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2nd Biennial War Crimes Conference: Justice? Whose Justice? Punishment, Mediation or Reconciliation aims to explore themes surrounding judicial roles and responses to war crimes – past, present and future – and also responses to such initiatives, from victims/victors, interested agencies and commentators, including the UN, NATO and various local, regional and international NGOs.

The third Human Rights Human Wrongs documentary film festival opens in Oslo Wednesday 2 February. Screening approximately 25 films, all properly introduced, made part of a thematic programme or in other ways set into a meaningful context, the festival lasts until Sunday 6 February. HRHF is part of the team behind the festival, and will host several guests during the five days it lasts.

Numerous human rights organizations, including the Human Rights House Foundation, addressed Belarusian President Lukashenka with a letter, condemning the brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters, detentions and battery of journalists, human rights defenders and opposition candidates during the 19 December post-election rally in Minsk.

International and Russian human rights organizations, including Human Rights Center Memorial, the Civil Rights Defenders and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee have sent a letter to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe expressing concern with the lack of effective implementation of its resolution 1738 (2010) on Legal remedies for human rights defenders in North Caucasus.

By barring Liu and his wife from collecting the award, coming down hard on his supporters and muzzling debate on the subject, China’s actions have highlighted the human rights plight at home. Tibetans show their support to Liu Xiaobo and for his release.

On the International Human Rights Day, 10 December, 12 international civic and human rights organisations start a joint online petition at www.belarus-petition.org. The human rights defenders urge the acting President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and the 19 December 2010 newly elected President to respect and guarantee human rights in the Republic of Belarus.

The embassy will be handed over tens of thousands of signatures on the protest letter to Liu Xiaobo, collected in Norway and internationally.

The banners for the demonstration will call “Free Liu Xiaobo!” and “Free all Prisoners of conscience in China”.

The procession will start with speeches at Youngstorget and end in front of the Grand Hotel, where a picture of Liu Xiaobo will be projected throughout the hotel front in the absence of the Nobel Peace Prize winner on the balcony.

There will also be held torchlight processions in Trondheim and Kristiansand.

On the surface we have been seeing a different kind of Lukashenko the last few months, with less tension, repressions and sense of intimidation, both Tatiana Reviaka and Pavel Sheremet noted during the seminar organized by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee on 3 December 2010 at the House of Literature in Oslo. Despite that both experts do not expect these elections to be democratic.