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On 16 April the documentary film “The Gang”, telling about the disappeared Belarusian politicians and journalists, was screened in Vilnius. The screening was followed by the discussion with the film’s producer and well-known Belarusian human rights defender Ms. Raisa Mikhailovskaya. The presentation was organized by the Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House, Freedom House and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Lithuania.

Sarvar Safarov’s historical surname is Lazishvili. He is a descendent of the Muslim Meskhs that were exiled from Georgia and after the law on repatriation was adopted in Georgia. He returned back to his homeland from Azerbaijan in May 2008. Sarvar Safarov settled in Akhaltsikhe, purchased a house with his own money and also brought his family there. Despite all that the Safarovs could so far not get a Georgian citizenship. They cannot properly integrate into the local society. “We could not get a citizenship and our children cannot get education in Georgia; if any of us have health problems, it is also a problem; pregnancy is a problem, job is a problem. Unless you have a Georgian citizenship, you will face many problems,” Sarvar Safarov told a representative of the Human Rights House Tbilisi. Like him, many repatriates in Georgia have problems of reintegration.

“A very effective tool to discriminate on freedom of association and assembly is the access to foreign funding. The States in the OSCE region that restrict access to funding the most for the not-for-profit sector are paradoxically also often those that enjoy most foreign funding for them selves or for business investments.” said Maria Dahle, Executive Director of the Human Rights House Foundation in a speech to Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

16 красавіка ў Вільні прайшоў паказ дакументальнага фільма “Банда”, які распавядае пра зніклых беларускіх палітыкаў і журналістаў. У межах презентацыі была арганізаваная дыскусія з прадзюсарам фільма і вядомай беларускай праваабаронцай Раісай Міхайлоўскай. Арганізатарамі прагляду выступілі Беларускі дом правоў чалавека, Freedom House і пасольства Чэхіі ў Літве.

In April of 2014 Georgian Parliament adopted National Strategy on Human Rights with the aim to ensure effective realization of human rights with relevant legislative, institutional and practical changes. The document set forth strategic plan to tackle prevalent human rights problems in number of directions, including protection of rights of minorities, combating gender-based violence, safeguarding freedom of religion, ensuring right to peaceful assembly and manifestations, developing mechanism for effective investigation of human rights violations by Georgian law enforcement bodies, and etc… However, the documentations by Georgian human rights organizations reveal that there is a stark contrast between official discourses/policies and actual practices in some of the fundamental areas of human rights protection. Though there have been some positive developments in certain directions, Georgian government is critically failing to ensure the cornerstone of international human rights law, the premise of Universal Declaration of Human Rights – equality of all people.

“This is outrageous. Rasul Jafarov is sentenced to prison for exercising his peaceful and legitimate human rights work. All the alleged victims and witnesses denied the ungrounded accusations by the authorities in court. The court process is staged to create an image of rule of law to the international society, while the whole process is politically ruled.” says Maria Dahle, Executive Director of Human Rights House Foundation.

Many human rights groups, including many members of the Human Rights House Network (HRHN) signed an open statement regarding the situation in Azerbaijan, based on which US-based NGOs wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry.

The pressure on Mikalai Statkevich, the former presidential candidate and political prisoner, has increased significantly in prison, causing concern among human rights defenders and do not surprise the country’s leader.

Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) appeal in court what they see as politically motivated charges by the Azerbaijani authorities. Not releasing vital proof confiscated by the prosecutor is a violation of the right to a fair trail.

“There is no greater injustice than that which is perpetrated in the name of the law,” stated the human rights defender Intigam Aliyev after the hearing in the case against him on 31 March in The Baku Court on Grave Crimes.

На экс-кандыдата ў прэзідэнты і палітвязня Мікалая Статкевіча значна вырас ціск у турме, што выклікае занепакоенасць у праваабаронцаў і не здзіўляе кіраўніка краіны.

Public verbal attacks against human rights organisations in Georgia have increased. Some leading political figures even question space for civil society as such.