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In a ground-breaking judgment delivered today, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the libel trial launched by McDonalds against two campaigners who had criticised its social and environmental practices, often referred to as the McLibel case, had been unfair and violated their right to freedom of expression. Article 19 reports. (16-FEB-05)
 
 

The grave human rights and refugees situation in North Korea is addressed at the 6th International Conference that opened in Seoul this week. The Human Rights House Foundation is present, and will co-host the next year´s conference with the Egil Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen. (16-FEB-05)
 

In September 2004 two leaders of entrepreneurs movement, Valery Levanewski and Aliaksandr Vasilyew, were sentenced to 2 years of colony for insult to Aliaksandr Lukashenka. Nevertheless, the pressurization of entrepreneurs is still not over. Several days ago individual entrepreneurs held nationwide strike of protest against the new agreement between the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus as a result of which many of them can lose their jobs and profits.(15-FEB-2005)

According to the minister of information of Republic of Belarus Uladzimir Rusakevich, in 2004 the ministry suspended the issue of 25 mass media and issued about 160 warnings. In his recent interview to “Interfax” agency he also supported the existence of criminal punisment to journalists for insult of honor and dignity of state officials: — Someday, when the level of the political culture of the society will be much higher, this norm will become unnecessary, but it won’t happen quickly.(15-FEB-05)

Belarusian authorities often don’t let the foreigners who have active contacts with public and political activists into the country or deport them. Sometimes even Belarusian citizens aren’t allowed to go abroad, which can be a sign of restoration of the so-called “iron curtain” that existed during the soviet times. Several cases have already taken place during the first two months of 2005.(15-FEB-2005) 

Several months ago the journalist Veranika Charkasava was violently murdered at home. She was stabbed with knife many times. The investigation still treats her son and stepfather as the main suspects, despite of the absence of evidence, and is eager to conduct psychiatric expertise of the journalist´s son Anton Filimonaw.(15-FEB-05) 

Two participants of the events in Kyiv in the end of November — the beginning of January 2004 asked the president of the Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko for political asylum. In their appeals they stated that Belarusian authorities persecute and threaten them. Besides, a criminal case has been already brought against one of the applicants. (15-FEB-2005)

The European Union has expressed its concerns over the conclusions of the February 4 OSCE report on trial monitoring in the Republic of Azerbaijan. “The report shows that in some important respects, the trials fell well short of Azerbaijan’s existing legal requirements and its international commitments on human rights and the rule of law.” The report also called for publication of the results of the investigation into the excessive use of force by security forces during the post-election riots on October 16, 2003. (16-FEB-2005)
 

Several NGOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina want fascist organizations and hate speech to be banned. – The attempts to revise the history and rehabilitate the forces that had been historically defeated in the Second World War, has increased the past few months, the organizations warn. (14-FEB-05)