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Political use of religious symbols and play on religious feelings undermine freedom of speech and political debate in many parts of the world. Populist politicians exploit human insecurity and powerlessness by stirring demonstrations, public rage and violent actions against members for alleged blasphemy, unbelief and lack of respect for sacred symbols. Religious-based law and scripture interpretation restrict human freedom.

Vladimir Putin is set to return to Kremlin for third term after winning Russian presidential elections on 4 March. Putin, who has dominated Russian politics since 2000, has won almost 64 per cent votes according to Russia’s central election commission. However the scale of Putin’s victory was immediately questioned by opposition leaders.

One year has passed since Azerbaijan Human Rights House was asked to seize all activities until an agreement with the authorities was adopted.

The murder of Monitor editor-in-chief Elmar Huseynov, who was fatally gunned down in his apartment building in 2005, is still not solved.

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee is disappointed to learn that authorities in Kyrgyzstan have moved to block access to a highly respected news agency covering the Central Asian region, Ferghana.ru. The decision is not only in breach of the country’s international obligations with respect to media freedoms, but stands in contrast to the positive level of openness which has characterized Kyrgyzstan in recent years.

Putin will not survive the next presidential term. He will off course win the upcoming elections, he is in reality the only candidate, but he will be replaced within two years. The Russian political elites will ensure this, together with the protesters in the streets. This was one of the conclusions of Nicolay Petrov, who participated at The Norwegian Helsinki Committee’s seminar Presidential Elections in Russia – a New Spring?, at the House of Literature in Oslo on 15 February

Statement of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, on the conclusion of her official visit to Honduras. During the visit from the 7 to 14 February 2012, M Sekaggya visited Honduras and travelled to Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba. During my visit, I met with the President; the Minister of Justice and Human Rights; the Minister of the Indigenous and Afro-Honduran people; the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Vice-Minister for Defense; the Vice-Minister of Internal Affairs; the Vice-Minister of Security.

Asylum seekers without documents – what do they risk when they are expressing themselves freely?

The authoritarian Central Asian state’s leader, who assumed power in 2006 after the death of eccentric President Saparmurat Niyazov, faces seven loyal members of the elite on the ballot, none of whom dared to criticise him during the campaign. In turn Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is predicted to win vote with critics branding rival candidates as token challengers