreed a state of emergency at the national level at the beginning of the year.
Between 2020 and 2023, more than 500 prisoners were murdered within them, most of them in a series of bloody prison massacres due to disputes between rival gangs.
These gangs, mainly dedicated to drug trafficking, are credited with the swell of violence that plagues Ecuador and that has led it to be among the first countries in Latin America with the most homicides, with a rate of 47 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, according to the Ecuadorian Observatory of Organized Crime (OECO).
So far Noboa has closed ranks around state forces in the face of allegations of human rights violations during what the head of state has called a “war” on organized crime.
On Monday, the Deputy Minister of Government, Esteban Torres, rejected the letter sent by the organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) to Noboa in which he expressed to him that his evaluations of that first state of emergency determined that the declaration of “internal armed conflict” is not sufficiently motivated and that that measure contributed to serious human rights violations.
International
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
The Chinese government emphasized on Monday the importance of “creating the conditions to return to the proper path of dialogue” between Iran and Israel, which have exchanged attacks in recent days resulting in more than 20 Israeli and over 220 Iranian deaths.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep concern at a press conference over the Israeli attacks on Iran and the “sudden escalation” of the military conflict.
Guo called on all parties to “take immediate measures to ease tensions and prevent the region from descending into further turmoil,” stating that “force cannot bring lasting peace.”
“If the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify or even expand, the countries of the Middle East will be the first to suffer the consequences,” he added, while noting that China “will continue to maintain communication with the relevant parties, promoting peace and dialogue.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke last Saturday with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to condemn the Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, which he described as a “violation of international law” with the potential to trigger “disastrous” consequences.
In both calls, Wang reiterated China’s rejection of the use of force, defended diplomacy as the only solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, and offered China’s mediation to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.
International
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Sunday the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the main suspect in the killing of Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in a Brooklyn Park suburb on Friday night.
Boelter, who also reportedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday morning, was apprehended in Sibley County following an intensive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers.
In a public statement, Governor Walz condemned Boelter’s “unthinkable actions,” which resulted in the death of a woman who “shaped the core of who we are as a state.”
“We cannot become numb to this. We are a deeply divided nation,” Walz said in a statement posted on his X account.
“We move forward not with hatred or violence, but with humility, grace, and civility,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, Walz said the entire state of Minnesota is in mourning. He also thanked law enforcement for their bravery and professionalism: “They have saved lives,” he emphasized.
“As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz concluded. “We must honor Melissa by moving forward with understanding, service, and above all, humanity.”
Throughout Sunday, police and sheriff units searched a rural area in Minnesota for Vance Luther Boelter, a security company director and preacher who, according to Governor Walz, acted out of politically motivated violence.
International
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Approximately 40,000 tourists are stranded in Israel following the closure of the country’s airspace amid escalating hostilities with Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported on Monday.
The ministry has set up a virtual office to provide information via email (virtual@goisrael.gov.il) and phone (+972-53-583-5808), as well as a Facebook page called Israel Virtual Tourist Office.
Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz is in contact with hotels and accommodations across the country to offer support to tourists in need, the ministry added.
Many stranded travelers are considering crossing overland into Jordan or Egypt to seek flights from those countries. The Israel Airports Authority reminded the public that land border crossings remain open.
Three German tourists stranded in Jerusalem told EFE today that they have not received any assistance from their country’s embassy in Israel, and their primary option currently is to cross into Jordan to catch a flight from there.
Since early Friday morning, Israel launched operations against Iran, targeting military personnel and infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities, as well as numerous residential areas in Tehran.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have struck various locations across the country, leaving at least 24 dead so far, according to Israeli authorities.
Iranian health officials report at least 224 deaths, mostly civilians, including at least 17 senior military officials—nine from the Revolutionary Guard—and more than a dozen nuclear scientists.
The Israeli military has warned that many more “targets” remain, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared on Monday that it will continue missile attacks against Israel until its “destruction.”
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
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