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On April 23, 2008, the Constitutional Tribunal held that the section of Article 52 of the Medical Code that prohibits doctors from publicly disparaging one another was incompatible with the freedom of expression and criticism provisions in Article 54 of the Constitution. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights filed a complaint on behalf of Zofia Sz. challenging the constitutionality of Article 52 of the Code of Medical Ethics, which provides in relevant part: “Physicians should caution in formulating an opinion about the professional activities of another doctor, and in particular, should not publicly disparage another doctor in any way.” (14-JUL-08) 

Azerbaijani opposition declared its decision to boycott presidential elections of 2008. Menawhile, Ali Hasanov (right), head of presidential administration’s public-political department insists that statements about boycott of elections do not affect political life in the republic. (12-JUL-2008)
      

Relatives and friends of Dzmitry Zavadski, a Belarusian TV journalists and a member of BAJ, who disappeared 8 years, are still in the dark about his fate. The criminal case has been closed and restarted many times but no information is available. The actions his family members or civil activists try to organize in memory of Zavadski have been banned by the authorities. (07-JUL-08)
  

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee’s (NHC) office in Bishkek have learnt today that they face charges for “illegal activity in a non-registered NGO”. In addition two distinguished Kyrgyz human rights defenders, Tolekan Ismailova and Aziza Abdirasulova, face charges for obstruction of justice after having protested during the raid against the Norwegian Helsinki Committee on 9 June. (4-JULY-08) 
 

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee´s (NHC) office in Bishkek have learnt today that they face charges for “illegal activity in a non-registered NGO”. In addition two distinguished Kyrgyz human rights defenders, Tolekan Ismailova and Aziza Abdirasulova, face charges for obstruction of justice after having protested during the raid against the Norwegian Helsinki Committee on 9 June. (04-JULY-08) 
 

On 28 June, the Belarusian Parliament passed a new law that, according to OSCE´s Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Belarusian Association of Journalists and Reporters without Borders, puts further restrictions on Belarusian media, including Internet based media. Representatives of the European Democratic institutions and International Organizations condemn the Belarusian media law and call on the authorities to change it in accordance to the European standards. (03-JUL-08)

After human rights activists told about their intention to monitor the upcoming Parliamentary elections, state-controlled media try to discredit their human rights activities and the authorities have started detailed examinations of the tax history of human rights activists. (30-JUN-08)
 

On July 2 Parliament of Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) President Lluís Maria de Puig conducted a briefing for journalists in Azerbaijan’s office of Council of Europe. To a question from the journalists about the imprisonment of journalists in the Republic of Azerbaijan, Lluís Maria de Puig stated that the imprisonment of journalists in Council of Europe member states is unacceptable. (3-JUL-08)
    

On 28 June, the Belarusian Parliament passed a new law that, according to OSCE´s Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Belarusian Association of Journalists and Reporters without Borders, puts further restrictions on Belarusian media, including the Internet. Representatives of the European democratic institutions and international organizations condemn the law and call on the authorities to change it in accordance to European standards. Right, Andrea Rigoni, Council of Europe’s Specil Rapporteur on Republic of Belarus. (03-JULY-08)
 

For nearly two years now the European Commission has been demanding for Republic of Poland to amend the contents of regulations concerning equal treatment implemented in the labor code. This relates to European regulations included in EU Directive 2000/78, which establishes general framework conditions for equal treatment in employment and labor. The European Commission has commenced penal proceedings against Republic of Poland due to this unjustified delay.(30-JUN-08)

On 4 June the Prosecutor of Moscow found infringements of the law in activities of the capital government’s desicion to forbid the “March of Dissent” on 6 May. The Ombudsman for Human Rights of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Lukin, supported the organizers of the march and emphasized the activity operated completely within the law’s limits. (30-JUN-08)
  

On 27 June a forum on the topic “Pre-election Democratic Freedoms in Azerbaijan” was conducted by the Institute for Peace and Democracy. NGO representatives, leaders of political parties, national deputies, and representatives from the diplomatic corps and international organizations participated in the forum. The director of IPD, Leyla Yunus (right), expressed her regret for the absence of state representatives despite of invitation. (30-JUN-08)