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On February 8th, the conference “Language of strife and xenophobia. the Russian Federation, XXI century” was held in Moscow. Participants of the conference discussed situation in the Russian society, public policy and mass media, where language of strife and xenophobia are considered as legitimate by many people. Recently, the ruling party launched a project aimed at popularization of nationalism. (17-FEB-07)
 

In connection with the case of the cardiologist from the hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, the Helsinki Committee in Poland calls on state officials, as well as journalists and commentators, to preserve the elementary principles guaranteeing the binding force of presumption of innocence for suspects and the accused. (16-FEB-07)

The story of Vika Maroz was followed by repercussions throughout Republic of Belarus, Italy and the whole world. There have been debates on Vika’s disappearance and the adoption of Belarusian children by foreign parents. Belarusian authorities placed the girl to the temporary foster family and prefer not to discuss this subject. Italian authorities have organized an open debate about it. (15-FEB-07)
 

In the year 2006, the major event in Bosnia and Herzegovina was the General Elections of 1 October. People´s representatives at all levels of government, excluding the local government, were elected. The whole year was marked by the elections and the elections campaign, although the official campaign was only one month long, stated Srdjan Dizdarevic, President of the BH Helsinki Committee, at the presentation of the Annual report on state of human rights in BH, on the press conference, held on monday. (15-FEB-07)
 

Although the official election campaign was only one month long, the whole year was marked by it, stated Srdjan Dizdarevic, President of the BH Helsinki Committee, at the presentation of the Annual report on the state of human rights in Bosnia and Hercegovina. Political leaders and candidates employed nationalistic rhetoric, he said. (15-FEB-07)
 

Thailand and the Burmese military regime have plans to build several dams on the Salween river inside Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). The Norwegian Burma Committee asks everyone to sign the universally distributed online petition to the Prime Minister of Thailand to withdraw from the cooperation project with the Burmese junta. Right, the numbers of internally displaced persons along the Salween river are on he rise. (15-FEB-07)
 

On 7 February, after familiarizing itself with the positions of the government and
non-governmental organizations, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women issued concluding comments, in which it made reference to the government’s policy and presented its recommendations. (14-FEB-07)
 

The arrest of an African pastor for accusing children of witchcraft has turned the spotlight on African customs and the recent revamping of laws regulating witchcraft in Zimbabwe.  In Zimbabwe, where state sanctioned violence and apathy colludes with a spiraling economic crisis, reliance on traditional occult practices appears to be on the rise.   However, the government’s response to people’s fears of bewitchment has been decidedly controversial. (14-FEB-07) 
 

The Norwegian state pension fund has invested approximately 200 million Norwegian kroner (in excess of 32 million USD), in the South Korean company Daewoo. This company is known to have sold weapons and other equipment to the military junta of Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), writes Inger Lise Husøy, Executive Director of the Norwegian Burma Committee. (14-FEB-07)
 

On 7 February 2007 the Rafto Foundation received a letter from the Vietnamese embassy in Copenhagen informing that a long planned visit to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to meet with Vietnam’s leading dissident, Venerable Thich Quang Do, is not possible. The Rafto Foundation is accused of harming good relationships between Norway and Vietnam. Right, Arne Lynngård, Chairman of the Rafto Foundation. (13-FEB-07)
 

Russia’s receives a very low Freedom Rating. According to human rights activists, the year 2006 is characterized by frontal attack on human rights and democracy in the Russian Federation that developed into general revenge of authoritarian-police regime against rights and freedoms earlier declared on paper. However, President Putin rejects accusations of human rights violations. (13-FEB-06)
 

For decades, a large part of the Saharawi / Western Saharan population has lived in camps in the barren desert of neighbouring Algeria. For ever more Saharawis, this is the only life they know. Their own country is but a distant dream. Independent photo journalists Rådmund Steinsvåg and Anne-Torhild Nilsen of Berserk Productions made it into the camps and produced this photo gallery. (12-FEB-07)