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– Norway will extend financial support to civil society in Belarus
Head of the Belarusian coalition of opposition, Aleksandr Milinkevich, right, today met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister of International Development Erik Solheim. The Foreign Minister said that following Milinkevich´s meeting with the Prime Minister yesterday, the Norwegian government agreed to extend the financial support to civil society, human rights organisations and independent media in the Republic of Belarus. He suggested to channel the support through the Norwegian Helsinki Committe, which has worked in the Republic of Belarus for years and has an extensive network of contacts in civil society. (21-APR-06)
Demonstration in Moscow: No to the censorship!
On Sunday, 16 April, in the center of Moscow on Pushkinskaya Square, about 4,000 citizens gathered in a rally against censorship in mass media and in support of freedom of speech. The protest was attended by well-known journalists, most of whom were dismissed from TV and major media outlets for their truthful reports and criticism against the authorities. (21-APR-06)
From revolution to regression: LGBT rights in Eastern Europe
The Czech Republic recently passed a law granting watered-down civil unions for same-sex couples, while officials in the Russian Federation and Republic of Poland banned gay pride festivals. The state of rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Eastern Europe is changing – and not always for the better. (10-APR-06)
Tibetan nun receives the Reebok Human Rights Award
Phuntsog Nyidron, right, a Tibetan nun, has finally received the Reebok Human Rights Award that she was awarded in 1995. Nyidron was released from her 15 years’ term in prison about a month ago and travelled straight to Washington DC to undergo treatment for the torture she has suffered and also receive the prize. -This is very encouraging, says Chungdak Koren, leader of the Norwegian Tibet Committee. (20-APR-06)
EUTCC Appeal
The EU Republic of Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), which is a Rafto Foundation initiated organisation, regrets the recent escalation of violence in the Kurdish regions of Republic of Turkey in the last 10 days. The EUTCC is gravely concerned about human rights violations which have already occurred, and believe many more people are at risk. Rafto Foundation Board Member, Kariane Westrheim, Chair of the EUTCC, was present in Diyarbakir during the unrest and witnessed the situation with her own eyes. (18-APR-2006)
Belarusian presidential candidate visits Norway
The Belarusian presidential candidate Alexander Milinkevich arrived at Oslo Airport Wednesday afternoon together with his wife Inna Kulej and political advisor Andrej Kuselchuk. He was welcomed by Berit Lindeman from the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), right, representatives from the Human Rights House Foundation and the youth devision of the liberal party “Venstre”. Milinkevich is invited to Norway by NHC and will have official meetings with the Norwegian authorities during his 3 days visit. (19-APR-06)
Museveni’s press censorship goes global
The Norwegian Council for Africa, an organisation HRH has fruitfully co-operated with on several occasions, recently received a reprimanding email from Robert Kabushenga, right, press officer at President Museveni´s offices in Kampala. Stop quoting from the Monitor, is the bottom line of the message. The Monitor, of course, is Uganda´s best known independent newspaper.
Department of Ideology Closes “Nasha Niva” Down
Right before the Easter “Nasha Niva” got a letter from Minsk city executive committee. It has it: “the allocation of “Nasha Niva” in Minsk is not appropriate”. The motivation is as follows: “… it has been ascertained … that the 22th of March the editor-in-chief of “Nasha Niva” was put under administrative arrest for 10 days”. (18-APR-06)
Belarusian Department of Ideology closes down the newspaper Nasha Niva
Right before Easter, the Belarusian newspaper Nasha Niva received a letter from the Executive Committee of the city of Minsk, which stated that “the allocation of Nasha Niva in Minsk wasn’t appropriate.” The motivation was that “on 22 March, the editor-in-chief of Nasha Niva was put under administrative arrest for 10 days”. This editor-in-chief, Andrej Dynko, right in the middle, was detained while getting off a bus on 21 March, at the time of the post-election protests. Later he was convicted of “foul language”. Here, the newspaper’s editorial board makes an appeal. (18-APR-06)