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-Photojournalist Mehman Huseynov (23) at Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) in Azerbaijan, was yesterday banned from traveling to Oslo, Norway, where he is to receive a prestigious award from Fritt Ord Foundation and the Zeit Foundation, says Maria Dahle, director of The Human Rights House Foundation today.

The final conference of the project “International Law in Advocacy. Electronic Human Rights Education for Lawyers” was held in Vilnius from 13 to 15 May. Belarusian advocates and lawyers along with their colleagues from Azerbaijan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine, who during this year were performing tasks, discussing the problems and getting new knowledge within the framework of the project, have become participants of the conference.

С 13 по 15 мая в Вильнюсе прошла финальная конференция проекта “Международное право для защиты общественных интересов. Дистанционное обучение адвокатов правам человека “. Белорусские адвокаты и юристы, которые вместе с коллегами из Азербайджана, Молдовы, России и Украины в течение года выполняли задания, вели дискуссии и получали новые знания в рамках проекта, стали участниками конференции.

The fact that the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Belarus was extended have been revealed on June 14 after a vote of delegations that are now part of the UN Council on Human Rights. Delegations from 26 countries voted for the resolution containing the proposal to extend the mandate of Miklos Haraszti (right) with 3 votes opposed and 18 abstained According to the regulations the resolution was adopted by a simple majority vote.

The HFHR has filed a complaint with the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw. The pleading concerned a decision of the Minister of Finance to deny the Foundation access to the document entitled “Responsibilities of Tax Audit Offices for 2013”. In its decision, the Minister argued that the requested document was covered by fiscal confidentiality, and as such was not subject to disclosure under the Access to Public Information Act.

Mr Łukasz Gorek of Greenberg Traurig Grzesiak sp.k., a pro bono lawyer representing HFHR clients, the spouses D., skilfully negotiated a settlement with the municipality of Kowale Oleckie which agreed to execute a notarial deed, effectively repurchasing a property earlier sold to D.

Пра тое, што мандат спецдакладчыка па Беларусі працягнуты, стала вядома 14 чэрвеня пасля галасавання дэлегацыяў, якія цяпер уваходзяць у Раду ААН па правах чалавека. За рэзалюцыю, якая змяшчае прапанову працягнуць мандат Міклашу Харасці (на фота), аддалі свае галасы дэлегацыі 26 краін, супраць выступілі 3, устрымаліся 18. Згодна з рэгламентам лёс пытання вырашаецца простай бальшынёй галасоў.

The trial against Andrei Haidukou (right) accused of “high treason in the form of intelligence work” began in Vitsebsk on 12 June. During the investigation, there was almost no information on the case, the trial is closed and journalists and human rights can only speculate.

Працэс паводле абвінавачання Андрэя Гайдукова (на фота) ў «здрадзе дзяржаве шляхам агентурнай дзейнасці» распачаўся ў Віцебску 12 чэрвеня. Падчас следства інфармацыі па справе амаль не было, судовы працэс закрыты, а журналістам і праваабаронцам застаецца толькі дзяліцца версіямі.

The official visit of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović (right) to Minsk started on 3 June. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media plans to meet with representatives of the authorities and journalists in Minsk

In 2010 the Equality Act was adopted to implement certain EU laws in the area of equal treatment. From the beginning, the new legislation was met with reservations by non-governmental organisations. This week the Sejm will debate on the draft amendment to the act proposed by deputies. The Coalition for Equal Opportunities, including the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, presented its position on the issue.

Dominika Bychawska-Siniarska, director of the Observatory of Media Freedom in Poland has been awarded the Article 54 Journalists’ Prize by the Polish Journalists Association. Article 54 of Poland’s Constitution stipulates that “The freedom to express opinions, to acquire and to disseminate information shall be ensured to everyone. Preventive censorship of the means of social communication and the licensing of the press shall be prohibited”.