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A world premiere on a new documentary by renowned Norwegian film maker Erling Borgen and an exhibition of pictures by the independent Belarusian newspaper Nasha Niva’s photographer Julia Darashkevich topped the programme on the first day of HRHN’s annual meeting.

The Human Rights House Network’s (HRHN) annual meeting opens today in Vilnius, Lithuania. For the first time, the Belarusian Human Rights House in exile hosts the series of events which will go on until Saturday. Following the two-day meeting, an international conference will address the human rights situation in the Republic of Belarus and the Baltic states. Finally, there will also be a particular Belarusian forum.

On 22-23 September 2010, the Human Rights House Network holds its annual meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania. On 22 September, the participants in the meeting adopted a statement on the human rights situation in the Republic of Belarus.

In a statement published on 15 September, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee expresses concerns regarding the severe threats against Natalia Radzina, Svetlana Kalinkina and Nicolai Khalezin. According to NHC, after the tragic death of Aleh Byabenin on 3 September 2010, pressure has mounted against journalists and friends of Byabenin, who have questioned the authorities’ hastened conclusion that he committed suicide.

The funeral of Aleh Biabenin, the founder and editor of the charter97.org website, was attended by hundreds of people. The Belarusian Government has promised to invite the OSCE experts to ensure a proper investigation of the media activist’s suspicious „suicide“ on 3 September. However, anonymous threats to some of his colleagues keep appearing daily.

On 25 September 2010, the Belarusian Human Rights House in Exile in Vilnius is organizing the Belarusian Human Rights Defender Forum to discuss the current situation of human rights defenders in the Republic of Belarus and possibilities of working out a joint development strategy for the Belarusian human rights community.

Lawyers, students, journalists, Human Rights House partners etc. are welcome to visit the introductory reception to the international conference “Human Rights: Between Law and Moral” on 17 September (5-7pm). The conference for experts and lawyers from Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Georgia and the Russian Federation is due to take place on 18-20 September 2010 as a part of a project “Electronic Human Rights Education for Lawyers“.

On 24 September 2010, the Human Rights House Network (HRHN) hosts an open Human Rights Conference in Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania, to draw attention to the situation of human rights defenders and human rights trends identified in the Republic of Belarus and the Baltic states.

Aleh Byabenin, right, one of Belarus’s leading journalists and human rights activists, and among the founders and leaders of charter97.org website, has found dead in his summer cottage not far from Minsk. Contrary to suggestions that Byabenin must have committed suicide, no suicide note was found and no other possible indicators suggest the same.