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The electoral campaign in the Republic of Belarus started more than three weeks ago. During this time the police detained more than 300 persons. More than 40 of them (including Valiantsin Viachorka, the chair of the BPF Party and the proxy of the candidate to the presidential position Aliaksandr Milinkevich) were sentenced to 15 days of arrest by ‘fair and independent courts’. (13-MARCH-06)

The Human Rights House Foundation and Norwegian PEN strongly condemn the beating and arresting of journalists that were covering the arrest of presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin’s on Thursday 2 March. The police actions consider a severe violation of the right that all people have to practice their profession as a journalist according to article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reads the statement (15-MARCH-06).
 

Every year, hundreds of Kurdish women commit suicide, most commonly by burning themselves to death, in Kurdistan. What are the reasons why so many young women chose such a painful and dramatic way to end their lives, ask freelance journalist Abdollah Hejab and Liv Kjølseth, right, of the Norwegian Council or the Rights of the Kurds. (15-MAR-06)
 

The overall position of women in Croatian society, in spite of Government efforts and  accepted international standards in domestic legislation, remains to be one of the greatest obstacles for combating discrimination in the Republic of Croatia. Consequently, the media in particular show low level of gender sensitivity, often portraying women in a sexist manner and relying largely on soft pornography as an advertising strategy. (14-MAR-06)
 

-I cannot sleep at night because I am suffocating. I can’t walk for long periods of time. Physicians say it cannot be cured and it is the effect of the chemical bombing. said Parwin Mohammed (56) to journalist Ismail Osman in an article published by the ‘Institute for war and peace reporting’ recently. The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurds (RKR) observes the sad anniversary this week. (14-MAR-06)
 

Due to the ongoing negotiations to create a Human Rights Council in place of the long-lasting Human Rights Commission, in recent years seen as lacking in efficiency and influence, the Commission this morning opened its sixty-second session and then decided by consensus to suspend its work for one week until Monday, 20 March. (14-MAR-06)
 

The electoral campaign in the Republic of Belarus started more than three weeks ago. During this time the police detained more than 200 persons. More than 20 of them (including Valiantsin Viachorka, the chair of the BPF Party and the proxy of the candidate to the presidential position Aliaksandr Milinkevich) were sentenced to 15 days of arrest by ‘fair and independent courts’. (13-MAR-06)
 

The US State Department released a report on Republic of Azerbaijan for 2005. According to the secretary the Azerbaijan’s November parliamentary elections, while an improvement in some areas, failed to meet a number of international standards. There were numerous credible reports of local officials interfering with the campaign process and misusing state resources, limited freedom of assembly, disproportionate use of force by police to disrupt rallies, and fraud and major irregularities in vote counting and tabulation. Thus far, additional actions taken during the post-election grievance process have not fully addressed the shortcomings of the electoral process”. (12-MAR-2006)
 

Letter by the HFHR Board regarding refugees from the Chechen Republic to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (10-MAR-06)

– To exercise the right to a home in this society is equal to an “act of heroism” even for “ordinary” citizens, but particularly for the Roma population. This sometimes borders with the impossible, despite its in fact being a fundamental right, says Branka Inic (right) Lawyer in the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (10-MAR-06)

The 6 March a bill against sexual discrimination was discussed in Duma.By tradition there is a tolerant attitude toward violation of equality of men’s and women’s rights in the Russian Federation. It’s one of the reasons of unequal representation of women in the ruling clique and in the highest ranks, of violation of women’s labour rights and spreading of sexual violence. Contrary to the Constitution, state and private undertakings  practice discrimination against women. (09-MAR-06)
 

On the 6th of March Belarusian population had a rare chance to get  to alternative information by listening an appeal of the candidates to the presidential positions on the radio. But republican  radio station illegally cut some parts out of these speeches  while broadcasting oppositional appeal to Belarusian electorate.(09-MARCH-06)