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English PEN calls for the immediate release of all journalists and activists who have been detained in the Republic of Belarus for practising their right to free expression, for the dismissal of all politically-motivated criminal cases, and for a full and proper investigation into the troubling reports of ill-treatment. English PEN calls to take urgent action by writing and sending letters of appeals to Belarusian authorities.

Four candidates for presidential elections in the Republic of Belarus in 2010 – Aliaksei Mikhalevich, Uladzimir Niakliayeu (right), Andrei Sannikov and Mikalai Statkevich – are still in custody along with campaign leaders, relatives and party leaders and activists, Human Rights Center Viasna, partner of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, reports. Several of the prisoners have been severely beaten and in need of medical attention which they are denied.

“An unprecedented wave of violence, intimidation, arrests and prosecution of journalists” – a grim description of situation in the Republic of Belarus after the presidential election by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic. The human rights defenders are doing what they can to oppose the terror campaign towards dissidents and political opponents of the Belarusian government.

SLUG invites to a seminar to launch the report “Debt at the expense of human rights” that looks at how debt servicing goes beyond health care, education and other services that all people, according to their individual and universal human rights, are entitled to. The report’s author is Line Madsen Simenstad from SLUG.

The Turkish / British author and former head of International PEN Writers in Prison Committee, Moris Farhi, holds the lecture “The Courage to Forget” in which he asks whether we have the courage to forget about wars and conflicts. Interview with Norwegian journalist Christian Borch and debate after the lecture. Tuesday 15 February at 19:00, the House of Literature, Amalie Skram.

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.