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Burma Military regime arrested 5 student leaders including the country’s second most prominent leader, Min Ko Naing. The arrest took place as the UN Security Council met to discuss Burma for the first time in history on Friday, 29 September. Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Htay Kywe were arrested by Special Police Force on 27 September as they prepared to attend the 18th anniversary of the founding of the National League for Democracy, the political party led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that won 82% of the seats in parliament in Burma’s last democratic election. (8-OCT-2006)

A Joint Statement on the recent arrest of 88 Generation Students Group leaders was issued on 3th October by Burmese democratic forces in Norway. The statement was signed by 6 Burmese exile groups and calls for an immediate release of political prisoners, a meaningful dialogue between all concerned parties and a a lift of all suppressive measurements. (8-OCT-2006)

First Deputy Chairman Mrs Erna H. Solberg, right, (The Conservative Party) yesterday called on Vietnamese authorities on behalf of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Norwegian Parliament to release this years Rafto Prize recipient, Thich Quang Do. (26-SEP-06)
 

The board of the Rafto Foundation has decided to award the 2006 Professor Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize to one of Vietnam´s most prominent defenders of democracy, religious freedom and human rights: Venerable Thich Quang Do. He receives the prize for his personal courage and perseverance through three decades of peaceful opposition against the communist regime in Vietnam, and as a symbol for the growing democracy movement in the country. (21-SEP-2006)

In a statement 13. September 2006, The Uyghur American Association (UAA), which represents the collective voice of the Uyghur people in the United States of America, expresses delight by the recent news that its current president, Ms. Rebiya Kadeer, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Rebiya Kadeer was awarded the Rafto Prize in 2004. (21-SEP-2006)

A press release from the Uyghur Human Rights Project states that the organisation has learned that Alim Abdureyim, one of Rebiya Kadeer’s sons arrested by Chinese police, has been tortured in detention. UHRP is not aware of the extent or nature of any injuries Mr Abdureyim may have sustained, but the organization is extremely concerned that he may be in need of urgent medical attention, and is at risk of further abuse. (26-JUNE-06)
 

The Human Rights Square next to the Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen has been approved as a United Nations Human Rights Plaza and was ceremoniously opened yesterday on June 19th. The date of the ceremony was not chosen accidentally: June 19th is the birthday of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She received the Rafto Prize in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Suu Kyi has been kept in house arrest for nearly 11 years. (20-JUNE-2006)
 

From May 9th to May 11th the Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen, Norway and the Seoul based non governmental organization Citizens Alliance for North Korean Human Rights together hosted «North Korea: New Approaches.», the7th International Conference on North Korean Human Rights & Refugees. Close to 200 delegates from over 20 countries attended the event in Bergen. The aim of the conference was to discuss different approaches for real improvement for human rights in North Korea. Dialogue and different views, as opposed to joint resolutions, were emphasized in order to find strategies for the road ahead.  (01-JUNE-2006)
 

Dr. Soh Changrok is a professor of international relations at the Graduate School of International Studies at Korea University, and a trustee of the Citizens´ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights. In this article, which he wrote after having participated at the 7th Conference on North korean Human Rights and Refugees, he shares his thoughts about a possible new approach to human rigths challenges for the 21st century. (03-JUNE-2006)