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A number of organizations in the Norwegian NGO-forum for Human Rights submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee regarding Norway’s respect of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The report presents alternative information to the Committee regarding the implementation of ICCPR by Norway. The report also suggests recommendations to both Norway and the Committee.

The new amendment to the Law on Police clearly demonstrates the undemocratic trend that Georgian legislation is moving towards. It shrinks the scope of fundamental human rights and freedoms, thus, violates the individual liberty enshrined in the Georgian Constitution.

English PEN calls for the immediate release of all journalists and activists who have been detained in the Republic of Belarus for practising their right to free expression, for the dismissal of all politically-motivated criminal cases, and for a full and proper investigation into the troubling reports of ill-treatment. English PEN calls to take urgent action by writing and sending letters of appeals to Belarusian authorities.

Four candidates for presidential elections in the Republic of Belarus in 2010 – Aliaksei Mikhalevich, Uladzimir Niakliayeu (right), Andrei Sannikov and Mikalai Statkevich – are still in custody along with campaign leaders, relatives and party leaders and activists, Human Rights Center Viasna, partner of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, reports. Several of the prisoners have been severely beaten and in need of medical attention which they are denied.

“An unprecedented wave of violence, intimidation, arrests and prosecution of journalists” – a grim description of situation in the Republic of Belarus after the presidential election by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic. The human rights defenders are doing what they can to oppose the terror campaign towards dissidents and political opponents of the Belarusian government.

Amnesty International Norway has established an International Centre for Human Rights Education in Oslo. The establishment is part of Amnesty International’s efforts to develop centers of expertise, says Vibeke Eikås, head of the new center.

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (“Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka”), the Civil Development Forum Foundation (“Fundacja Forum Obywatelskiego Rozwoju”) and the Polish Business Roundtable (“Polska Rada Biznesu”) has concluded an agreement on cooperation in implementation of the “Better justice system” program aiming to monitor reforms of the justice system in the Republic of Poland.

Lawyers for Lawyers is an organisation that awards fellow lawyers who work to promote the rule of law and human rights in an exceptional way and who have been threatened or obstructed because of their work as a lawyer. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights has recommended Intiqam Aliyev, an Azerbaijani lawyer, for the Award.

2010 was an intensive time for freedom of expression campaigners – Article 19, English PEN and Index on Censorship activists. The three London NGOs did their best to help, release or prevent imprisonment of writers, journalists, and bloggers all over the world. They also awarded the best fighters for freedom of expression. Most of the attention has been paid to the situation in Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of Azerbaijan. Here is a summary of the NGOs’ activities in 2010.