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The report “Broken Promises: Freedom of Religion or Belief issues in the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan”, prepared by five human rights organizations, was launched during a side event at the Organization’s for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Conference on Tolerance in Astana on 30 June.

42 human rights organisations and members of the Human Rights House Network condemn the 6 July 2010 decision by a Baku district court to convict Editor-in-chief Eynulla Fatullayev of drug possession and sentence him to two years and six months imprisonment.

Join us for an evening benefiting the first ever Burmese Arts Festival, an event designed to highlight the role of artists in bringing about change in Burma. The Festival will take place on 14-17th October 2010 at London’s Free Word Centre.

Two Russian art curators, Andrei Yerofeev and Yuri Samodurov, who staged an exhibition titled Forbidden Art 2006 featuring censored Soviet and post-Soviet art works, were convicted on 12 July by a Moscow court for “inciting hatred or enmity” and “denigration of human dignity.” Human rights organisation Article 19 condemns the fines the two men received as an outright attack on the right to freedom of expression.

After the conference in Interlaken the Committee of Experts on the Reform of the Court published a document called Implementation of the Interlaken Declaration. Draft Report on the Access to the Court – Fees for Applicants. In the document the Committee presented a possibility of introducing fees for applicants to the Court. Helsinki Foundation for Human Right believes it may imply a significant limitation to access to the European Court of Human Rights.

Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe declared that there are still many European Countries that need to clarify the issue of their participation in CIA extraordinary rendition program. Since among these countries the Commissioner listed Republic of Poland as one, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights filled a letter to Prosecutor General reiterating the appeal for immediate and full explanation of the issue.

Большая частка накладу недзяржаўнага штотыднёвіка “Наша Ніва” не паступіла на мінулым тыдні ў кіёскі Беларусі. Нумар прыйшоў толькі падпісчыкам і ў асобныя шапікі сталіцы і буйных гарадоў. У гэтым нумары “НН” распавядалася пра фільм расейскага тэлеканала НТВ “Хросны бацька”, дзе беларускі лідэр падаецца ў негатыўным святле. Знікненне накладу газеты – ні што іншае, як сумная прыкмета беларускай цэнзуры.

In its report to the Human Rights Committee, the government of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia states that “to promote the operation of charities and societies and to ensure their transparency and accountability, a Proclamation for Registration and Regulation of Charities and Societies has been issued and is effective now.” This proclamation helped Ethiopian authorities strangle the country’s independent human rights organisations.

Two men who organized a controversial art exhibition in Moscow in 2007 have been found guilty by a Russian court of inciting hatred. According to the court, the works displayed at the exhibition were “a public offense to Christians.”

Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities not to execute by any method a 43-year-old woman convicted of adultery, following an official statement that she will not be executed by stoning. The Iranian Embassy in London announced on 8 July that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani would not be stoned to death. However, fears remain that the mother-of-two could be hanged, as she has been convicted of “adultery while married”.

Organisation Freedom House released “Worst of the Worst 2010: The World’s Most Repressive Societies”, its annual report identifying the world’s twenty most flagrant human rights abusers. In these twenty countries, which include North Korea, Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), Republic of Belarus, Turkmenistan, Republic of Uzbekistan and Tibet, citizens’ most basic rights are denied and any attempts to oppose these regimes often result in torture, imprisonment and sometimes death.

Freedom of expression is not less important than freedom of “expression” as artist understand it. In June 2010 some movies and cartoons faced state’s censorship in Japan, Jordan and Malaysia. In Germany Jewish street dancers were attacked and in Islamic Republic of Pakistan music market was bombes for selling western video and music products. Find out more highlighted cases of artists around the world whose right to freedom of expression has been curtailed and abused.