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Late last year, the BiH Parliament ruled that the Communication’s Regulatory Agency – CRA, along with several other regulatory institutions, are to be categorised as administrative units. The decision, still standing, represents a threat to independence of regulatory agencies in BiH, since their classification as administrative units places them under the control of various ministries and the BiH Government.

Harassment of human rights defenders in the Republic of Belarus has not gone unnoticed by the UN Human Rights Council. A report for 2009, produced by the watchdog’s Special Rapporteur, contains concerns about a ‘very restrictive’ environment in which Belarusian human rights defenders are able to operate. The case of Leanid Svetsik, right, duly covered on this website, is given in-depth attention.

Tibetan writer Tagyal (pen-name Shogdung) was arrested on 23 April 2010 in the People´s Republic of China after criticising the authorities in an open letter. Tagyal may be held solely for peacefully exercising his right to free expression which is protected under Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which the People´s Republic of China is a signatory.

12 траўня ў Жэневе адбылося абмеркаванне справаздачы беларускага ўраду ў межах працэдуры Універсальнага перыядычнага агляду ў Савеце па правах чалавека ААН. Пазіцыі афіцыйнага дакладчыка і прадстаўнікоў праваабарончацкага сектару прадказальна адрозніваліся і нават супярэчылі адна адной. Сітуацыю каментуе вядомы беларускі праваабаронца Алесь Бяляцкі, які прысутнічаў на абмеркаванні справаздачы.

ARTICLE 19, the West African Journalists Association and other partners welcome the ECOWAS Commission’s initiative to develop a regional Protocol on the Right to Information, and to involve civil society and media associations in its drafting.

-Kazakhstan, the current chair of The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), does not fully abide with OSCE human rights standards, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Oslo Center say in a mutual statement made in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan on 11 May 2010. The statement follows a new round of talks with foreign minister Saudabayev.

Representatives of the Belarusian NGOs held a number of events on 12 May in Geneva that were connected with the report of the Belarusian authorities within the guidelines of the procedure of the Universal Periodical Review at the UN Human Rights Council.

Камісія па правах чалавека Генеральнай асамблеі ААН выпусціла спецыяльную справаздачу – агляд па сітуацыі праваабаронцаў ў розных краінах на перыяд са снежня 2008 па снежань 2009. У дакладзе знайшлося месца і Беларусі, якая традыцыйна сутыкаецца з праблемамі запалохвання і ціску праваабаронцаў і іх дзейнасці. У дакуменце, у прыватнасці, шмат ўвагі надаецца дзейнасці беларускага праваабаронцы Леаніда Свеціка, які неаднаразова падвяргаўся пераследу.

The Left Party of Sweden (Vänsterpartiet) has recalled its decision to recognise the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), during its 38th Congress, if it wins the September 19 elections together with the Social democratic Party and Green Party, in what is now known as the ‘Red-Green Coalition,’ according to a statement of the Polisario Representation in Sweden.