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-Despite the tragedy that hit Burma a week ago, the junta has been determined to carry through the national referendum on the constitution as planned, today. Exile media report that the turnout was low, and that many who actually showed up to vote were told that they had already been voted for and that the punishment for voting against the junta’s proposition is three years’ imprisonment, says Inger Lise Husøy, right, Director of the Norwegian Burma Committee (NBC) (10-MAY-08)
 

This afternoon, many of the 2100 Burmese living in Norway paid tribute to the dead and expressed concerned for the survivors of the cyclone Nagris that recently hit Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), to devastating effect. The public moment of mourning arranged in front of the Norwegian parliament was also a protest against tomorrow´s totally undemocratic referendum on a new constitution in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). (09-MAY-08)
 

Today, it is nine years since the disappearance of Yury Zakharanka, right, a former interior minister turned opposition politician. In April, the Prosecutor General´s Office extended its years-long investigation into the 1999 disappearance by another three months. (08-MAY-08)
 

A natural disaster doesn´t in itself amount to a violation of human rights. It is the authorities´ handling of the situation that sometimes does. This certainly applies to the current situation in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), argues Marte Graff Jenssen, right, the Norwegian Burma Committee´s (NBC) information officer. (07-MAY-08)
 

The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) today called on the Burmese regime to immediately allow international relief agencies unrestricted access to Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), to deal with the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the cyclone that hit the country on 2 and 3 May 2008. (07-MAY-08)

The World Press Freedom Day was celebrated in the Republic of Azerbaijan by a number of events. The importance of press freedom for the country democracy was underlined at all the organized events and the current situation with press in the Republic of Azerbaijan was assessed negatively. As part of the arrangements, the graves of late journalists Najaf Najafov and Elmar Huseynov were visited by media representatives, human rights defenders and political activists. (04-MAY-08)
   

cThe Human Rights Center of Republic of Azerbaijan, one of the most active human rights NGOs in the country, celebrates its 15-th Anniversary today. The organization, headed by Eldar Zeynalov (right), aimed at the struggle against political censorship and made a major contribution to the movement of journalists, human rights defenders which ended up in the liquidation of the political censorship. Currently, the HRCA is a significant actor in monitoring, education and protection of human rights in the Republic of Azerbaijan. (29-APR-08)
  

Three Azerbaijani writers have been recognized for persevering in their work despite political persecution and imprisonment by being awarded Hellman/Hammett Grants. The Hellman/Hammett grants, administered by Human Rights Watch, are given annually to writers who face political persecution for their work. Eynulla Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of Realni Republic of Azerbaijan and Gundalik Republic of Azerbaijan newspapers; Mirza Sakit, writer for Azadlig daily; and Ganimed Zahidov, editor-in-chief of the same paper, were awarded Hellmann/Hammett grants on April 24, 2008 in recognition of their journalism. (26-APR-08)
 

The special representative of OSCE for Human Rights Miklos Haraszti, right, took a strong critical position on the situation on mass media in the Republic of Azerbaijan, in early April in Baku. On Eurasia Regional Forum on Democratic Media, held in Paris in 17 April, Haraszti expressed his opinion about the situation of media in the Republic of Azerbaijan, “Here government uses soviet methods like holding narcotics, threatening with terror, and hooliganism charges to arrest “unwanted” journalists.” (21-APR)
 

The human rights activists Saida Gojamanli, Novella Jafaroglu, right, and Saadat Benenyarli conducted a press-conference on the results of their trip to Strasburg, where they participated in PACE spring session. According to Jafaroglu, throughout their stay in Strasbourg the human rights defenders held discussions about the situation on human rights, freedom of speech, press freedom as well as pre-election situation in the Republic of Azerbaijan. “We are not for a PACE special co-rapporteur on political prisoners in the Republic of Azerbaijan,” said Jafaroglu. (19-APR-08)
 

The Support Council for NGOs attached to the President of Republic of Azerbaijan Republic was created by the Presidential decree on 13 December 2007. Having undergone the long-lasting selection and election procedures, the members of the Council has finally been announced to the public. As it was announced earlier, out of 11 members of the Council, 3 represent state bodies and 8 represent NGOs. Azay Guliyev, right, the president of National NGO Forum, was appointed chairman of the NGO Council. (17-APR-08)
 

In a letter to Vietnam´s President Nguyen Minh Triet, the Rafto Foundation´s Executive Director Therese Jebsen and the Chairman of the Board of the Prize Committee Arne Liljedahl Lynngård convey their concern regarding the ongoing detentions of Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan, right, Mr. Somsak Khunmi and Mr. Nguyen The Vu. The three are charged with terrorism, although all they did was to promotoe peaceful democratic change in Vietnam. (06-MAY-08)