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Except of some previous irregularities occuring again, second round of the presidential elections, held on January 16th, was conducted in a democratic atmosphere according to the electional law. Although GONG?s preliminary overall assesment of the second round of the elections is positive, irregularities with the voters lists and serious violations of electional silence were registered again. (JAN-17-05)
 

INTACT (International Action Against Female Genital Mutilation), a German group active in Benin and other African countries, has declared that 2005 will be a year in which past successes in the fight against mutilation are celebrated and efforts to eradicate it will continue with renewed vigour. (17-JAN-05)
  

Hrodna Prosecutor’s Office officially warned the head of Minsk Regional organization of United Civil Party Maryna Bahdanovich. The reason was her radio speech as a candidate to the Parliament at Hrodna regional radio, in which the prosecutor´s office allegedly found insults to Aliaksandr Lukashenka. (16-JAN-2005)
 

On 2 December Homel Chyhunachny Borough Court started the open trial about which the correspondent of Narodnaya Volia newspaper Iryna Makavetskaya wanted to report. In the beginning of the trial the head of the court Tatsiana Adrybets ordered Makavetskaya to leave the court hall. The journalist refused to do it. Then Adrybets called the police who took Makavetskaya to Homel Chyhunachny Borough Board of Internal Affairs and composed a protocol of violation of article 166 of the Code of Administrative Violations (disrespect to court, up to 15 days of jail as punishment). At present, Makavetskaya is tried.  (16-JAN-2005)

The first session of the XXIV Human Rights School, organized by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, took place on 7-9 January. Its participants represent various environments, including teachers, police officers, civil workers, clerics, non-government organization activists. There are still 8 sessions ahead of them and an examination in June. (14-JAN-05)

Human Rights Watch published its next annual report on the situation in the world in 2004. The report contains serious critics towards the Azerbaijani government which has “a long-standing record of pressuring civil society groups and arbitrarily limiting critical   expression and political activism”. It has done so with a new intensity   following the October 2003 presidential elections, which international and   domestic observers said were marred by widespread fraud, reads the report. (14-JAN-2005)

-I have received a summons from a revolutionary court, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate for 2003 Shirin Ebadi informed her international contacts yesterday. -The summons only says I will have to report before the court within three days. If not, I will be arrested. It does not say why I have to appear, but in any case, I will not do so until the very last minute, i.e. on Sunday. (14-JAN-05)
   

The Zambian Human Rights Commission has written to Inspector General of Police Zunga Siakalima, asking him to identify and provide details of officers who assaulted journalists during a demonstration. Last December, a protest by opposition parties and civil society organisations pressing for the speedy adoption of a new constitution was violently disrupted by police. (14-JAN-05)
 

The Zanu PF government, under immense pressure to level the electoral playing field as Zimbabwe’s crucial parliamentary polls draw closer, is partially opening the airwaves to opposition political parties. But analysts are not impressed. They say the development is intended to hoodwink regional leaders into believing that the government is committed to the Mauritius protocol. (14-JAN-05)
 

Human Rights Watch next annual report contains serious critics towards the Azerbaijani government which has “a long-standing record of pressuring civil society groups and arbitrarily limiting critical   expression and political activism”. It has done so with a new intensity   following the October 2003 presidential elections, which international and   domestic observers said were marred by widespread fraud, reads the report. (14-JAN-2005)

Amidst resumed hostilities, the head of the Presidential Peace Team, Internal Affairs Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, says his team is in touch with the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) over the general ceasefire. “Contacts between the LRA and us through the mediator, Ms Betty Bigombe, have been on constantly,” Rugunda added. “We are being informed of every development.” (13-JAN-05) 
 

Robert Mugabe is doing all he can to reduce the damage his Zanu (PF) ruling party looks likely to suffer over the hotly disputed internal primary elections. After his rushed return from holidays in the Far East at the weekend, he has been holding a series of emergency meetings in a bid to deal with the explosive situation. (13-JAN-05)