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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.

On February 28, 2011 the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights sent a letter addressed to the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk concerning the recent news about the pressures on the Polish Press Agency (PAP). This is a reaction to the situation described by a polish journalist Tomasz Machała the previous day. The Foundation appealed to stop the pressuring of the public media.

Экс-кандыдат ў Прэзідэнты Рэспублікі Беларусь Алесь Міхалевіч распавёў пра жорсткія катаванні, якім ён падвяргаўся ў СІЗА КДБ. Заява Міхалевіча з падрабязным апісаннем катаванняў ужо накіраваная спецдакладчыку ААН па праблеме катаванняў, а РПГА “Беларускі Хельсінкскі Камітэт” накіраваў зварот у Генпракуратуру.

To be a journalist in Uganda means to be a representative of a dangerous profession. In February 2011 one journalist was shot by soldiers and six were attacked by mob. All of them suffered while covering elections in the country. Violence is being investigated.

Human rights coordinator at the Conservative Party Lasha Chkhartishvili connects the detention of drivers with the intimidation policy of the government. “It is done to prevent future strikes and protest rallies of drivers and other social groups,” said Chkhartishvili.

The Kazakh authorities have failed to fulfill their pledges to improve the legal framework for media and protect the right to freedom of expression as made prior and during its chairmanship of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), says Article’s 19 statement. It highlights the shortcomings of the recent amendments to the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan related to defamation and insult.

English PEN is calling on our members to join a worldwide reading campaign for our Honorary Member imprisoned writer and Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo. The aim of the campaign, organised by the Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin, is to encourage as many of Liu’s supporters around the world to stage a reading of Liu Xiaobo’s poem ‘You Wait for me with Dust’ on 20 March 2011.

To: Sunday, 20. March 2011 Where: worldwide Host: Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin

The 11th annual Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards honour those who, often at great personal risk, have given voice to issues and stories from around the globe that would otherwise have passed unnoticed.