Latest

Though the Council of Europe´s (CoE) most recent resolution stipulated that seven key opposition party leaders would be released, the Azerbaijani government ignored the CoE resolution and sentenced the seven to long prison terms. Disappointingly, CoE kept silent. (25-OCT-04)
 

– The apocalyptic Beslan tragedy was used by Putin as a chance to strengthen the power vertical and to have a free hand in pursuing the goal of consolidating his personal power, said Ida Kouklina from the Soldiers´ Mothers Committee in the Russian Federation, at the HRH Anniversary Conference 13 October 2004. (24-OCT-04)
 

Republic of Azerbaijan Young Lawyers Union (AYLU) is a non-political, non-governmental and non-profit organization, which targets to advocate laws and rights among youth, support proposals strengthening and protecting human rights and legal regulations, to achieve reforms in legal system basing on development of legal relations. From October 2004 AYLU started to impellent the project directed to the struggle against corruption. As a part of the project activities recently the website www.anticorruption.az had been created. The website had been presented to the public at the Round Table conducted by AYLU at Hyatt Regency Hotel, in October 20, 2004 in Baku. (24 OCT 2004)
 

“The Efficient Court. A Collection of Good Practices” is the title of a book created over several years by a group of Polish judges. The group acted as part of the Association of Polish Judges “Iustitia”, in co-operation with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. The book contains a series of verified ideas for resolving the problems of the Polish administration of justice. (22-OCT-04)
 

– My own government, in its response to the despicable violence wrought  by hijacked planes three years ago, has fallen far short of its own best traditions and in contravention, bordering on contempt, of international law, said Gara LaMarche, Vice-President and Director of U.S. Programs, Open Society Institute, at the HRH Anniversary Conference 13 October. (22-OCT-04)
 

Use of violence in promoting human rights was a highly disputed issue in the drafting of the UN Declaration on human rights defenders in 1998, said Jan Helgesen, one of the key persons in this process. Helgesen spoke at the HRH conference 13 October. (22-OCT-04)
 

– Human Rights Houses can facilitate protection, said Norwegian MP Thorbørn Jagland, who spoke at the Opening of the HRH Anniversary Conference 13 October. (22-OCT-04)
 

– Human rights defenders working on the front line are the ones who bring about change. It is our job to try to keep them alive and contribute to creating the space for them to be able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of persecution, said Mary Lawlor from Frontline at HRH´s Anniversary conference ´Activists under Attack. Defending the Right to be a Human Rights Defender. Frontline provides practical assistance to defenders at risk. (22-OCT-04)
 

Representatives of the Human Rights House Network condemn the crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, journalists and representatives of the political opposition by Belarusian authorities.  (22-OCT-04)
 

In one statement and several press releases over the last few days, the Human Rights Center VIASNA documents severe irregularities in the recent Belarusian elections. This new information strongly supports the initial impressions that the elections were a farce, and that President Lukashenko has reinforced his position as Europe´s last true dictator. (22-OCT-04)
   

– Human rights defenders working on the front line are the ones who bring about change. It is our job to try to keep them alive and contribute to creating the space for them to be able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of persecution, said Mary Lawlor from Frontline at HRH´s Anniversary conference ´Activists under Attack. Defending the Right to be a Human Rights Defender. Frontline provides practical assistance to defenders at risk. (22-OCT-04)
 

As part of his tour of the South Caucasus region the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Chairman of the Council of Europe´s (CE) Ministerial Committee Jan Petersen met with a group of key Azerbaijani human rights defenders on 12th of October.  On behalf of about 15 Azerbaijani human rights NGOs Fuad Hasanov, a local human rights activist, delivered to Mr. Petersen an open letter, where the human rights defenders highly encourage the establishment of a Human Rights House in Baku. According to the NGOs such a house will make the human rights movement more visible, accessible and improve the security for human rights defenders in the Republic of Azerbaijan. (22-OCT-2004)