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The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR) requests  Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz – Prime Minister of Republic of Poland to submit to the Sejm an appropriate bill for ratification of the Protocol No.14 to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Republic of Poland remains one of only five states that have yet to submit ratification instruments (including the Russian Federation and Turkey). (23-JUNE-06)

As African heads of state prepare visit Gambia for the 7th African Union Summit in July, African free expression organizations warn that the state of free expression and press freedom is deteriorating rapidly across the continent. The summit will provide groups with the opportunity to highlight rights abuses in the light of recent claims of an increase in the arrest and harrassment of journalists.  (23-JUNE-06)
 

The Human Rights Square next to the Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen has been approved as a United Nations Human Rights Plaza and was ceremoniously opened yesterday on June 19th. The date of the ceremony was not chosen accidentally: June 19th is the birthday of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She received the Rafto Prize in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Suu Kyi has been kept in house arrest for nearly 11 years. (20-JUNE-2006)
 

Earlier today, Niels Jacob Harbitz, right, HRH´s project manager for Africa, spoke at a seminar in Oslo arranged by Landsforeningen for lesbisk og homofil frigjøring (LHH) and Skeiv Solidaritet (Queer Solidarity), on how to support gays and lesbians in East Africa.  Below is an edited extract of Harbitz’s contribution. (20-JUNE-06)
    

The Human Rights Square next to the Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen has been approved as a United Nations Human Rights Plaza and was ceremoniously opened yesterday on June 19th. The date of the ceremony was not chosen accidentally: June 19th is the birthday of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She received the Rafto Prize in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Suu Kyi has been kept in house arrest for nearly 11 years. (20-JUNE-2006)
 

Today, 19 June, is Aung San Suu Kyi´s 61st birthday. The Norwegian Burma Committee congratulates, but will not celebrate. The leader of Burma´s opposition is still under house arrest. Since 1989, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1991 has been imprisoned for more than ten years. The human rights situation in Burma is deteriorating, Åse Sand, right, of the NBC reminds us. (19-JUNE-06)
 

The students from Independent Republic of Azerbaijan University have been on the hunger strike since the 1-st of June 2006 with the demand to continue their education in other universities of Republic of Azerbaijan as the Independent Republic of Azerbaijan University has been closed. The strikers go on the strike despite of the deteriorated health condition and the external pressure in the form of strengthened police regime. (17-JUN-2006)
 

The students from Independent Republic of Azerbaijan University have been on the hunger strike since the 1-st of June 2006 with the demand to continue their education in other universities of Republic of Azerbaijan as the Independent Republic of Azerbaijan University has been closed. The strikers go on the strike despite of the deteriorated health condition and the external pressure in the form of strengthened police regime. (17-JUN-2006)
 

A wave of suicides in Guantanamo Bay illustrates the despair of prisoners who cannot even hope that their governments might one day demand that they either have their charges heard in court, or be freed. For while the camp’s European citizens are now out, citizens of Arab states have been sent to the back of the queue. (16-JUNE-06)
 

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Amnesty International and the International Committee for Human Rights expressed concern today that the activities of the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Commission for the Revision of Decisions on Naturalization of Foreign Citizens, which began its work in March 2006, may result in the transfer of persons to countries where they would be at risk of grave human rights violations. (15-JUN-06)
 

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Amnesty International and the International Committee for Human Rights expressed concern today that the activities of the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Commission for the Revision of Decisions on Naturalization of Foreign Citizens, which began its work in March 2006, may result in the transfer of persons to countries where they would be at risk of grave human rights violations. (15-JUN-06)
 

The Equality Parade, i.e. the sexual minorities march organized by the Equality Foundation, passed through the streets of Warsaw on Saturday, June 10. The Parade was held within the confines of the Equality Days, which take place this year on June 8-15 under the banner: Culture of Diversity. For the first time in several years the demonstration was legal (14-JUNE-06).