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The Norwegian Helsinki Committee’s (NHC) office in Bishkek have learnt today that they face charges for “illegal activity in a non-registered NGO”. In addition two distinguished Kyrgyz human rights defenders, Tolekan Ismailova and Aziza Abdirasulova, face charges for obstruction of justice after having protested during the raid against the Norwegian Helsinki Committee on 9 June. (4-JULY-08) 
 

Human rights defenders in many countries have expressed their appreciation over Euskal / Basque PEN´s selection of Mr. Hiwa Buimar and Mr. Adnan Hassanpour, right, for the Idazluma award for their efforts for freedom of speech in Islamic Republic of Iran and the “oppressed Kurdish language and culture”. (27-JUNE-08)

In the wake of the the cyclone Nargis, right, that hit Burma on 2 May this year and, within a matter of days, caused enormous damage and suffering to millions of BUrmese, the Norwegian Burma Committee (NBK) invites to a conference addressing the role, both actual and potential, of the international community in pushing Burma´s current regime in the diretion of democratic reforms. (20-JUNE-08)
 

Some 30 members of the Burmese diaspora in Norway, joined by a contingency of Norwegian Burma activists, listened to appeals, sang and laid down yellow roses of hope at Suu Kyi´s portrait today, as part of a ceremony that appropriately took place at the Camilla Collett monument, right, in the Royal Castle Park in the heart of Oslo. 19 June is also Burmese heroines´ day. (19-JUNE-08)
 

Two employees of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee´s office in Bishkek, Elena Mamadnazarova and Ivar Dale, right, were questioned at the Ministry of Interior (MVD) for six hours yesterday. The two were questioned about the activities of the office, about their legal grounds of residence in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan and the registration of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee´s (NHC) office. By the end of the questioning, NHC reached an agreement with the MVD. (18-JUNE-08)
 

The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) is seriously concerned about the alleged threats and beating by Azeri police last Saturday of Emin Huseynov, right, a well-known human rights defender. The gross violations followed in the wake of the police´s breaking up of a marking of Che Guevara´s 80th birthday in the Alaturka Cafe in Baku. (16-JUNE-08)
 

On the 9th of June officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs accompanied by the National Security Service personnel raided the Norwegian Helsinki Committee’s office in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek. -We consider this action a clear violation of international norms, says Bjørn Engesland , right, Secretary General of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (9-JUNE-08).
 

A Kurdish boy, believed to be 16 or 17 years old, was executed in Islamic Republic of Iran on Tuesday. Mohammad Hassanzadeh was hanged in Sanandaj prison following his conviction for the murder, when aged about 15, of another boy, then aged 10. A 60-year-old man, Rahim Pashabadi, also convicted of murder, was executed alongside him. Amnesty International condemned the execution. (11-JUNE-08)
 

The Norwegian Tibet Committe (DNT) and the Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurds (RKR) jointly invites to a seminar addressing the challenges of suppressed and marginalised peoples in their efforts to maintain their cultural heritage and identity. The seminar at the Human Rights House in Oslo on Wednesday 10 June from 10:00 to 15:30 will bring together experts on both the Kurdish and the Tibetan case. (06-JUNE-08)