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The State Duma rejected Human Rights Court plan
On December, 20th the State Duma refused to ratify the Protocol 14 for changes in the European Court of Human Rights, aimed at increasing the efficiency of European Court’s of Human Rights work. The Protocol would help to decrease a number of unconsidered cases and a period for preparing a ruling as well. (28-DEC-06)
Russia slows the European Court’s Human Rights work
On December, 20th the State Duma of Russia refused to ratify the Protocol 14 for changes in the European Court of Human Rights. The Protocol is aimed at increasing the efficiency of European Court’s of Human Rights work and was ratified by all countries – members of the European Union – except the Russian Federation. The Protocol would help to decrease a number of unconsidered cases and the period for preparing a ruling as well. However without ratification of the Protocol by the Russian Federation the document won’t come into force. (28-DEC-06)
Local awards for human rights activity
The “Institute of Human Rights and Civil Stance,” a local NGO in the Republic of Azerbaijan, determined people who distinguished themselves in the field of human rights and building a civil society in 2006, most of the recipients were members of the press. “The freedom of speech and freedom of the media situations are getting worse. However, despite of human rights violations, the number of people struggling for citizens´ rights and freedoms is growing”, said the director of the Institute Ilgar Ibrahimoglu (on the right). (26-DEC-06)
Political parties in search of new strategies
The oppositional political parties started to propose alternative methods to influence the negative processes in the public-political life of the country. The “Azadlig” bloc discusses its temporary suspension, while the ADP plans to initiate the joint “national forum” to start the dialogue with the government. (23-DEC-06)
Hunger strike temporarily stopped
The students of Independent University stopped the long-lasting hunger strike for a while. This protest action is temporarily suspended for a big pressure of national and international community because of the sharp deterioration of students’ health state. The court on the case still continues. (21-DEC-06)
Turkmenistan’s president dead
Turkmenistan’s president Saparmurat Niyazov died this morning. He has been responsible for one of the most repressive regimes in the world. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) expresses in their press release today that they hope that the tyrant’s death will at last create a window of opportunity for the Turkmen people to freely elect a new leader and create a society where the respect for fundamental human rights is reinstated. (21-DEC-06)
Closer to elections more pressure on opposition
On December 12th 2006 armed law enforcement agents raided the offices of one of the Russian opposition parties “United Civil Front” headed by Garry Kasparov. This incident took place just before a planned for December 16th protest action “March of Dissent”. The march was organized by Kasparov´s movement and other opposition groups and was held in Moscow. (20-DEC-06)
Condemnations of the arrest of a Somali journalist
The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders´ Network (EHAHRD-Net) is greatly appalled by the continued harassment of media workers in the Republic of Somalia, the latest being the arrest of the Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Mr. Omar Faruk Osman, right, together with Ali Moalim Isak, the NUSOJ Organising Secretary. (19-DEC-06)
Moroccan police crushed non-violent demonstration on Human Rights Day
To commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations Committed by the Moroccan State (ASVDH) organized a sit-in on December 10, 2006, in Dcheira Square, opposite the Hotel Negjir, in the city of El-Ayoune. The non-violent demonstrators were attacked by a large number of Moroccan security elements armed with sticks, when the Sahrawi activists approached the place of the sit-in. (15 DES 06)
WATCH DOCS Film Festival
On 8-17 December 2006, Warsaw hosted, already for the sixth time, the International Film Festival WATCH DOCS. Human Rights in Film organized by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art and the Social Institute of Film. This year a new formula was developed for the festival – film competitions. (18-DEC-06)
Tibet: Special update on political prisoners
Throughout 2006, ICT has received tens of thousands of signatures of support from people who have spoken out for Tibetan prisoners of conscious. The active support that these signatures represent has helped in securing the release of the Buddhist nun Phuntsog Nyidron and the humanitarian, Nyima Choedron. (18-DEC-06)
Rising opposition to regime
On December, 10th , the International Day of Human Rights, the Second All-Russian Congress on Protection of Human Rights stated that the situation in the country had drastically deteriorated. It was the first time leaders of human rights movement called human rights activists to take part in pre-election campaign together with all oppositional forces, including communists. (17-DEC-06)