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Sites attacked in Belarus
Anatol Liabedzka, UCP, and Ludmila Hraznova, a Belarusian Human Rights group, claim their web sites have been attacked by unidentified hackers. They believe the attack has been masterminded by Belarusian KGB. This is not the first case when opposition web sites have fallen victim to hacker attacks.
Poland: Freedom of speech?
Last week, the head of the Campaign Against Homophobia was fined by the court for his statement, which, according to the court, was aimed at offending Catholics. Lawyers have doubts as to the course chosen for making the verdict and the qualification of the offence itself. (12-AUG-05)
Rafto Foundation raises money to help maltreated Saharawi
The Rafto Foundation has organized a fundraising campaign to get medical treatment for 20 year old Sidi Elfakraoui. Elfakraoui was thrown out of a window from the 4th floor by Moroccan police, and consequently broke his back, arm and both his legs. (16-AUG-2005)
Rafto Foundation raises money to help maltreated Saharawi
Mr. Arne Lynngard, Chairman of the Rafto Foundation has organized a fundraising campaign to get medical treatment for 20 year old Sidi Elfakraoui. The young man was thrown out of a window in the 4th floor of a building by Moroccan police, and consequently broke his back, arm and both his legs. The police started to follow him for no obvious reason, and Mr. Elfakraoui ran from them, fearing what they might do to him. (16-AUG-2005)
Free Western Sahara, demonstrators in Oslo demand
Last Friday, more than 50 exiled Saharawis of Western Sahara, currently settled in Norway, demonstrated outside the Moroccan Embassy in Oslo, demanding the release of imprisoned Saharawian human rights activists and the end to the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. The Moroccan Embassy refused to talk to the demonstrators. (15-AUG-05)
Second conference in Brussels on EU, Turkey and the Kurds
For the second time the Rafto Foundation, in collaboration with Kurdish Human Rights Project (UK), medico international (Germany) and Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, will arrange a two-day conference, September 19 – 20, 2005, debating the Turkish accession process to the EU. The conference in Brussels will focus on the human rights situation in the Republic of Turkey, especially focusing on the conditions for the Kurdish people. (15-AUG-2005)
New threats to free expression in wake of London attacks
The British government is proposing powerful new controls on freedom of expression as part of its current strategy to ward off fresh terror attacks on the country — including charging the worst offenders with treason and rewriting British human rights laws to make it all possible. Index on Censorship’s Rohan Jayasekera reports. (09-AUG-05)
Freedom of speech?
Last week, the head of the Campaign Against Homophobia – a Polish gay and lesbian organization – was fined by the court for his statement, which, according to the court, was aimed at offending Catholics. Lawyers have doubts as to the course chosen for making the verdict and the qualification of the offence itself. (12-AUG-05)
Federation Council approved Federal law “On Amendments to the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federa
The adoption of this law completes the creation of the new Russian electoral legislation system that, according to human rights and politician activists, represents a rolling-back of democracy. (12-AUG-05)
CoE commissioner met Russian human rights activists
On the 31st of July a meeting between Russian human rights activists and Mr. Alvaro Gil-Robles, the commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe, took place. They discussed Gil-Robles’ report about human rights in the Russian Federation. (11-AUG-05)
Russian activists met CoE’s human rights Commissioner
The Commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe, Mr. Alvaro Gil-Robles, has compared the Russian Federation to a train full of passengers that don’t know where they are going. On 31st July he met Russian human rights activists. (11-AUG-05)
New threats to free expression in wake of London attacks
The British government is proposing powerful new controls on freedom of expression as part of its current strategy to ward off fresh terror attacks on the country — including charging the worst offenders with treason and rewriting British human rights laws to make it all possible. Index on Censorship’s Rohan Jayasekera reports. (09-AUG-05)