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More than 200 people have signed the protest against death penalty in Belarus. 170 persons signed the petition in defence of Fatima Hussein Al-Badi, said yesterday late evening Agnieszka Śmiłek of ELSA Rzeszów, an organiser of the European Day against Death Penalty. Rzeszów was one of the several cities and towns where the events commemorating the European Day against Death Penalty were held.

On October 12 it was reported that the government introduced, the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic approved a package of amendments to laws on public associations, political parties and to the Penal Code. Some amendments to the law on state security service were introduced as well.

Eight international human rights NGOs sent a letter of concern to the Belarusian Parliament today urging to quash the package of legislative amendments that severely restrict freedom of assembly and association and restrict foreign financial support for NGOs.

The human rights record of Norway will on Monday, 24 October, face the scrutiny of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in a meeting that will be webcast live on the Internet.

Norwegian SLUG handed over 3000 signatures demanding a moratorium on Pakistan’s debt after the unprecedented floods. Norway brought this message to the Paris Club creditors, but unforunately the international community did not want to consider this option.

12 кастрычніка стала вядома пра тое, што урад унёс, Палата прадстаўнікоў прыняла, а Савет Рэспублікі зацвердзіў пакет паправак у законы пра грамадскія аб’яднанні, партыі і ў Крымінальны кодэкс. Прапанаваныя і папраўкі ў закон пра органы дзяржбяспекі.

Authorities arrested the dissident in 2008 after he helped organize deliveries of aid to Cyclone Nargis survivors and then gave interviews to foreign media in which he criticized the government’s response to the deadly disaster. The regime sentenced Zargana to 59 years in prison. His sentence was then reduced to 35 years. On October 12, 2011, Zargana was released from Myitkyina Prison in Kachin State, northern Myanmar, as part of a widespread general amnesty

The HFHR published a report concerning foreigners interviewed during administrative proceedings. The findings of the Foundation’s report point out a range of problems appearing during questioning of foreign nationals, most common of which are the lack of interpreter services, failure to notify the questioned of their rights and duties and infringement of their right to privacy.

Popular comic Zarganar was released from prison in Burma on 12 October as part of a prisoner amnesty. Zarganar (Maung Thura) was handed a 59 year sentence in 2008 after criticising the Burmese junta’s poor aid response to Cyclone Nargis.

On 26 September 2011 the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights filed a motion with the Circuit Court in Warsaw seeking court’s leave to join, as a community organisation, in the case involving the protection of personal interests brought by Bogdan Wróblewski against the Head of the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA).

Free expression defenders are celebrating Thursday’s decision by a military court to drop charges against a Tunisian policeman who blew the whistle on a still-active core of officers from the country’s pre-revolution days – some of them alleged torturers, others linked to Tunisia’s long notorious internet surveillance squads.

On September 29, Kazakhstan government passed new laws which tighten government control over religious communities. According to the law, every religious community will have to register with the government. Moreover, a special permit by local and central government will be required to build any new house of worship. According to various NGOs, such law will have negative implications on civil society.