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The lawyers of blogger Savva Terentyev filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of the Komi Republic on the decision of the Court of First Instance. Mr. Terentyev spoke of this on 14 July at a press conference in Moscow. (25-JULY-08)
 

On 24 July presentation of the “Journalists’ Friend” award was conducted. The Head of Civil and Political Rights Center Parviz Hashimli opened the event and explained that the winners were chosen according to survey conducted among journalists. U.S. Ambassador to Republic of Azerbaijan Anne Derse took the first place. (25-JUL-2008)
    

The lawyers of blogger Savva Terentyev, right, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of the Komi Republic on the decision of the Court of First Instance. Mr. Terentyev spoke of this on 14 July at a press conference in Moscow. (25-JULY-08)
 

The arrest of three Buganda Kingdom officials; Charles Peter Mayiga Minister of Information, Medard Lubega Ssegona State Minister for information and Betty Nambooze Bakireke Civic Education Central Committee chairperson, right, on 18th July 2008 has hastened the crack in the bond between the Buganda Kingdom and the State. The arrests are seen as a direct attack on the Kingdom from the State and a ploy by the latter to sabotage the Kingdom’s strategy to get power. (24–JULY-08)
 

In the Republic of Azerbaijan journalists are working in a risky environment. “I think it is high time to write White Book to enter names of journalists – victims of the regime – into it,” human rights defender Leyla Yunus (right) commented on the situation of press in connection with National Press Day. (22-JUL-2008)
     

-We have a nation of 1.3 billion people who seemingly are all looking forward to this Olympic big event; I do not believe it is an event that represents the national will. It is an event manipulated into misleading people into believing that we have entered a new, successful and harmonious period in our history. This is not true. There are still too many fundamental questions to be answered. I find that kind of celebration meaningless. (18-JULY-08)
 

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights filed an amicus curiae brief concerning the constitutional complaint of Jacek G., a case involving the ability of detention facilities to house prisoners under conditions in which each prisoner has less than 3 sq.m. of living space.  On May 26, 2008, the Constitutional Tribunal found that Article 248 § 1 of the Penal Code, which allows the detention of prisoners under these conditions for an indeterminate length of time, is inconsistent with the right of all citizens to be treated in a humane manner under Articles 40, 41.4, and 2 of the Constitution. (18-JUL-08)

-We have a nation of 1.3 billion people who seemingly are all looking forward to this Olympic big event; I do not believe it is an event that represents the national will. It is an event manipulated into misleading people into believing that we have entered a new, successful and harmonious period in our history. This is not true. There are still too many fundamental questions to be answered. I find that kind of celebration meaningless. (18-JULY-08)
 

The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) appeals to the international community to mark the birthday on 17 July of the slain “Monitor” weekly magazine Editor-in-Chief, Elmar Huseynov. IRFS asks people abroad gather in front of Azerbaijan’s embassies and demand that the Azeri government find Huseynov’s murderers and bring them to justice. (17-JULY-08)
 

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights filed a complaint in the case of Marian Maciejewski, a case concerning the standard of care in defamation law. The disputed article (Article 213 § 2 of the Penal Code) provided that journalists and others could only escape criminal liability for defamation if (1) their allegations were true, and (2) their allegations served a socially legitimate interest.  On May 12, 2008, the Constitutional Tribunal found this understanding of the provision incompatible with Articles 14 and 54 of the Constitution, which protect freedom of the press and freedom of expression.  (16-JUL-08)

Government officials across Africa yesterday remained guarded in their reaction after the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor charged Sudan’s president, right, with genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur in a move Khartoum warned could set fire to the region. (15-JULY-08)
 

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)