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Launch: The Stand 4 Human Rights Defenders campaign will promote dialogue between civil society organisations and EU actors, to identify practical actions for the EU to implement in order to improve its work for human rights defenders (HRDs).

On 10 November, over 70 States questioned Georgia’s human rights record at the UPR review. Progress in certain areas was acknowledged by most, whilst worries in some key areas, such as gender equality and violence against women and torture in detention facilities, were raised by many, echoing the submissions made by civil society in view of this review.

Беларускія карыстальнікі сацыяльных сетак распачалі акцыю ў падтрымку праваабаронцаў, якім на рэгулярнай аснове ладзілі дадатковыя праверкі пры перасячэнні мяжы. Старшыня Дзяржаўнага памежнага камітэта пракаментаваў зварот, назваўшы яго спробай аказання ціску на службовых асоб у пунктах пропуску.

The authorities in Azerbaijan have failed to silence and control all of PACE’s international observation mission, as they have done so effectively with the opposition within the country.

The Human Rights House Network marks November 2nd, the International Day to End Impunity, by demanding justice for all journalists who have been killed because of their work, and calling for the removal of impunity to create safer environments for journalists to operate in.

Baku Court on Grave Crimes finished discussion of the case against Khadija Ismaylova, Azerbaijani journalist, on September 1, 2015. Judge Ramen Alakhvediev sentenced the journalist to imprisonment for 7.5 years. Ismaylova and her lawyers state the charges brought against her were fabricated and they would appeal the verdict at the Appeal Court. Appeal trial into the case scheduled on October 29, 2015 was postponed; on the one hand it was lawful but also vague decision.

In September 2015 a unique book was published: from the experience of the Belarusian human rights defenders it shows that international legal standards in the field of human rights can “work” even in a country such as Belarus.

Aliaksandr Lukashenka has begun his fifth five-year term. The final statistics of voting, announced by the Central Election Commission (83.5% for Lukashenka), were not surprising.
In contrast to the large-scale protests that took place in Belarus following the 2010 elections, these results were met with an apprehensive trickle of discontent consisting of a mere few hundred people who walked through the streets of Minsk and finished their protest with a prayer. Experts predict the end of the short-term thaw and the return to the pre-election regime of repressions and economic stagnation.

HRHN fears PACE’s election observation mission to Azerbaijan risks government control and unduly legitimising an illegitimate election.