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After the disputed presidential elections of last October, the Norwegian Ambassador to Republic of Azerbaijan Steinar Gil has faced vicious attack from pro-government media, government officials and parliamentary deputies of the ruling New Republic of Azerbaijan Party, as a result of his open support for democracy, human rights and tortured opposition figures. (16 July 2004)

Azerbaijan’s main opposition Musavat (Equality) party demanded in a statement issued last Saturday that new presidential elections be held in the country. (15 July 2004)

Acting Chechen President Sergei Abramov narrowly escaped injury in a bomb attack in Grozny on Tuesday. One person was killed and another two were injured when an explosive device was set off on Tuesday in the Leninsky region of Grozny near acting Chechen President Sergei Abramov´s convoy. Abramov was not injured. (13-JULY-04)
 

Following the Azerbaijan´s fraud presidential election of last fall hundreds of opposition party activists were arrested or tortured, while some have left the country due to unbearable pressures and persecutions because of the political views. The seven opposition leaders, who are among these arrested people, went on hunger strike Tuesday. (13 July 2004)

NGO´s in the Republic of Croatia must now pay value added tax (VAT) on all foreign donations they receive. This recent government decision undermines the very exixtence of NGO´s in the Republic of Croatia.  (-13-JULY-04)
 
 

At the recent IFEX AGM in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, 31 member organizations signed a letter urging UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to move the next session of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), due to take place in Tunisia in November 2005, unless Tunisia makes substantial progress on respect for freedom of expression.  Norwegian PEN was one of the 31 organizations. (13-JULY-04)
 

NGO´s in Croatia must now pay value added tax (VAT) on all foreign donations they receive. This recent government decision threatens the very existence of NGO´s in the Republic of Croatia. (13-JULY-2004)
 
 

At the recent IFEX AGM in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, 31 member organizations signed a letter urging UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to move the next session of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), due to take place in Tunisia in November 2005, unless Tunisia makes substantial progress on respect for freedom of expression.  Norwegian PEN was one of the 31 organizations. (13-JULY-04)
 

The Federation of Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Organizations, which includes 6 famous human rights organizations, on Thursday expressed dismay over the authorities’ forcible evection of the Juma mosque congregation from the mosque of the same name. (13-JULY-2004)