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On December, 3rd the International Day of Disabled Persons was celebrated in the Russian Federation. In the Russian Federation there are 12.4 million disabled persons, that is almost 10 percent of the population and their number is steadily increasing. In spite of the fact that in 1992 the Russian Federation signed UN documents concerning rights of disabled persons they still live under miserable conditions. (10-DEC-06)
 

The opening of the exhibition of photography by Olivier Toscani, entitled “Thought is forbidden: the face of repression in Cuba”, will take place on 9 December 2006 at 7.30 p.m. at the club M25 located at 25 Miñska Street in Warsaw. Its organizers are the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the organization Hands Off Cain and the club M25. (9-DEC-06)

Journalists associations have urged Mexico’s new president to investigate the recent murders of journalists in the country. Demanding that those responsible be brought to justice. In the month of November alone, three journalists were murdered, bringing the total number this year to seven. English PEN is among those  drawing attention to the current plight facing Mexico’s media workers. (08-DEC-06)
 

On December 7 the New York office of the Committee to Protect Journalists released the statement on the case of Sakit Zakhidov. ‘The Republic of Azerbaijan Court of Appeals should reverse a ruling excluding defense witnesses in the appeal of Sakit Zakhidov and release the ailing journalist’ reads the statement. (08-DEC-06)
 

The female election candidates did not manage, yet again, to exceed the percentage of mandates that has been repeated from elections to elections and has become a fatal and invisible, but a firm boundary that female candidates of Bosnia and Herzegovina have not succeeded in crossing. (05-DEC-06)

The Norwegian Tibet Committee is in cooperation with Amnesty International Norway and the Human Rights House Foundation today hosting the newly released political prisoner from Tibet,  PHUNTSOG NYIDRON. Since she participated in a peaceful demonstration in Lhasa in Tibet in 1989 she has spent 15 years in prison. Today, on the 15th of December, from 11 to 1230, she will be at the Norwegian Human Rights House to share with us her experiences, but most of all her hopes for a peaceful settlement of Tibet. (15-DEC-06)
  

In late October the Rafto Foundation, together with the Norwegian Students´ and Academics´ International Assistance Fund (SAIH), Norwegian Refugee Council and 30 other Norwegian organisations initiated a campaign to urge Moroccan authorities to immediately return the passport of Sidi Mohammed Daddach, the 2002 Rafto Prize Laureate and former Saharawi prisoner of conscience. The campaign was a success and November 23, Daddach had his passport returned after three and a half years. (06-DEC-06)
  

In late October the Rafto Foundation, together with the Norwegian Students´ and Academics´ International Assistance Fund (SAIH), Norwegian Refugee Council and 30 other Norwegian organisations, among them the Human Rights House Foundation, initiated a campaign to urge Moroccan authorities to immediately return the passport of Sidi Mohammed Daddach, the 2002 Rafto Prize Laureate and former Saharawi prisoner of conscience. The campaign was a success and November 23, Daddach had his passport returned after three and a half years. (06-DEC-06)
 

Belarusian officials removed property including a computer, fax machine, and other necessities from the office of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee on 5 December 2006. The Committee, which is the last nation-wide human right organization still legally registered in the Republic of Belarus, has been under severe legal pressure for several years, and its leaders threatened with criminal prosecution on charges that, while politically motivated, can result in strict-regime prison terms. (05-DEC-06)
 

The Norwegian Human Rights House will on the 7th of December arrange a seminar that focuses on whether we in Norwegian media have hidden xenophobia and if so: of what does it consist? Which consequences may it have? Do the media contribute to an unnecessary polarization between “us” and “the others”, meaning those of another colour, religion or set of values? These and many more are the questions that The Norwegian Human Rights House wants to raise with well-known media personalities and investigators who are invited to the seminar. (05-DEC-06)
  

“Establishment of the Human Rights House in Baku is a priority for 2007” was one of the conclusions of the annual meeting of HRHF in Zagreb, held in November 2006. The representatives from HRH Baku, taking part in the meeting, shared with the results and conclusions with the other members of HRH Baku. (04-DEC-06)
 

Another lecture dedicated to the memory of Marek Nowicki took place on 1 December 2006 at Warsaw University. It was entitled “Reflections on the French Declaration of Rights from 1789 – today” delivered by Professor Jon Elster. (02-DEC-06)