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Kurdish journalist assassinated in Kirkuk, Iraq
In the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, an unidentified gunman assassinated Diyar Abbas Ahmed, a twenty-eight-year-old Kurdish journalist, yesterday. Abbas Ahmed worked for Iraq Eye Media and several other media stations, including a television station sponsored by a Kurdish political party. The Committee to Protect Journalists says that violence against ethnic minorities, journalists and human rights defenders is escalating in the area.
Belarusian Elections Fall Foul of International Standards
On 28 September 2008 Belarusians elected members of the House of Representatives. These elections were internationally expected to bring further positive changes on the country´s political arena, but unfortunately the elections fell short of OSCE’s standards. National observers stated numerous violations of international standards. However EU still wants a dialogue with official Minsk (01-OCT-08).
HRHF congratulates Congolese pastor with the Rafto award
The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) has called Pastor Bulambo Lembelembe Josué, right, and congratulated him as the winner of this year´s Rafto Award. Pastor Bulambo expressed his gratitude for the award to the Rafto Foundation and confirmed that he will attend the seminar and award ceremony in Bergen early November. (25-SEP-08)
Renewed fighting displaces 100.000 more civilians in eastern Congo
Renewed combat in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has caused a drastic deterioration in the humanitarian situation and immense suffering for civilians, the Congo Advocacy Coalition, a group of 83 aid agencies and human rights groups, said today. The coalition called for urgent action to improve protection of civilians and an immediate increase in assistance to vulnerable populations. Right, militias in Ituri. (25-SEP-08)
Rafto Laureate 2008 brings hope to eastern Congo
The 2008 Professor Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize is awarded to Pastor Bulambo Lembelembe Josué, right, for his dedication to end the plight of the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). (25-SEP-08)
Human Rights Council unable to act strongly, says FIDH
At the conclusion of the ninth session of the Human Rights Council, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) remains deeply concerned by the lack of mobilisation of a majority of Member States to protect victims of human rights violations in countries where they are the most vulnerable. (24-SEP-08)
Norwegian Burma Committee invites to memorial ceremony and seminar
26 September marks the 1st anniversary of the Saffron Revolution in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). It is one year since we all dressed in red to support the tens of thousands of saffron-robed monks who marched peacefully through the streets of Rangoon. The Burmese people’s frustration with the regime began with the dramatic rise in fuel prices in early August 2007 because it had a direct effect on their everyday lives. The Junta responded with a brutal crackdown on the demonstrators. Many monks and activists are still in prison. (22-SEP-08)