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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).  
 

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 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)
 

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)
 

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) 
 

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)
 

Navanethem Pillay, right, the top United Nations human rights official, has called for ensuring the protection of Afghan civilians, as new figures show an almost 40 per cent increase in conflict-related deaths in the first eight months of 2008 compared to the same period last year (22-SEP-08).
 

-We know that human rights are essential to peace, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, right, said in his message to mark the International Day of Peace, which is observed every year on 21 September. This year´s celebrations held special meaning since 2008 also marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (21-SEP-08)
 

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Chinese authorities to release Dhondup Wangchen, who made a documentary about Tibet, and Jigme Gyatso, his friend and camera assistant. They have been unjustly detained since March 2008 for filming interviews with Tibetans, above all in the Amdo region of Tibet. (18-SEP-08)