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The winners of the 11th annual Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards we announced on 24 March in London. This year much attention was paid to those who struggle against censorship and promote freedom of expression, transparency, human rights and democratic change.

Human Rights Centre “Viasna” protests against the “black list” of people of art, forbidden to be mentioned in Belarusian state media. According to the information from independent sources, people on the list – both national and foreign artists, such as Pet Shop Boys, Jude Law, Lyapis Trubetskoy, right, happened to be out of favour with the Belarusian authorities.

The Helsinki Foundation For Human Rights appealed to the Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez concerning the situation of political prisoners in Belarus. According to the Polish and international media reports, individuals being in opposition to Alexander Lukashenko, are victimized, imprisoned, put on trial. This takes place with no respect of international human rights’ protection standards, such as absolute prohibition of torture.

Праваабарончы цэнтр “Вясна” пратэстуе супраць “чорнага спісу” дзеячоў культуры, згадваць пра якіх у дзяржаўных СМІ Беларусі забараняецца. Па звестках СМІ, у спіс трапілі асобы, няўгодныя беларускім уладам па палітычных прычынах, у тым ліку папулярныя беларускія і замежныя творцы, такія як Pet Shop Boys, Джуд Лоў, “Ляпіс Трубяцкой” (на фота).

Since 1946, Polish law has entitled those deprived of their possession after World War II to compensation. Poland continuously failed to implement this provision. Experts believe that Poland may soon be forced to award compensation to all the persons entitled to it. The legal basis is provided for in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Today representatives of many international human rights organisations, including members of the Human Rights House Network, addressed president of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite to take leadership in advocating for the release of political prisoners in Belarus. Human Rights Watch in its new report tells about a post-election crackdown in Belarus, mistreatments, pressures on relatives and lawyers.

On 13 March, Azerbaijani courts sentenced at least 30 people who took part in peaceful protests on 11and 12 March to between 5 and 8 days in prison. The trials were closed to the public. The rallies, in the wake of the mass protests in the Middle East, protested government corruption and called for the Azerbaijan leadership to resign.

A statement by 45 UN member-states on the situation in Belarus was presented during the session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 14 March. The authors voiced concerns regarding repressions against the political opposition, reports about intimidation of lawyers and torture of prisoners. The Belarusian side responded to the statement with accusations and denial of dialogue.

On March 16, Human Rights Center Memorial published a comprehensive report covering political repression in Uzbekistan in the period 2009-2010. It shows that country has no legal opposition or independent media, civil society and religious communities are subject to severe pressure from the side of the authorities. Political repression is an inherent part of government policy and torture is practiced systematically.