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When: Tuesday, 8. March 2011 To: Friday, 11. March 2011 Where: Geneva, UN Human Rights Council Host: Human Rights House Foundation’s Geneva Office

At the parallel event jointly organised by the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders and the Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF), key human rights defenders and experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the North Caucasus (Russian Federation) will discuss the challenges for human rights defenders in the Caucasus.

The annual demonstration called “Manifa”, took place in Warsaw two days before the International Woman’s Day. “Manifa” is a woman’s solidarity march organized by the feminist group The Women’s Agreement of 8th March. The slogan of this year’s demonstration was “Enough of the exploitation of women! We terminate the domestic service!”.

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights appealed to Vassilios Skouris, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union, in reference to the lack of the increase in the number of Advocates-General in the Court. Although a significant amendment of the procedure for altering the number of Advocates-General was introduced, no such change has taken place.

Georgia is becoming a major transit corridor for drugs of abuse produced elsewhere,- says the US State Report published on March 3. The report lists the reasons for is, wich is, geographical situation of Georgia, occupied territories within the country, as well as Georgia’s agreement for visa free travel with the Islamic Republic of Iran is seen as a danger by the US state department.

Member organisations of the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan condemn the recent wave of arrests of youth activists and bloggers in connection with planned pro-democracy protests in the country, and call for their immediate release. Reports of restrictions on freedom of expression and pressure by the Azerbaijani authorities have escalated in recent weeks, as calls for pro-democracy protests – inspired by the events in the Middle East and North Africa – have gained momentum in the country.

У Беларусі распачалася серыя судоў па крымінальных справах аб “масавых беспарадках” 19 снежня. Першыя прысуды здзіўляюць жорсткасцю. Аднак не здзіўляе тое, што, не маючы доказаў вінаватасці апанентаў, улады ўсяляк затыкаюць рот іх адвакатам. Шматгадовы абаронца беларускіх палітзняволеных Павел Сапелка ўслед за іншымі калегамі страціў ліцэнзію.

According to the World Health Organization every 40 seconds someone commits suicide. For the last 50 years the cases of suicide have increased by 60%. The number of attempted suicides exceeds the number of actual suicides by 20 times. The research shows that the high occurrence of suicides is particularly observed in developing countries. According to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2010 the number of suicides has decreased by 2% compared to the year of 2009. However, the number of suicide attempts has increased considerably. 334 cases of suicides and 1,106 attempts of suicide were observed in 2010. As for the year of 2009; 340 people committed suicide and 1,091 made attempts.

A petition signed by 84,000 Karen from all over the world has been put forward to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to take action against the Burmese junta’s violation of human rights and military campaigns against the ethnic Karen people in their own Karen state, Irrawaddy news says. It’s the first ever worldwide Karen petition.

Investigative reporting is a dangerous business in Azerbaijan. On the anniversary of Elmar Huseynov’s murder the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan gathered in Strasbourg to call for release of independent journalist Eynulla Fatullayev. They call on the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to fulfil its mandate by demanding the immediate release of imprisoned Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev during its 8-10 March human rights meeting.

Following a statement of an ex-candidate for presidency about torture that he had undergone while detained by the KGB, Belarusian human rights defenders referred to the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, calling for action. The Belarusian Helsinki Committee also filed an appeal to the Prosecutor-General.

In February 2011 the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights appealed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski in the case of Sayed Mussa, an Afghan citizen. According to The New York Times (5 February 2011) the Afghanistan state authorities conduct criminal proceedings against Sayed Mussa, who is charged with conversion to Christianity, an offence punishable with death.