Latest

The Human Rights House Foundation and Norwegian P.E.N. have requested minister of foreign affairs to protest against the bill to tighten control on Russia’s civil society. In another letter the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Bellona have asked for the same. The law would dramatically restrain Russia’s civil society. They fear the law is aimed at human rights NGOs that are criticizing the government policy in the Chechen Republic. (07-DEC-05)
 

-Why is Republic of Azerbaijan still invited to meetings of the Council of Europe and the UN, while Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe is being banned from international podia? This was one of the central questions during the seminar ‘Azerbaijan after November 6th elections: Still in the Aliev regime’s strong grip’ on November 29 in the Human Rights House in Oslo with Natig Alaskarov, Azerbaijani opposition member in exile, right, and Tural Sardar, son of son of opposition leader Sardar Jalaoglu, left. (07-DEC-05)
 

-Why is Republic of Azerbaijan still invited to meetings of the Council of Europe and the UN, while Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe is being banned from international podia? This was one of the central questions at a seminar at the Human Rights House in Oslo with Natig Alaskarov, Azerbaijani opposition member in exile (right), and Tural Sardar, son of son of opposition leader Sardar Jalaoglu (left). (07-DEC-05)
 

This year has seen the real breakthrough also in Norway of ‘the human library,’ the Norwegian People’s Aid’s initiative to combat prejudice through making representatives of groups often subjected to this available to the public, for instance in schools. Among those ‘borrowed’ to answer questions so far are homosexuals, moslems, hiv-positive, people with eating disorders, blind, wheelchair users and refugees. (04-DEC-05)
 

Ikram Jilani, Imam in World Islamic Mission, right, one of the biggest moslem parishes in Norway, made it clear last month that even if violence against women is incompatible with Islam, certain circumstances permits a man to punish his wife, also through beating. In an interview with the national daily Aftenposten 9 November, Jilani exemplified with a situation where a woman leaves the home to meet other men. (04-DEC-05)
 

On 25 November Tatsiana Khoma, fourth-year student of the international economic relations department of Belarusian State Economic University, found out she was expelled for participation in international student movement, the formal reason being trip to France. Ms. Khoma believes this very fact became the real reason for her expulsion from the university: -The political motivation here is evident for me, she said. (3-DEC-05)
 

In the run-up to Ukraine ’s parliamentary elections in March 2006, ARTICLE 19 has issued a statement, emphasising the importance of impariality during elections and calling for problematic clauses of the new Law on Election of People’s Deputies to be withdrawn. Amidst concern that aspects of the law are not in line with international standards of freedom of expression for elections, the organisation also recommended guidelines to be drawn up on election reporting for the broadcast media. (3-DEC-05)
 

In the run-up to Ukraine’s parliamentary elections in March 2006, ARTICLE 19 has issued a statement, emphasising the importance of impartiality during elections and calling for problematic clauses of the new Law on Election of People’s Deputies to be withdrawn. Amidst concern that aspects of the law are not in line with international standards of freedom of expression for elections, the organisation also recommends guidelines to be drawn up on election reporting for the broadcast media. (02-DEC-05)
 

On 28 November 2005, the trial of the so-called “Zvornik Group” commenced before the War Crimes Chamber in Belgrade. Branko Grujic, Branko Popovic, Dragan Slavkovic, Ivan Korac, Sinisa Filipovic, Dragutin Dragicevic, and Dusko Vuckovic, who died in prison last week, have been accused of murder of at least 22 and forceful deportation of 1822 Bosnian Muslim civilians from the Zvornik municipality. (02-DEC-2005)