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In a statement released today by the independent Azeri human rights organisation Institute of Peace and Democracy, severe concern is expressed over the fact that various kinds of election-related repression has already started, even before the campaign is officially on. Read the full statement below.

On Sunday, 25 April Republic of Belarus was voting for new representatives into local councils. In a customary manner on that day the authorities tried to imitate an atmosphere of a grand national holiday. Unfortunately, the right to elect and be elected as written in the Belarusian Constitution remained protected only by its heavy book cover.

ARTICLE 19 on 29 April 2010 released an analytical report which finds that freedom of expression is under severe threat in the North Caucasus. Although there has been a well-reported outbreak of violence in the region in recent weeks, ARTICLE 19 believes that there is a systematic trend of violations of the right to freedom of expression, which is merely exacerbated by the current security situation.

Burma Campaign UK welcomes the renewal of European Union (EU) sanctions against Burma for a further year, and a call by the EU for Burma to “end violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.” The problem with EU sanctions is that most are not effectively targeted, have not been used as part of coordinated diplomatic efforts.

“У Беларусі выбараў няма”, – да такой высновы прыходзяць незалежныя назіральнікі. Уражаннямі ад назірання за выбарамі ў мясцовыя саветы, што прайшлі ў Беларусі 25 красавіка, дзеліцца ўдзельнік праекту “Назіранне за выбарамі: тэорыя і практыка”, журналіст Алесь Герасіменка. Праект ладзіцца Беларускім Домам правоў чалавека ў Вільні, Аб’яднаным цэнтрам беларускіх ініцыятыў (JuBIC), Еўрапейскім гуманітарным універсітэтам (ЕГУ) і Шведскім міжнародным ліберальным цэнтрам (SILC).

“There are no elections in the Republic of Belarus,” – independent observers summarised. Aleś Hierasimienka, a young journalist and participant of the Election Observation: Theory and Practice project, shares his impressions about observing the local election in the Republic of Belarus. The project is organised by Belarusian Human Rights House in Vilnius, United Centre of Initiatives for Republic of Belarus (JuBIC), European Humanities University (EHU) and Swedish International Liberal Centre (Silc).

У нядзелю, 25 красавіка Беларусь абірала новых прадстаўнікоў у мясцовыя саветы. Улады традыцыйна ў дзень выбараў паспрабавалі імітаваць атмасферу ўсенароднага нацыянальнага свята. Шкада толькі, што права абіраць і быць абраным да гэтай пары застаецца ў Беларускай Канстытуцыі толькі на паперы.

In a statement released today, HURINET Uganda expresses concern that the government of Republic of Uganda has systematically moved to oppress and muzzle media freedom and freedom of speech using draconian laws and institutions. -We are disturbed by the proposed legislation, says HURINET, who speaks on behalf of 35 Ugandan human rights organisations from across the country. read the full statement below.

Almost four weeks have already passed since six of seven Saharawi human rights activists, held at the Moroccan prison of Sale, began their open hunger strike. They were arrested and detained, on 8 October 2009, on their return from a family visit to the Saharawi refugees camps in South West of Algeria. The Moroccan government intends to bring them before a military court on account of that trip.

On 22 April 2010, human rights defender Mr Keneth Kirimi was arrested and detained without charge for over two days, and was reportedly subjected to torture and ill-treatment while in detention. Much of his interrogation reportedly concerned the work of fellow human rights defender Mr Stephen Musau, right.

Kariane Westrheim, right, Associate Professor at the University of Bergen, was detained by the police at the airport in Istanbul on 24 April. Westrheim is a former member of the Rafto Foundation’s Board and the Rafto Prize Committee.

Amnesty International, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights House Foundation staged a silent protest this morning outside the hotel where President Dimitri Medvedev has been staying during his visit to Norway. The demonstration helped draw public attention even further in the direction of the many grave human rights concerns in the Russian Federation. As Medvedev came out of the hotel and saw the demonstrators, he was heading straight for his talks with Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian Prime Minister.