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A seminar with prominent human rights defenders and journalists from Russia and Ukraine. The guests will talk about situation in their respective countries and the region, the human rights and freedom of expression situation, and the work that they do in order to improve the worsening situation.

Four-storied building seemed almost empty; patients were walking around like ghosts. Some of them asked for cigarette, others for matches, some of them were eager to speak with strangers; several patients who preferred to stay alone under the autumn sun. In short, life continues in the facility as much as it is possible with its purpose. There is one question: what will happen if the institution is located in any city of Europe instead Tbilisi suburb? We learned that patients have many problems alongside legal complaints. Mostly they complain about living conditions.

The Azerbaijani authorities should immediately lift the travel ban imposed on Khadija Ismayilova, leading investigative journalist in the country, and cease all legal proceedings against her. Against the backdrop of the unprecedented crackdown on civil society, Khadija Ismayilova’s arrest on criminal defamation charges seems imminent and would confirm the authorities’ intent to silence all critical voices in the country.

On September 10, Adjara TV-company reported about the incident about the boarding school of Muslim community in Lermontov Street in Kobuleti; Orthodox people protested opening of the school by hammering a pig-head on the door of the school. The incident became highly resonant. During several days Georgian media actively reported about the incident and follow-up events; society saw real threat of religious conflict in the fact.

The Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Michel Forst, is to present his first report to the General Assembly on 23 October 2014. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklós Harastzi, is to present a thematic report on human rights defenders in Belarus to the General Assembly.
This joint side-event aims at highlighting the role of human rights defenders in two neighbouring countries, Belarus and Ukraine.

October 10 – World Day Against the Death Penalty. The office of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna” in Minsk hosted final press conference of “Human rights defenders against the death penalty in Belarus” campaign.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is now at the centre of the attention, following its elections on 12 October, the preparation of its review at the United Nations Human Rights Council, and the publication of the European Union progress report. It has a chance to take concrete steps to improve its human rights record. Little hope comes from the elections however on such steps.

10 кастрычніка — Сусветны дзень супраць смяротнай кары. У офісе праваабарончага цэнтра «Вясна» ў Мінску адбылася выніковая прэс-канферэнцыя кампаніі «Праваабаронцы супраць смяротнай кары ў Беларусі».

Several days ago in Vilnius (Lithuania), the Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House held graduation ceremony of students of the educational project “Bring International Standards Home. De facto implementation of international obligations of the Republic of Belarus in the field of civil rights and freedoms” of the “International Law in Advocacy” program. The program is implemented by several member organizations of the Human Rights House Network and aimed at increasing the knowledge and skills of human rights defenders and their support.

Archangel Michael Medical-Pedagogical School-Kindergarten in Borjomi street, Tbilisi was founded in 1994. According to the website of the education institution, it aims to create good environment for the education, grow up and development of children, adults and youth with physical and intellectual disabilities for their further integration into society.

Future European Union High Representative for Foreign Policy was questioned about the EU’s stand on human rights in Azerbaijan, amongst many other issues. She said the EU has to put rights before other interests.

Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe was, from its beginning, a problem: the country was not showing enough efforts to improve its human rights record and true willingness to implement recommendations made by Council of Europe mechanisms. Since it acceded to the chairmanship in May 2014, the record became even worse, with an unprecedented repression of civil society on-going in Azerbaijan.