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We congratulate everybody on Victory day. (09-MAY-05)
 

“The rehabilitation of Stalin can’t be allowed”, – members of society express their resentment.
Russian society is insulted by the decision of the councils of many towns of the Russian Federation to place a monument to Stalin. A lot of representatives from the Russian scientific and liberal intelligentsia wrote, to no avail, a letter to Mr. Putin to not allow the placement of Stalin´s monument anywhere in the Russian Federation. (09-MAY-05)
 

From the Norwegian Burma Committee, a member of the Human Rights House in Oslo, HRH has received the following article, originating from the French news agency AFP: The UN’s top human rights body sharply criticized “systematic” abuse by Myanmar’s military junta, calling on it to restore democracy and free all political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (8-MAY-05)
 

On April 15th a local school class did the UNCHR role-play at the Rafto House by voting the North Korea resolution. At the very same time, the ‘real’ UNCHR voted the North Korea resolution in Geneva. The reality of the role-play and the authenticity of the situation seemed to hit the student who dug into their roles with gravity.  Given that the Rafto Human Rights House has special focus on North Korea this year, including the hosting of the 7th international conference on North Korean human rights, it becomes natural to use the case of North Korea in the teaching. (06-MAY-2005)

Several reports about police violence connection with peaceful demonstrations etc. have reached the Rafto Foundation. Right now, the 2002 Rafto Prize laureate, Sidi Mohammed Daddach (picture) and his immediate circle of associates are the only ones who can publicly air discontentment and criticism regarding Morocco’s policy in Western Sahara. The Rafto Prize has afforded Daddach and 14 of his associates protection. Hence, they are able to speak up about the human rights violations taking place in the occupied territories. (06-MAY-2005)
 

As a reaction to comments made by the Norwegian Ambassador to Morocco in a documentary on Norwegian Broadcasting Network (NRK) aired yesterday (03.05.05), the Ambassador, Arne Aasheim, has been called back to Norway. He has to answer to critizism from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with regard to his statements in the documentary. The prominent Saharawian human rights activist, Sidi Mohammed Daddach, was awarded the 2002 Rafto Prize. (05-MAY-2005)
 

On Thursday 5 May, youth from many countries worldwide – mainly from Israel and Republic of Poland, as well as representatives of 50 states took part in already the 14th March of the Living. The Marches take place on the Day of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust (Jom HaShoah) within the grounds of the former concentration camp in Auschwitz and are supposed to remind us of the Holocaust victims. (06-MAY-05)

Almost all parties took to and flooded the streets of the Russians towns with their placards and flags. Left, central and right wing oriented organizations came out to the demonstrations. It was remarkable that a lot of the demands of the demonstrators, from across political spectrum, were similar. (05-MAY-05)
 

In the World Press Freedom Day the famous international organisation for support of freedom of Media Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) released its report about the situation with media in the World in 2004.  In the chapter devoted to Republic of Azerbaijan it is noted that the situation in the country worsened for pro-opposition journalists since the 2003 presidential elections. (4-MAY-2005)

The announcement that King Gyanendra had lifted Nepal?s state of emergency late Friday caught most observers by surprise but left few confident that the country would see the immediate restoration of human rights ? including freedom of expression for its media. (03-MAY-05)
 

About 1,500 reporters marched through Nepal´s capital Tuesday to mark World Press Freedom Day and demand an immediate end to government censorship and the release of colleagues detained since King Gyanendra seized power in February. Index on Censorship’s Rohan Jayasekera reports on fears that the supposed end of Nepal´s state of emergency will not end the repression of the country´s independent media. (03-May-05) 

The Press prize of Ihar Hiermianchuk Memorial is awarded by the  Belarusian Association of Journalist (BAJ), Human Rights House Foundation and the Norwegain PEN  to the editor-in-chief Alena Raubetskaya on the International Freedom of Pres day May 3. Mrs. Raubetskaya is being honered for her critical articles in relation to the October elections in 2004 (3-MAY-05).