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UN human rights official states: gays, lesbians must be treated as equal members of society
-Those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual, those who are transgender, transsexual or intersex, are full and equal members of the human family and are entitled to be treated as such- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told high-level panel discussion on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Human rights violations against Kurdish minority continue
Farzad Kamangar, right, was arrested by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence officials along with two other members of the Kurdish minority, Ali Heydariyan and Farhad Vakili, in Tehran around July 2006. The three men were sentenced to death on 25 February 2008 after being convicted of “moharebeh” (enmity towards God), a charge leveled against those accused of taking up arms against the state, in connection with their alleged membership of the armed group, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
International Migrants Day marked as financial crisis exposes their vulnerability
The 9th International Migrants Day coincides with the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Many UDHR provisions vividly relate to some of the threats – racism, xenophobia, labour and sexual exploitation, arbitrary detention and other injustices- and hopes – freedom of movement, right to work, to education, to live in dignity – experienced by millions of women, men and children and demonstrate that migrants rights are human rights.
Subregional training on violence against children
In the period from 10th to 12th December 2008, The First Children’s Embassy in the World – Megjashi, organized a training called ‘A multidisciplinary approach in the field of violence and negligence of children – recognizing, comprehensing, intervening’.
President of the HRH in Vilnius receives award
Barys Zvozskau, right, president of the exile Belarusian Human Rights House in Vilnius, Lithuania, has received an award from the organisation Human Rights Alliance for his long-term commitment and achievements to human rights advocacy. The journalist Siamion Pechanko and the advocate Tamara Sidarenka also received the award.
Праваабаронцы вызначылі ляўрэатаў
“Праваабарончы альянс”, які ўзначальвае Людміла Гразнова, будзе ўручаць прэміі за пасьпяховую працу ў галіне абароны правоў чалавека.
NGO congress cause controversy in Russia
At Council of Europe’s third ‘Regional Congress of NGOs,’ Russian NGOs and civil society organizations from across Europe shared their good practices and most effective methods of interaction with the authorities. Some Russian NGOs stayed away from the Congress, claiming its agenda was too loyal to Russian authorities.
Montenegrin NGOs not consulted for the UN UPR process
Slobodan Franovic (on right), President of the Montenegrin Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, reacts quite strongly against his own country’s recent hearing before United Nations’ Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review mechanism in Geneva.
Croat testifies at Serbia war crimes trial
A Croat survivor of a 1991 mass murder testified Monday that Serb fighters beat and tortured civilians before forcing them into a mine field, where they died.
Bulgaria prime minister in Macedonian minority row
Bulgaria is not preventing an association of Macedonians in Bulgaria from registering as a political party. They are refusing to do so, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister claims.