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Беларусь – адзіная краіна Еўропы, у якой усё яшчэ дзейнічае смяротнае пакаранне. Васіль Юзэпчук быў прысуджаны да смяротнай кары Берасцейскім абласным судом 29 чэрвеня 2009 года за забойствы пажылых жанчын. 2 кастрычніка абскарджанне прысуду было адхіленае Вярхоўным судом і асуджанаму засталося 10 дзён на падачу звароту да Прэзідэнта Лукашэнкі аб памілаванні.

On the 15-16 October, the UN Human Rights Committee reviews the Russian Federation during its 97th session in Geneva. The Russian Research Center for Human Rights has submitted a set of “Replies to the list of issues”, which emphasizes some of the most severe human rights problems in the country.

Republic of Croatia will be reviewed at the Human Rights Committee in Geneva from October 14th to October 15th 2009. The Government of the Republic of Croatia has already appointed its Delegation to the meeting and two members of the Human Rights House of Zagreb, as well as Center for Human Rights Zagreb, have already submitted their reports and replies.

Belarusian authorities are still keen on controlling mass media. Printed publications are subdued by a state distribution monopoly. Radio and TV broadcasters are at constant risk of losing transmitting rights.

The fourth PitchWise (PW) – Festival of Women’s Arts was dedicated to feminist networking and activism. In 2009, CURE Foundation brought together artists and activists, who by their steadfast work continuously transform the culture of violence into the culture of peace, whether it is the matter of Bosnia and Herzegovina or the wider region.

This fall’s campaign of Amnesty International Region Vest (Bergen, Norway) focuses on Shell’s human rights violations in the Niger Delta.

On the 12-30th of October, 2009 UN Human Rights Committee reviews Russia during its 97th session in Geneva. Russian Research Center for Human Rights organizations had submitted to the Committee in advance an NGO report, entitled “Replies to the list of issues” (right), which emphasized the most dire human rights problems in the country.
Lyudmila Alpern, the Chief Manager of Prisons’ Visiting Program of Russian Research Center for Human Rights (RRCHR), will be present at a review in Geneva. In her presentation she will touch upon specific issues, regarding problems of public control over the places of detention in Russia (last year the Law “On public control over the places of forced imprisonment” was passed in Russia). In accordance with the Law in more then half of Russian regions Public Supervising Committees were organized. Alpern will report on the progress achieved with regard to conditions of detention of persons deprived of their liberty for the recent years and share the experience in the sphere of public control over the closed establishments with other participants

Republic of Belarus is the only country left in Europe that still conducts executions. Vasily Yusepchuk was sentenced to death by Brest Regional Court on 29 June 2009 for the murder of six elderly women, although his lawyers argue the case against him was fundamentally flawed. On 2 October his appeal to the Supreme Court was turned down leaving him 10 days from that date to apply to President Lukashenka for clemency.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is alarmed by continuing violations against the independent media in Kismayo, a town in southern Republic of Somalia.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is excited that one of its members has won the prestigeous International Press Freedom Award, administered by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Marek Edelman was member of Helsinki Committee in Poland, a Jewish-Polish political and social activist and cardiologist. Before his death he was the last surviving leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Three years have passed since the murder of Anna Politkovskaya. Everybody in the world who has a slightest interest in what is happening in the Russian Federation and North Caucasus is aware of this beautiful courageous and woman, talented journalist and a true human right defender.