Latest

On Monday night, May 29, three of Kadeer’s children were detained in Urumchi, the capital of the Xinjiang province in north western the People´s Republic of China, also known as East Turkestan. Speculations are that they were detained before the arrival of a delegation from the US Congress on Tuesday the 30th. The two sons Ablikim and Alim Abdiryim, and the daughter Rushangul have not been allowed to contact their families or their lawyers. (31-May-2006)

The EU Republic of Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), which is a Rafto Foundation initiated organisation, regrets the recent escalation of violence in the Kurdish regions of Republic of Turkey in the last 10 days. The EUTCC is gravely concerned about human rights violations which have already occurred, and believe many more people are at risk. Rafto Foundation Board Member, Kariane Westrheim, Chair of the EUTCC, was present in Diyarbakir during the unrest and witnessed the situation with her own eyes. (18-APR-2006)

NORTH KOREA – NEW APPROACHES, the 7th International Conference on North Korean Human Rights & Refugees, is this year being held in Bergen, Norway 9-11 May. Organisers are The Rafto Human Rights House, Bergen and The Citizens´ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, Seoul. We hope that the diverse participation from a wide range of fields will create a framework that will not only enhance dialogue between different views, but also links human rights issues to international security, humanitarian aid, and economic development. (30-MAR-2006)
 

BBC, CNN, Reuters and representatives from a whole range of South Korean Medias were present at the pre-premier of “Yoduk Story” on March 15th in Seoul. “It is probably the least cheerful musical since Les Miserables – a three-hour song and dance extravaganza set in one of North Korea´s notorious labour camps”, says BBC journalist, Charles Scanlon, in an aticle on March 24, 2006. Jan Ramstad and Therese Jebsen from the Rafto Human Rights House, was amazed and impressed by the performance set up by North Korean defector and director, Jung Sung-San. (28-MAR-2006)

Today, 16 March, marks the first anniversary of Rebiya Kadeer’s, right, release from Chinese prison. During Kadeer’s first year in freedom we have experienced increased international awareness on the plight of the Uyghurs. But the mission is far from accomplished: Uyghurs are still facing tremendous difficulties within the Xinjiang province, and innocent men are still caught in a limbo on Guantanamo. (16-MAR-06)
 

Is it alright to trample on other people´s beliefs? Should blasphemy be allowed, or should freedom of expression be limited in order to avoid hurting people´s religious feelings and beliefs? By printing the Muhammed-drawings in September 2005, Jyllands-Posten have brought these questions to the top of the international agenda. At the first seminar in 2006 on Freedom of Expression  – to be held in The Rafto House on Feb. 21st – we will deal with the dilemmas regarding where to draw the judicial limits of freedom of expression. (20-FEB-2006)
 

Human Rights activists and political prisoners in six Moroccan prisons went on a 48 hour long hunger strike on January 31. They do this to protest against the inhumane treatment they are submitted to by the Moroccan penitentiary administration and police. A press release from the activists states that the inmates are subjected to torture and threat of assassination. (06-FEB-06)
 

The Rafto Human Rights House will host an international conference on North Korean Human rights and refugees in Bergen in May. -Our partner, says Sverre Wilhelmsen, right, the coordinator for the conference, -is Citizens Alliance for North Korean Human rights, a South Korean NGO, who has launched annual conferences on the subject since 1999. The previous conferences have been held in Seoul (three times), Tokyo, Prague and Warsaw. (31-JAN-06)
 

6 January Rebiya Kadeer, the Uyghur business woman, human rights activist and former prisoner of conscience, was involved in a mysterious traffic accident close to her home in washington DC in which her car was rammed twice by heavy utility truck. The 2004 Rafto laureate managed to get out of her vehicle when the driver in the truck seemed to be preparing for a third hit. After a week in hospital, she is now slowly recovering.  (26-JAN-2006)