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On 31 January, a bill that would allow for a referendum on the extension of President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s term of office until 2020 was rejected by the Constitutional Council of Kazakhstan as un-constitutional. Instead, Nazarbayev has announced snap elections on 3 April. The idea of referendum was criticized by international community, elections however will not bring anything new if they are not democratic, NHC says.

On 31 January 40 people from different Norwegian human rights organizations and political parties showed for the second time their solidarity with Russian pro-democracy movement “Strategy 31” by gathering in front of the Norwegian Parliament in Oslo.

In solidarity with the Russian civil society, Norwegian organizations mark the 31 of January by requirering freedom of assembly in the Russian Federation, as stated in the article 31 of the Russian consitution.

The Burmese government was urged by countries around the world during the tenth session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group, to end violations of the right to freedom of expression and other human rights, prosecute perpetrators of human rights abuses, and begin a process of real reform in the country.

Hunger and malnutrition in Nepal is still widespread and affects at least 4 million of its population, says Sabine Pabst from FIAN International. Yesterday Nepal’s human rights situation was reviewed for the first time under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. FIAN sent a report to the UPR working group in which several cases of violations of the right to food are denounced and recommendations to the Nepalese government presented.

Norwegian authorities call on Norwegian companies not to invest in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), while Norway is complicit in grave human rights abuses through the state owned Pension Fund’s investments in controversial companies in the Burmese oil and gas sector, says the Norwegian Burma Committee.

15 Norwegian organisations and political parties in Oslo appealed to the Norwegian authorities to increase their pressure on Republic of Belarus and demand release of all arested after the preisdential elections on 19 December. Around 35-40 persons in front of the Norwegian Parliament demonstrated in support of human rights defenders and political prisoners in the Republic of Belarus.

Amnesty International Norway and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee react strongly against the arrest and planned deportation of Maria Amelie, 25-years-old, whose parents left Caucasus when she was still a child. Maria Amelie has chosen to show a paperless face through her book and various appearances in the Norwegian society. Now she stands in danger of being deported.

A number of organizations in the Norwegian NGO-forum for Human Rights submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee regarding Norway’s respect of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The report presents alternative information to the Committee regarding the implementation of ICCPR by Norway. The report also suggests recommendations to both Norway and the Committee.