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The HFHR presented the Minister of Justice with an opinion on the draft law amending the Code of Criminal Procedure, dated 5 June 2012. The project in its current shape is designed to significantly modify the essence of criminal litigation. So far, the court has played a key role in criminal evidentiary proceedings. However, the draft amendment places the burden of going forward with evidence onto the parties to the proceedings.

Three members of a feminist punk band Pussy Riot were sentenced this week to two years in prison for performing a song against President Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral in February.

Супрацоўнікі КДБ праяўляюць цікавасць не толькі да перадвыбарчых працэсаў у Беларусі, але адсочваюць і сайты праваабарончай тэматыкі. Па адным з арткулаў, што з’явіўся на сайце spring96.org, дапыталі Прэзідэнта Беларускага Дома правоў чалавека Таццяну Равяку.

An Indonesian group calling itself “People’s Care for Rohingya” has been protesting in front of the Myanmar’s embassy in the capital Jakarta against the violence and discrimination against the Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar.

In a surprise move, Mohamed Morsi, first democratically elected Egyptian president, retired the powerful defence minister, Field Marshal Tantawi, and armed forces chief of staff Sami Anan, and scrapped a constitutional document that gave the military legislative and other powers.

4 August 2012 marked one year since the arrest of Ales Belyatsky, a Belarusian human rights activist. Ales Belyatsky was arrested after Polish and Lithuanian prosecutors had provided Belarussian authorities with details of his private bank accounts, used to receive funds for victims of political repression in Belarus. Mr Belyatsky was sentenced to four and a half years in a high-security colony and property forfeiture.

Civic and political activists face increasing discrimination on political grounds in the run-up to parliamentary elections which are to be held in Belarus on 23 September. Nominees from opposition parties and NGOs are denied the right to be included in the election commissions’ staff.

Перад выбарамі, што пройдуць у Беларусі 23 верасня, палітычныя і грамадскія актывісты ўсё часцей сутыкаюцца з дыскрымінацыяй па палітычных матывах. Вылучэнцам ад апазіцыйных партый і грамадскіх аб’яднанняў адмаўляюць у праве быць уключанымі ў склад участковых камісій.

Four months ago, a reporter for the weekly Uralskaya Nedelya was attempted murder victim. This week another opposition journalist suffered attempt on his life in the Kazakh capital Astana. The situation in the country is worrying as dissident journalists can expect censorship, arrest, intimidation and attacks.