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“Bitter accusations and moral blackmail directed at people that hold different opinions, the embarrassing battles waged  through the use of investigative committees, claims to having a monopoly on the truth and moral authority – these are the phenomena that have escalated during the recent months and are the cause of our serious concern. An atmosphere is being created that is conducive to the violation of basic rights” warnes Helsinki Committee in Poland. (24-MAR-06)

Beatrice Mtetwa (pictured right), a prominent media and human rights lawyer working to defend and protect journalists in Zimbabwe, was presented with the Index Law Award on 22 March. Index on Censorship´s annual Freedom of Expression Awards honours journalists, writers, lawyers, campaigners, filmmakers and whistleblowers who have made a significant contribution to free expression over the past year. (24-MAR-06)
 

As the October Square in Minsk, where demonstrators have kept their protest vigil around the clock since the 19 March elections, was, emptied by force earlier today, a similar camp immediately took shape outside the Norwegian Parliament, in solidarity and to keep the momentum of the protests up. www.humanrightshouse.org will be back with further news and background on the camp and its consequences. (24-MAR-06)
 

Beatrice Mtetwa (pictured right), a prominent media and human rights lawyer working to defend and protect journalists in Zimbabwe, was presented with the Index Law Award on 22 March. Index on Censorship´s annual Freedom of Expression Awards honours journalists, writers, lawyers, campaigners, filmmakers and whistleblowers who have made a significant contribution to free expression over the past year. (24-MAR-06)
 

As the October Square in Minsk, where demonstrators have kept their protest vigil around the clock since the 19 March elections, was, emptied by force earlier today, a similar camp immediately took shape outside the Norwegian Parliament, in solidarity and to keep the momentum of the protests up. www.humanrightshouse.org will be back with further news and background on the camp and its consequences. (24-MAR-06)
 

In a letter to Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, HRH, Norwegian PEN and the Norwegian Union of Journalists call on the Norwegian government to take all possible measures against the Belarusian authorities. The past few days Belarusian police has arrested more than 250 people that were taking part in the protest that are taking place on the October Square. Among them are several journalists. (23-MAR-06)
 

After elections 19th of March Central Electoral Committee (CEC) of Republic of Belarus announced Alexander Lukashenko as the reelected president of the country. Opposition did not accept these results and called its adherents for the termless peaceful protest rally. About 20000 people went out to Minsk streets. Up to date about 250 protesting persons were arrested by police.(22-MARCH-06) 

Today, the human rights organisations FIDH and OMCT released an authoritative report on the difficulties human rights defenders faced in 2005. It observes an increasing pressure on the freedom of association and assembly in many parts of world. Colombia remains one of most dangerous countries for human rights defenders to function. No less than 47 defenders were killed in the South American country last year.

After death had found him on 11 March 2006 in his detention cell in The Hague, Slobodan Milosevic (right), a former president of Serbia and the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia was buried in his hometown of Pozarevac on 18 March 2006. Reactions from the region to the death of Slobodan Milosevic varied. While some expressed frustration and regrets that the main player and the mind behind crimes had not lived to be punished by the Tribunal, which led to another case of justice not done, others glorified the personality of Slobodan Milosevic. (21-MAR-06)