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The South Caucasus Network of HRD condemns the illegal arrest of peace protestors in Tbilisi
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.
Uyghur farmer recaptured in Beijing
Chinese authorities have recaptured an 84-year-old ethnic Uyghur farmer after he escaped from detention in Beijing, where he went to protest the loss of his farmland, his son said. It was his 11th trip to protest in Beijing.
NHC Monitoring in Kyrgyzstan concerned with ongoing human rights violations
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) is deeply concerned with continued reports of violence and ill-treatment during government operations in southern Kyrgyz Republic. According to NHC, some government structures are still mistreating local inhabitants under the guise of weapons searches and ongoing operations following the deeply tragic June events.
Azerbaijani bloggers sentenced
Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade, two video bloggers from Republic of Azerbaijan were taken into police custody on 8 July, 2009 on “hooliganism”. On 19 August this year, the Azerbaijani Supreme Court upheld the lower courts’ rulings, which convicted Milli and Hajizade of hooliganism and sentenced them to two and a half years and two years of imprisonment respectively. Article 19 believes that the two were targeted for expressing opinions critical of the Azerbaijani authorities.
Uganda: pressed for freedom
Threats and intimidation against journalists in the Republic of Uganda are commonplace. A proposed new media law as well as next year’s presidential elections could mean more bad news for reporters and whole media outlets in the country. The proposed new laws are ‘draconian,’ says Andrew Mwenda, right, editor of the Independent magazine.
“Рэпарцёры без межаў”: Ціск на беларускую прэсу з набліжэннем прэзідэнцкіх выбараў узмацняецца
Міжнародная аўтарытэтная арганізацыя “Рэпарцёры без межаў” выказвае заклапочанасць, што ціск на беларускую прэсу з набліжэннем прэзідэнцкіх выбараў узмацняецца. Пра гэта гаворыцца ў адмысловай заяве, якую арганізацыя распаўсюдзіла 17 жніўня.
Syria: Kurdish man held in custody for two years without charges
Amnesty International is urging the Syrian authorities to release or charge a Kurdish man who has been detained for almost two years. Reports from exiled Kurdish activists have raised fears that ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf has been tortured at the hands of State Security.
Vacant position at the Human Rights House, Baku
The Human Rights House Foundation seeks an independent, dedicated, transparent, structured and impartial person to fill the full-time position as the Coordinating Manager of the Human Rights House Azerbaijan (HRHA).
Belarus: harassment of media grows in run-up to presidential election
There is an increasing harassment of the Belarusian press in the run-up to the presidential election that has been scheduled for next spring. What with the information ministry’s repeated warnings, police raids, tax inspections and the country’s new media law, press freedom is now severely compromised in the Republic of Belarus.
Burma: a wave of dissent-activists start campaign opposing elections
As the Burmese authorities have announced the date of the national election for 7 November, the opposition has started its activity. The main aim of one of the opposition groups, young activists called Generation Wave (GW), is to urge the people of Burma to boycott the elections, given the undemocratic nature of the 2008 Constitution. They spread posters with a text “You have the right to not vote” and with a picture of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the background.
„Truthout”: New Evidence About Prisoners Held in Secret CIA Prisons in Poland and Romania
The Polish Border Guard Office released a number of documents to the Warsaw-based Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, which, for the first time, provide details of the number of prisoners transferred by the CIA to a secret prison in the Republic of Poland between December 5, 2002, and September 22, 2003, and, in one case, the number of prisoners who were subsequently transferred to a secret CIA prison in Romania.
“I won’t be nice and good” – interview with the new Polish Ombudsman
Polish Magazine “Polityka” published interview with Professor Irena Lipowicz, the new Ombudsman, about sexual minorities, partnerships, ethics lessons, the rights of the elderly, as well as whether she’ll be able to oppose the state and the Church.