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Chernobyl 25 years on – appeal to the WHO and UN
26 April 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe. Gennady Grushevoy, the 1999 Rafto Prize laureate from Belarus, and the organisation ”Children of Chernobyl” mark the event with a peace tour from Belarus to Geneva and candle action.
Fifty Fatullayevs protested the continued detention of Azerbaijani journalist
50 protesters wearing masks bearing the face of jailed Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev gathered opposite the Azerbaijan embassy in London on 20 April, for a demonstration organised by English PEN, Amnesty International UK, Article 19, Index on Censorship and the Media Diversity Institute to mark four years since the arrest of Fatullayev and to call for his immediate and unconditional release of imprisoned.
Human Rights in Conflicts
During times of conflict, the potential for human rights abuses abound, as the normal infrastructure for the protection of rights is disabled and emergencies are declared. Libya is in the throes of a revolution against the Libyan leader, Colonel Qaddafi, whose military maintains what control exists through the use of force. The rebels choose to wage war with the current administration. The UN Human Rights Council decided to take action in this case.
The intervention in Adam Mamilov’s case
The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights appealed to the General Prosecutor in the case of Adam Mamilov, Chechen citizen. The Foundation expressed it’s concern in reference to the cassation to the Supreme Court submitted by the General Prosecutor. The cassation concerns a final sentence in which the extradition of Adam Mamilov from Poland to Russian Federation was found inadmissible.
Belarusian authorities attempt to link human rights activists to terrorism
The deadly blast in the Minsk underground on 11 April has caused growing pressure on journalists and HR defenders in Belarus. Pavel Levinau, right, a partner of the Belarusian Human Rights House from Viciebsk, was among those arrested on 19 April and linked to terrorism by the authorities. The Belarusian Association of Journalists is also voicing concern about the new wave of repressions.
Threats to internet freedom – political censorship and government control over infrastructure
According to a new study by Freedom House, cyber attacks, politically motivated censorship, and government control over internet infrastructure are among the diverse and growing threats to internet freedom. The study ranks all post-Soviet countries except Estonia as partly free or not free. Ethiopia is not free, Kenya is partly free. None of the Balkan countries were analysed.
Улады Беларусі пераблыталі праваабаронцаў з тэрарыстамі
Крывавы тэракт у мінскім метро 11 красавіка становіцца падставай для ўсё мацнейшага ціску на праваабарончую і журналісцкую супольнасць Беларусі. 19 красавіка ў Мінску былі затрыманыя праваабаронцы з Віцебска, якіх улады паспрабавалі звязаць з “тэрарызмам”. Пра новую хвалю рэпрэсій заявіла і Беларуская асацыяцыя журналістаў.
International court delivers justice to victims of war crimes in Croatia
A judgment handed down on 15 April 2011 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) convicting two Croatian generals of responsibility for crimes against humanity is a strong victory for Croatia’s war victims and shows that even the most high-level perpetrators of crimes under international law cannot evade justice.
Seed trade regulations have to respect right to food
On the International Day of Peasants’ Struggle, April 17th, international NGO Fighting Hunger with Human Rights (FIAN) joins millions of peasants in demanding the European Union respect their right to adequate food in the regulation of the seed trade.