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Having Poland’s veto in prospect, Portugal, which heads the EU, has abandoned plans to establish the European Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October. The decision regarding the Day was supposed to be taken during the session of the EU Justice Council on 18 September 2007. The item was taken off the agenda at the last moment. The Portuguese side decided that a confrontation between Republic of Poland and the remaining 26 EU countries is pointless. (20-SEP-07)
 

The oppositional leader, deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the 13th Convocation Andrei Klimau, right, was arrested on 3 April 2007 for an article of 25 January 2007 that was published by the web-site of the United Civil Party. A criminal case was brought before the court under part 3 of article 361 of the Criminal Code ‘Public calls to seizure of the state power or forced change of the state order of the Republic of Belarus committed with the use of mass media’. (14-SEP-07)
 

The Rafto Prize for 2007 has been awarded to The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR), India for its brave struggle to promote Dalit rights, and for its efforts to emphasise that the discrimination and oppression resulting from caste prejudice is a serious violation of international human rights. Right, Vincent Manoharan, General Secretary of NCDHR. (20-SEP-07)

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina reacted today against the statement of Milorad Dodik (right), the president of the Republika Srpska Government, when he told the BHT on 13 September “I will simply not have various gay men walking into my office”, as reported by FENA (Federal News Agency). (20-SEP-07)

Having Poland’s veto in prospect, Portugal, which heads the EU, has abandoned plans to establish the European Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October. The decision regarding the Day was supposed to be taken during the session of the EU Justice Council on 18 September 2007. The item was taken off the agenda at the last moment. The Portuguese side decided that a confrontation between Republic of Poland and the remaining 26 EU countries is pointless. (20-SEP-07) 
 

The Rafto Prize for 2007 has been awarded to The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR), India for its brave struggle to promote Dalit rights, and for its efforts to emphasise that the discrimination and oppression resulting from caste prejudice is a serious violation of international human rights. Right, Vincent Manoharan, General Secretary of NCDHR. (20-SEP-07)  

HRH F´s partner organisations National Union of Somali Journalists and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network are joined by Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists in condemning yesterday´s siege of the Mogadishu based independent Radio Shabelle. The government forces´ shooting lasted for hours. No-one was hurt. (19-SEP-07)
 

In early September an action “White Ribbon”, directed on a straight fight with domestic violence, got started in Vologda region. The organizers strongly believe that if we can’t resist the home violence, we can at least reduce it. The most important thing is not to keep silent! For the victims were opened help lines, where both women and men can get a qualified help. (15-SEPT-07)
 

A new government initiative alleges that its goal is to bolster the NGO sector, but experts are concerned it may threaten organizations’ independence. The careful analysis of the issue is reflected in the article, written by journalists Shahin Abbasov and Marianna Gurtovnik on www.day.az website. (31-AUG-07)
 

Although the high ranking officials of Republic of Azerbaijan state that freedom of the press and expression are ensured and deny the exitence of problem in this field, the issue remains to be a concern of the international organizations. Such media crackdown if continued might results in making Republic of Azerbaijan responsible for obligations regarding human rights and press freedom.
(31-AUG-07)

On 28 August at approximately 4:00 p.m. in the Yasamal District of Baku the already built 12 storages of a 16-storey building collapsed. “Mutafakkir” Housing Construction Firm was carrying out the construction of this building. According to the latest reports at least 20 people were killed in the accident and over 25 injured.
(29-AUG-07)

The campaign on the erection of a memorial in honor of slain Azerbaijani journalist Elmar Huseynov (right) started in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The campaign consists of two stages – collecting signatures and fundraising for creation of the memorial. The effective conduct of the campaign needs the input of the entire society and can be efficient only at unification of efforts. (25-AUG-07)