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The Eastern Africa Journalists Association strongly supports calls and initiatives in the Republic of Uganda aimed at repealing or amending outdated laws currently being used to suppress freedom of expression and freedom of media in that country.

Several organizations concerned about the Romany’s situation have come together to require the creation of a Truth Commission (Sannhetskommisjon) to clue violations against Romany/Gypsy people in Norway.

Norwegian human rights NGOs wish to congratulate Dr Nora Sveaass with her re-election to the UN Committee against Torture. She was elected this week at the meeting of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Torture. There were nine candidates for five vacant seats on the ten member committee. Dr Sveaass was re-elected in the first round by 76 votes.

An ironical procession of ‘Santa Clauses’ to the Prosecutor General of Republic of Belarus was initiated mostly by activists of unregistered NGOs within the campaign “STOP 193.3”. The idea was to remind the authorities about Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code that envisages criminal persecution for activities on behalf of unregistered organizations.

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) strongly condemns the decision to sentence six Uyghur men to death without fair trial. Ca. 500 more are waiting for their final sentences, more than three monthes after massacre in Urumqi where hundreds of protesters were killed.

A picket of solidarity with victims of the regime in Minsk has been dispersed with unprecedented brutality, the human rights organisation Charter97 reports. 30 oppositionals were beaten up and arrested. Journalists were beaten as well, as the authorities’ militia would not let them film the excessive use of force.

The HR defenders of Baranavičy, West Republic of Belarus, seek to stop the disgraceful practice of banning mass actions by local authorities. Siarhei Housha, right, Karnei Piatrovich and Viktar Syrytsa applied to the district prosecutor’s office concerning the ban of a picket against death penalty.

On 14 October the Human Rights House Republic of Azerbaijan presented the activities of partner organisations to the representatives of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Embassy in Baku.

Праваабаронцы намагаюцца праз праваахоўныя органы спыніць ганебную практыку забароны масавых мерапрыемстваў мясцовымі ўладамі. Сяргей Гоўша (на здымку), Карней Пятровіч і Віктар Сырыца падрыхтавалі заяву ў пракуратуру Баранавіцкага раёна з нагоды адмовы ў пікеце супраць смяротнай кары.

The Norwegian Burma Committee is lobbying against backing vicious practice of oil and gas companies in the military-ruled state. French Total, linked to killings, corruption and exploiting forced labor in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), must be pressed by the Government Pension Fund (Petroleum Fund), says the Committee’s Director Inger Lise Husøy.

Many women in Iraqi Kurdistan still undergo traditional genital mutilation, shows the data collected by WADI association. The research was conducted in 2005 by teams of trained personnel in villages and small areas in the Kurdish region in Iraq. Traveling to affected areas also involved providing women with information film about the damage of female genital mutilation.

Women of Azarmehr have launched a campaign in support of thirteen Kurdish political prisoners who are believed to be on death row.