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Members of the Human Rights House Network are alarmed by recent reports of abductions of youth activists in the Republic of Belarus. These incidents appear to be a new and intimidating tool for harassment of Belarusian activists, who in an organised manner or independently demonstrate their opposition to the rule of the government of Republic of Belarus. As such, they represent a violation of the freedom of expression as well as the right to assembly and association.

Сябры Сеткі Дамоў правоў чалавека занепакоеныя паведамленнямі аб ажыццяўленні выкраданняў маладзёвых актывістаў, якія адбываліся ў Беларусі апошнім часам. Выкраданні з’яўляюцца новым інструментам запалохвання актывістаў, якія арганізавана і адкрыта становяцца ў апазіцыю да цяперашніх беларускіх уладаў. Ціск на іх – гэта парушэнне свабоды слова, права на свабоду сходаў і аб’яднанняў.

Members of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders applaud the Concluding Observations on Republic of Azerbaijan issued by the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) on 19 November 2009. We observe that many of the main concerns raised by Azerbaijani members of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders and the Human Rights House Foundation during the review of Republic of Azerbaijan in November 2009 have been reflected in CAT’s concluding observations.

Members of the Norwegian Human Rights House urge the Iranian authorities to respect the dignity and work of the human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner 2003, Shirin Ebadi. We ask the authorities to return the confiscated award and put an end to all kind of repression against the highly respected human rights defender and her relatives.

The United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of State of Eritrea took place on Monday 30 November 2009. As you know, a coalition of Eritrean Diaspora communities submitted a joint report for this occasion. The coalition consisted of Eritrean Australian Mercy Association Inc., Eritrean Community in Australia Inc., Eritrean Global Solidarity, Network of Eritrean Civil Societies – Europe, and Suwera Center for Human Rights. The Awate Foundation coordinated the coalition’s work and submitted the report on its behalf. The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) provided technical and editorial assistance and facilitated the advocacy carried out by representatives of the coalition who were present at the Human Rights Council in Geneva during the review.

Norwegian PEN, the Human Rights House Foundation and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee are alarmed by the information that representatives of Special Operative Department (SOD) of Adjara region within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia have attempted to exert pressure and blackmail Tedo Jorbenadze, head of the investigative reporting team of the “Batumelebi” Newspaper. We call upon the Georgian authorities to promptly investigate both this and previous incidents of pressure on “Batumelebi” and to take all appropriate measures to ensure a safe and enabling environment for all journalists in Georgia.

The members of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders and the Human Rights House Tbilisi are alarmed by the information that representatives of Adjara Autonomous Republic Division of Special Operative Department (SOD) within the Ministry of Interior of Georgia have attempted to exert pressure and blackmail Tedo Jorbenadze, the head of the investigative reporting team of the “Batumelebi” Newspaper. We call upon the Georgian authorities to promptly investigate this and previous incidents of pressure on “Batumelebi” and take all appropriate measures to ensure safe and enabling environment for all journalists in Georgia.

The Human Rights House Foundation, Georgian Human Rights Centre and the Human Rights House in the Republic of Croatia are concerned about the continuous oppression of the freedom of expression in the Croatian media, especially its public services. This is a second Croatian human rights activists’ alert in the year 2009; unfortunately, there was no proper response or elicited activity on the part of the Government or the Croatian Parliament.

Statement by Malahat NASIBOVA, Director of the “Democracy and NGOs Development Resource Centre”; Winner of the 2009 International RAFTO prize for Human Rights.