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The NHC has announced a contest for project proposals aiming at improving the situation regarding human rights, democratization or civil society in Kazakhstan. Additionally, the NHC also announces vacancy as assistant to Program Manager of the NHC Representative Office in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

To: Wednesday, 15. June 2011 Host: Norwegian Helsinki Committee More info: www.nhc.no/no/nyheter/Small+Grant+Fund+for+Kazakhstan+and+vacancy+as+assistant+announced.9UFRzKXF.ips

Globalisation means increased business relations not only with developed democracies but also with states with serious challenges in the field of corruption and human rights. How do the two go together?

On May 26, more than a dozen journalists covering the dispersal of a demonstration in front of the parliament building in Tblisi were physically injured by Georgian riot police. Some journalists were beaten. Cameras and other equipment were confiscated or broken. Reportedly, in most of the cases, the attacks on the journalists were targeted and conducted deliberately.

The situation in Aba prefecture, a heavily ethnic Tibetan part of Sichuan province, remains tense as Chinese security forces detained about 300 Tibetan monks for a month from the Kirti monastery. Chinese security forces launched a huge military crackdown in the region after the monk, named Phuntsog, died on March 17 after setting fire to himself and shouting protests against Chinese rule in Tibet.

On 12 June 2011 there will be a parliamentary election in Turkey. The 1994 Rafto Prize laureate, Kurdish, Leyla Zana, is again a candidate for election to the Turkish Parliament. Having a conviction with a three year prison sentence hanging over her, she hopes that the election can lead to a Civil, Democratic and Liberalistic Constitution.

After four years of wrongful imprisonment, the Azerbaijani government has pardoned journalist Eynulla Fatullayev. He was released ahead of Azerbaijan’s Independence Day on 28 May. His release was welcomed by many in Azerbaijan and also by international media groups, human rights, free speech organizations that had campaigned on his behalf for years.

The Human Rights House Foundation and the Belarusian Human Rights House in Vilnius are taking firm measures to ensure that the June session of the UN Human Rights Council adopts the resolution on situation in Belarus and appoints a Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in the country.

Is the economic downturn in Belarus likely to change the attitudes of the government towards the human rights and democracy? How should we view the events after the presidential elections in Minsk – an attempt of the authorities to suppress “mass unrest” and reintroduce “law and stability” in their country, or as a violent crackdown of rights and freedoms? Should we turn a blind eye on rights of common Belarusians now, when Western powers and Russia are re-considering another deal with the regime of Mr Lukashenka?

Is the economic downturn in Belarus likely to change the attitudes of the government towards the human rights and democracy? How should we view the events after the presidential elections in Minsk – an attempt of the authorities to suppress “mass unrest” and reintroduce “law and stability” in their country, or as a violent crackdown of rights and freedoms? Should we turn a blind eye on rights of common Belarusians now, when Western powers and Russia are re-considering another deal with the regime of Mr Lukashenka?

These and other questions will be discussed during a press-conference at the Belarusian Human Rights House at Latako 3 in Vilnius on 31 May, at 14.00. Answers to these questions are supposed to provide guidelines for strategies to address the rapidly-changing situation in Belarus.

Is the economic downturn in Belarus likely to change the attitudes of the government towards the human rights and democracy? How should we view the events after the presidential elections in Minsk – an attempt of the authorities to suppress “mass unrest” and reintroduce “law and stability” in their country, or as a violent crackdown of rights and freedoms? Should we turn a blind eye on rights of common Belarusians now, when Western powers and Russia are re-considering another deal with the regime of Mr Lukashenka?

These and other questions will be discussed during a press-conference at the Belarusian Human Rights House at Latako 3 in Vilnius on 31 May, at 14.00. Answers to these questions are supposed to provide guidelines for strategies to address the rapidly-changing situation in Belarus.

Right after midnight of May 26, 2011the special forces units used rubber bullets, tear gas and water canons to disperse a protest rally organized by the Public Assembly. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia, 8 policemen, one journalist and 27 civil citizens were injured. Two people died – a policeman and a civilian. 90 people are placed in the preliminary detainment cells imposed with two-month administrative imprisonment. Criminal Case has been filed against several of them.