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2nd Biennial War Crimes Conference: Justice? Whose Justice? Punishment, Mediation or Reconciliation aims to explore themes surrounding judicial roles and responses to war crimes – past, present and future – and also responses to such initiatives, from victims/victors, interested agencies and commentators, including the UN, NATO and various local, regional and international NGOs.

The third Human Rights Human Wrongs documentary film festival opens in Oslo Wednesday 2 February. Screening approximately 25 films, all properly introduced, made part of a thematic programme or in other ways set into a meaningful context, the festival lasts until Sunday 6 February. HRHF is part of the team behind the festival, and will host several guests during the five days it lasts.

Amnesty International Norway has established an International Centre for Human Rights Education in Oslo. The establishment is part of Amnesty International’s efforts to develop centers of expertise, says Vibeke Eikås, head of the new center.

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (“Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka”), the Civil Development Forum Foundation (“Fundacja Forum Obywatelskiego Rozwoju”) and the Polish Business Roundtable (“Polska Rada Biznesu”) has concluded an agreement on cooperation in implementation of the “Better justice system” program aiming to monitor reforms of the justice system in the Republic of Poland.

Lawyers for Lawyers is an organisation that awards fellow lawyers who work to promote the rule of law and human rights in an exceptional way and who have been threatened or obstructed because of their work as a lawyer. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights has recommended Intiqam Aliyev, an Azerbaijani lawyer, for the Award.

2010 was an intensive time for freedom of expression campaigners – Article 19, English PEN and Index on Censorship activists. The three London NGOs did their best to help, release or prevent imprisonment of writers, journalists, and bloggers all over the world. They also awarded the best fighters for freedom of expression. Most of the attention has been paid to the situation in Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of Azerbaijan. Here is a summary of the NGOs’ activities in 2010.

Як і чатыры гады таму, грамадска-палітычная рэчаіснасці Беларусі зноў апынулася адфарматаванай згодна двум каардынатам “да” і “пасля” – дня прэзідэнцкіх выбараў, Плошчы. Калі да 19 снежня неверагоднасцю здавалася раптоўная “лібералізацыя”, то пасля – брутальнасць дзеянняў улады.

“У Беларусі адбылася фактычная ўзурпацыя ўлады”, – рэзюмавала Таццяна Чуліцкая на прэс-канферэнцыі/брыфінгу, прысвечанай вынікам назірання за выбарамі. Сустрэча адбылася 21 снежня ў Беларускім Доме Правоў чалавека ў межах праекту “Назіранне за выбарамі: тэорыя і практыка”.

NGOs based in Oslo were very active in 2010 in promoting and defending human rights in CIS region, especially in Central Asia. The organizations organized forums, meetings, demonstrations, discussions, issued various reports, and initiated and joined petitions. Members of the Human Rights House tried to implement their goals on both national and internation levels and through dealing with foreign authorities. Find a summary of our partner NGOs’ activities in 2010 below.

2010 Rafto Prize for Mexican bishop José Raúl Vera López, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65th birthday ceremony, organized by Bergen NGOs, arrangement of a solidarity demonstration “Strategy 31“ and actions in support of Chinese prisoners of conscience were the main activities of the Human Rights House in Bergen. This is a summary of the main NGOs’ of the Bergen HRH’s activities in 2010.

The U.S. Department of Justice has rejected a request from prosecutors in Warsaw for assistance in the investigation into the alleged CIA prisons in the Republic of Poland, where captives claim they were tortured.

Article 19 welcomes the request for summonses made by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a significant step towards justice for victims of the 2007-2008 post-election violence in the Republic of Kenya. Public opinion’s surveys indicate that the ICC process enjoys overwhelming public support locally.