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On March 2nd, the well-known Russian reporter Ivan Safronov from “Kommersant” newspaper died under obscure circumstances in Moscow. Investigators considered suicide the most likely explanation of Safronov’s death. Safronov´s relatives and colleagues doubt that he could have committed suicide and will conduct their own investigation. (13-MAR-07)
 

Join the letter that is being sent to the UN Secretary General regarding the respect for the fundamental rights to self-determination of the Saharawi people. Campaign is launched by Western Sahara Task Force and Belgian Committee of Support to the Saharawi People. (12-MAR-07)

Ablikim Abdiriyim, son of Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer, has been tried in secret, reports Amnesty International. Ablikim is reportedly very ill as a result of beatings suffered in detention, and continues to be denied access to the medical treatment he needs. Ablikim was reportedly tried on January 28, 2007 on the charges of “subversion of state power”, “ethnic separatism” and “sending information over the internet to Ms. Kadeer”. (12-MAR-07)
 

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) left today on a fact-finding mission to Kosovo to investigate the human rights situation prior to the decision on the future status of Kosovo, expected to be ade later this year. In recent months, unrest has increased in the province. 10 February, the police killed two persons while breaking up a deminstration. (12-MAR-07)
 

Today, 10 March, marks the anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against the Chinese occupation of Tibet. 48 years ago to the day, Tibetans took to the streets of Lhasa, their capital, to protest the Chinese invasion and occupation. A week later, Dalai Lama had to flee to India. In the months following his escape, thousands of Tibetans were killed by the Chinese Army. Right, demonstrators outside the Chinese Embassy demanding a free Tibet. (10-MAR-07)
 

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights invites everyone to visit its “film library”. The HFHR has decided to make the educational films regarding human rights and liberties produced by the Foundation, or with its considerable contribution, available to public. (09-MAR-07)

-Women are tortured and raped. And we have no legal protection, said Aminatou Haidar, right, who celebrated the international Women´s Day in Bergen. The Sahrawi human rights activist addressed the great differences in how the day is marked in Norway and back home in Western Sahara. -Here, you can demonstrate and celebrate in peace and freedom. In Western Sahara, women and youth will be beaten up by the Moroccan occupation forces if we take to the streets to demonstrate. (09-MAR-07)
 

Amnesty International is seriously concerned about the sentencing on 6 March of two Sahrawi human rights defenders, Brahim Sabbar and Ahmed Sbai, to one year in prison by a court in Laayoune. The organization believes that they have been imprisoned for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and may therefore be prisoners of conscience. If this is the case, they should be released immediately and unconditionally. (09-MAR-07)
 

Instead of 8 March speeches and carnations, due to the fact that violence against women is our bitter and almost normal everyday practice, the Centre “Woman and Society” urges, in their letter yesterday, the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the public to proclaim: Zero tolerance of violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina! (08-MAR-07)