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Police in China’s southwestern Sichuan province on 17 August responded with lethal force to a group of Tibetans protesting the expansion of a gold mining operation they say is harming the environment, according to Tibetan sources. At least four Tibetans may have been killed in a standoff with police.

The National Press Club has announced the recipients of the 2010 John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award, which is given each year to individuals who have contributed to the cause of press freedom and open government. This year, the international recipient is Iranian blogger Kouhyar Goudarzi, who is being held in notorious Tehran’s Evin Prison.

Улады Беларусі нервова ставяцца да ідэі належнага расследвання палітычных знікненняў. Ва ўмовах расту грамадскай зацікаўленасці ў рашэнні гэтага пытання чыноўнікі забараняць правядзенне грамадскіх мерапрыемстваў, праводзяць арышты актывістаў. Праз больш за 10 год з моманту свайго знікнення, некаторыя з палітычных актывістаў і да гэтай пары здольныя да распальвання грамадскай актыўнасці ў краіне.

National network on prevention of domestic violence

Беларускія інтэрнэт-правайдэры, як і школьнікі, рыхтуюцца да 1 верасня — менавіта з гэтай даты ўсе яны павінны мець магчымасць фільтраваць забароненую інфармацыю ў беларускай інтэрнэт-прасторы. Не гледзячы на крытыку міжнароднай супольнасці і магчымыя выдаткі, гэты наступны крок па узмацненню цэнзуры інтэрнэту ўжо гатовы да здзяйснення.

Amnesty International Norway and the Union of Education share a common ambition to spread knowledge about human rights. The two organisations signed a unique agreement of cooperation in Oslo on 24 August 2010.

In an encouraging ruling last week, the Basmanny District Court in Moscow ordered that two suspects in the January 2009 double murder of Novaya Gazeta reporter Anastasiya Baburova and human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov be kept in custody pending trial.

The government of Republic of Belarus is silencing voices for the proper investigation of political disappearances. Amid growing demands to address the issue, officials ban public events and arrest activists. Having been missing for more than 10 years, some political opponents of President Aliaksandr Lukashenka are still stirring up public activism in this country.

A British Sikh has been asked to take off his turban while going through security at the Warsaw Airport. According to his religion it is an insult to be made to take off the head covering. Therefore, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights filed a letter to the Boarder Guard Office claiming that the demand to remove turban during safety check should be considered an act of discrimination against one’s religious beliefs.

Junta-ruled Burma has suspended visas on arrival for tourists from September ahead of its first elections in two decades, officials said on 23 August 2010, potentially restricting access to the country for foreign observers. Meanwhile Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy announced on 20 August an official boycott of the election.

According to the new amendment to the Polish Penal Code which came into force in June 2010, the production of items containing symbols of fascist and other totalitarian regimes with the intent to distribute them is prohibited. The project of the amendment started the countrywide discussion concerning the limits of the freedom of speech and expression.

Members of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders condemn the arrest of the participants of a peaceful flash mob action held on 14th of August on George W. Bush street in Tbilisi. The action was organized by young poets, Irakli Kakabadze, Shota Gagarin and Alex Chigviladze. Participants demanded renaming the street after the name of the famous American poet and humanists Walt Whitman and read poems by Whitman during the action.