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The “International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan” launched a three-day freedom of expression mission to Republic of Azerbaijan on 7 September, during which ten international nongovernmental organisations will highlight their serious concerns regarding the freedom of expression situation in the country, which has been unfolding with little attention from the international media spotlight.

In the days of 29-31 August 2010 the Netherlands Helsinki Committee organized a Second Regional Meeting of three rights organization from Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Republic of Armenia. The meeting was dedicated to the evaluation of the “Strategic Litigation in the South Caucasus” project.

Female and male artists in traditional society

According to the Concluding Observations by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – CERD on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Roma people remain the most vulnerable group in BiH, while issues such as discriminatory provisions of the Constitution of BiH, return of refugees and displaced persons, ethnic tensions and hate speech must be resolved as well.

Around 140 citizens of the city of Zagreb in the Republic of Croatia were recently arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Varsavska Street. Arrests and other police interventions have been happening continuously ever since the protests started. International and local civil society organizations have reacted to these violations of the right to freedom of assembly.

In the Indian city Dharamshala his Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed on 30 August 2010 the delegates of the first National General Meeting, underlining the need for unity and a robust democratic administration in exile to keep alive the hopes and aspirations of Tibetans living inside Tibet.

Aleh Byabenin, right, one of Belarus’s leading journalists and human rights activists, and among the founders and leaders of charter97.org website, has found dead in his summer cottage not far from Minsk. Contrary to suggestions that Byabenin must have committed suicide, no suicide note was found and no other possible indicators suggest the same.

Rebiya Kadeer, the most well-known spokesperson for China’s ethnic Uyghur minority and the 2004 Rafto Prize laureate, has used her five years of freedom since her release from the Chinese prison in 2005 to raise the issue of the repression Uyghurs face and their struggle for human rights. She was recently banned from entering Taiwan for three years.

In the modern world young age is no longer a prerequisite for learning; it is a life-long process. Belarusian lawyers, participants of the International Law in Advocacy project, understand it more than anyone else. From 28 to 30 Augusts they gathered for their second study session in Vilnius.

Пачатак новага навучальнага года ў беларускіх школах і ВНУ адзначыўся і новымі праблемамі. Аказалася, што беларускамоўнае навучанне, што нібыта гарантавана законам, для большасці беларусаў застаецца недасяжным. На гэтым тыдні адразу ў некалькіх мястэчках людзі праводзілі лакальныя акцыі пратэсту, каб дамагчыся “роўнасці дзвюх дзяржаўных моваў” у сферы адукацыі.

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, a civil society organization based in Warsaw, Republic of Poland and Wolters Kluwer Polska, the biggest publishing house in the field of law in the Republic of Poland, have signed a contract to cooperate in areas such as publishing, marketing and training.

3 СЕНТЯБРЯ Буденновский городской суд Ставропольского края рассмотрит исковое заявление, поданное Фондом «Право Матери» от имени матери погибшего военнослужащего Поляковой Любови Николаевны. Ее сын Алексей Поляков был призван на военную службу 23 апреля 2002 года, проходил ее в войсковой части 93921, с 14 мая 2002 года подписал контракт, дослужился до звания младшего сержанта. 8 сентября 2003 года он покончил с собой. Перед этим к нему применял насилие военнослужащий этой же части Мирзаев Райима Казимович. 21 июня 2004 года в отношении Мизаева был вынесен приговор суда, который, по нашему мнению, является насмешкой над потерпевшей. Суд не усмотрел причинно-следственной связи между действиями обвиняемого и самоубийством Полякова, гособвинитель (!) попросил о переквалификации деяния подсудимого на более легкую статью, в довершении всего суд взыскал в пользу матери компенсацию морального вреда в размере 500 рублей (!). Все это происходило до того, как мать погибшего обратилась к нам, при этом в суде у нее был представитель! Вероятно, чтобы окончательно добить мать погибшего, командир части, в которой служил и погиб ее сын, переиздал приказ об исключении Полякова из списка личного состава части, изменив формулировку с «при исполнении» на «не при исполнении». Фонд «Право Матери» обратился в суд, требуя признать Алексея Полякова погибшим при исполнении обязанностей военной службы. Интересы матери погибшего представляет юрист Фонда «Право Матери» Анна Мукасеева. Начало заседания в 9.30.