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On 8 June, the Minister of Education, Roman Giertych, dismissed the head of the National In-Service Teacher Training Center (CODN), Mr. Miroslaw Sielatycki. The cause for the dismissal was the publication of the book “Compass – A manual on human rights education with young people”, which, according to the Minister, encourages people to meet with homosexual organizations and promotes homosexuality. (14-JUNE-06)

On 8 March, the Minister of Education, Roman Giertych, dismissed the head of the National In-Service Teacher Training Center (CODN), Mr. Miros³aw Sielatycki. The cause for the dismissal was the publication of the book “Compass – A manual on human rights education with young people”, which, according to the Minister, encourages people to meet with homosexual organizations and promotes homosexuality. (14-JUNE-06)
 

A delegation of the Russian civil society, including Stanislav Dmitrievskij, is visiting Norway to raise the Norwegian authorities’ awareness about the human rights situation in the Chechen Republic and to discuss possible strategies with their Norwegian human rights counterparts. Simultaneously Oleg Orlov, right, of the human rights organisation Memorial revealed pictures and footage of a secret prison in the centre of Grozny. (13-JUN-06)
 

The “Memorial” human rights center reports about a secret prison in the Chechen Republic where the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) kept detained people, some of them were tortured and killed. The revealings are based on the center´s own investigation and testimonies by by one of the victims, Alavdi Sadykov. The report states that the secret prison was quickly demolished the day after the MIA’s group left the place. Russian and international human rights activists believe that Chechen authorities halve twice curtailed the number of kidnapped and disappeared people in the Republic. (12-JUN-06)
 

In the Chechen Republic in the center of Grozny human rights activists discovered a secret prison of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). In a cellar of the building, where a MIA’s operational group was located, detained people were kept in prison, some of them were tortured and killed, – the “Memorial” human rights center reported, on the basis of its own investigation and a proof presented by victim  of that prison Alavdi Sadykov.  The day after the MIA’s group left the place, the secret prison was quickly demolished. Russian and international human rights activists believe that Chechen’s authorities twice curtail the number of kidnapped and disappeared people in the Republic.  (12-JUN-06)
 

From May 9th to May 11th the Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen, Norway and the Seoul based non governmental organization Citizens Alliance for North Korean Human Rights together hosted «North Korea: New Approaches.», the7th International Conference on North Korean Human Rights & Refugees. Close to 200 delegates from over 20 countries attended the event in Bergen. The aim of the conference was to discuss different approaches for real improvement for human rights in North Korea. Dialogue and different views, as opposed to joint resolutions, were emphasized in order to find strategies for the road ahead.  (01-JUNE-2006)
 

The 1 June, on the International Children´s Day many actions for protection children’s rights, life and health were held in the Russian Federation. Children’s theme is utterly important today in the Russian Federation. The regional organization “Right of Child” reports about horrific situation in this sphere, about family crisis and an evident lack of government’s attention to its young citizens. (10-JUN-06)
 

Burma has one of the world´s most brutal regimes. For a decade-and-a-half the military leaders have run the country with an iron grip, prompting economic stagnation and international condemnation.The Rafto Foundation invites you to the seminar: “Burma – a country behind bars”, to be held on Monday, June 19th 16:30-18:30 at the Rafto House, Menneskerettighetenes plass 1. This is the fifth seminar in the The Rafto Prize 20th Anniversary Program. (10-JUNE-2006)
 

The seventh Regional Youth School of Human Rights, organized as a part of cooperation between Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Committees in the Western Balkans, which gathers young people from Republic of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and FYR Macedonia, took place from 24 to 29 May of this year in Zajecar (Serbia). The basic topics explored in this School were prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination. (09-JUN-06)
 

The seventh Regional Youth School of Human Rights, organized as a part of cooperation between Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Committees in the Western Balkans, which gathers young people from Republic of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and FYR Macedonia, took place from 24 to 29 May of this year in Zajecar (Serbia). The basic topics explored in this School were prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination. (09-JUN-06)
 

Yesterday, the Convenor of the NGO Coalition for an International Criminal Court (the Coalition), William Pace, right, visited the Human Rights House in Oslo, on the invitation of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. During a seminar  Mr. Pace set out the International Criminal Court´s (ICC) main challenges for the near future. He was, however, based on the many achievement in the last century in the field of human rights, optimistic. (08-JUN-06)
 

The trial of writer Perihan Magden began on 7 June, only to be adjourned until 27 July. Magden faces charges of “alienating the people from military service” following an article she wrote as part of her regular column in Aktuel in which she defended imprisoned conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan. She faces three years? imprisonment if convicted.  Magden´s trial was reported to have been adjourned to allow the prosecutors to collect further evidence on her case. (07-JUNE-06)