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Human rights groups hope the arrest of a former rebel leader in the DRC will lead to further arrests of military and civilian leaders accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of having committed atrocities, also in the Republic of Uganda and the Republic of the Sudan. With their commitment to cooperation, Congolese authorities have set an example to follow for their Ugandan and Sudanese counterparts. (08-FEB-08)
 

6 February Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, condemned the recent executions in the Republic of Belarus. Earlier, Rene van der Linden, Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, had also called upon the President of Republic of Belarus to abolish the death penalty. Three leaders of Homel criminal gang – Valery Harbaty, Ihar Danchanka and Siarhei Marozau – were recently executed by shooting.  Right, Ales Bialiatski, Vice Chairman of the International Federation of Human Rights. (8-FEB-08)
 

Three leaders of Homel criminal gang – Valery Harbaty, Ihar Danchanka and Siarhei Marozau – have been executed by shooting lately. On 6 February the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis condemned the new facts of death punishment in Republic of Belarus. Earlier the Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Rene van der Linden also called the president of Republic of Belarus to abolish the death sentences to the criminals. (8-FEB-08)
 

In a statement signed by Information and Communications permanent secretary on Monday, the Government said that the ban had been lifted with immediate effect. PS  Bitange Ndemo said that the ban was lifted by Internal Security minister George Saitoti, right, following the improvement of security in the country. (05-FEB-08)

On 30 January 2008 a session of the Council of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights was held and was also the first meeting in a series devoted to the development of the strategy for Foundation´s activities in the upcoming years. At the same time, the Council introduced changes in the Foundation´s statutory bodies. (04-FEB-08)

On 22 January, a young journalist was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death for downloading and distributing an article that insulted Islam. The upper House of Parliament issued a statement on 30 January backing the death sentence then withdrew it the following day. Will Islamic Republic of Afghanistan remain defiant in the glare of the world’s media? (01-FEB-08)
 

President Viktor Yushchenko is to campaign internationally for the Ukrainian famine that killed possibly as many as 10 million people in 1932-3 to be recognised by the United Nations as genocide. But the battle over the legacy of the event threatens to divide the country. (25-JAN-08)
 

The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings entered into force on 1 February and this day the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights sent a letter to Prime Minister of Republic of Poland Mr. Donald Tusk drawing his attention to the necessity for Republic of Poland to ratify this Convention. (01-FEB-08)

On 22 January, a young journalist was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death for downloading and distributing an article that insulted Islam. The upper House of Parliament issued a statement on 30 January backing the death sentence then withdrew it the following day.  Will Islamic Republic of Afghanistan remain defiant in the glare of the world’s media? (01-FEB-08)
 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on Ugandan authorities to put an end to the harassment of journalists in the country after five journalists and editors of the privately-owned Daily Monitor newspaper were charged with defamation after they published stories alleging the government’s Inspector General is involved in a salary scam.

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, who has been monitoring the Albin Kurti trial with the Danish Helsinki Committee since it began in autumn 2007, published a statement today criticizing the way in which the internationalized courts in Kosovo have handled the case so far. They suggest that the concerns are so serious that a retrial may be required. (31-JAN-08) 
 

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, who has been monitoring the Albin Kurti trial with the Danish Helsinki Committee since it began in autumn 2007, published a statement today criticizing the way in which the internationalized courts in Kosovo have handled the case so far. They suggest that the concerns are so serious that a retrial may be required. (31-JAN-08)