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Belarusian court rejects complaint from missing cameraman’s mother
On 25 November the demand from the mother of Zmitser Zavadski, a Belarusian cameraman who disappeared in July 2000, to renew the investigation of the case, was rejected by the College Board of Minsk City Court. (26-NOV-04)
Croatian journalist seeks court protection from the Secret Service
The «Puljiz» affair, which has been under the public scrutiny for more than a month now, is still without resolution. The freelance journalist Helena Puljiz accused Croatian Counter – Intelligence Services (CIS) for unauthorized and illegal questioning. Puljiz has decided to seek court protection. (26-NOV-04)
Demonstration outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Oslo
While several hundred thousands of Ukrainian democrats made their demands clear for the fifth consecutive day in Kiev, some fifty Ukrainians joined by representatives from approximately ten different organisations did the same outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Oslo today. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights House Foundation were among those who gave weight to the demand for Victor Justshenko to be declared winner of the elections and thus the next President of Ukraina. (26-NOV-04)
Covering Ukraine’s elections: confronting censorship, bias and intimidation
Freedom of expression suffered considerably in Ukraine during the recent rounds of presidential elections on 31 October and 21 November. Article 19 reports (25-NOV-04)
Massive protests against female circumcision in Ethiopia
KMG, the Norwegian Church Aid´s partner organisation in Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, recently filled a football stadium with people demonstrating against female circumcision, or female genital mutilation (FGM) as it is also called. At long last, the results of a five years long campaign are beginning to show. (25-NOV-04)
Mugabe threatens purge as Zanu-PF infighting takes its toll
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has threatened to weed out top members destabilising his party in the aftermath of fiercely contested party elections to select his second deputy. Mugabe’s party Zanu (PF) now has two broad factions ruthlessly slugging it out in an escalating power struggle to replace the president. (25-NOV-04)
Mass rape in the Central African Republic
A 16-day international campaign to combat violence against women, focusing on HIV/Aids, begins today. Earlier this month, Amnesty International (AI) issued a report documenting mass rape of women and girls in the Central African Republic. So far, the government in the country has done nothing to punish the rapists. Find a link to the full AI report below. (25-NOV-04)
Kiev – Warsaw Common Matter
For another day Polish students in Warsaw demonstrate their opposition to frauded election in Ukraine. In the streets, there are also human rights activists, politicians and inhabitants of the capital city. The people dressed in orange shout: “We won´t leave Ukraine”, “Kiev – Warsaw common matter” and “Ukraine without Putin”. (24-11-04)
Burmese student leader freed
Burma´s military junta has freed the student leader Min Ko Naing, the country´s best known political prisoner after Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Min Ko Naing was surprisingly released 19 November as part of an announced release of almost 4,000 prisoners. (24-NOV-04)
Demonstration in Ukraine after the election
“We have two choices: either the answer will be given by the parliament, or the streets will give an answer.” the opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko said after he had declared victory and led a march of hundreds of thousands of his supporters to the president’s office Tuesday night November 23 in an effort to stage a velvet revolution.(23-NOV-04)
Burmese student leader freed
Burma´s military junta has freed the student leader Min Ko Naing (picture), the country´s best known political prisoner after Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Min Ko Naing was surprisingly released 19 November as part of an announced release of almost 4,000 prisoners. (24-NOV-04)
Sierra Leone killing proves human rights defenders are at risk
At some point during the night of 28 September, FannyAnn Eddy, 30, was brutally murdered while at work in the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association´s offices. Eddy was raped repeatedly, stabbed and her neck was broken. The internationally known human rights activist leaves behind a 10-year-old son. (24-NOV-04)