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A lawyer in Burma has been awarded a prestigious European human rights award in recognition of his struggle for labour rights under extremely adverse conditions. U Aye Myint, right, who has set up a legal aid group in Burma to handle cases of forced labour, illegal land confiscation and workers´ rights, was awarded the European Bar´s Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize on 17 May 2008. (23-MAY-08)
 

The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), constituted and endorsed by representatives elected in the 1990 elections in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), has been alerted about the expulsion of cyclone victims from towns and suburban areas and repatriated back to their deserted, cyclone devastated villages by the Burmese authorities. (21-MAY-08)
 

The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurds (RKR) condemns all attempts to limit freedom of expression in Kurdistan Iraq as reported by The US-located Committee to Protect Journalists in its special report entitled ‘The Other Iraq’. Civil and political human rights should be respected for all citizens, including individuals or opposing political factions within the Kurdish region, says Per Thorsdalen, right, Information Officer at RKR´s office at the HR House in Oslo. (20-MAY-08)
 

Kaveh Aziz-pour, a Kurdish political prisoner, died on Friday, 16 May 16, from a brain stroke, reports Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency (INA) (16 May). Aziz-poir, who came from Mahabad, was only 25 years old. The Department of Intelligence in Islamic Republic of Iran arrested and imprisoned Aziz-pour two years ago for having connections with Kurdish opposition groups. He was hospitalized in Urumieh after suffering the stroke and underwent surgery twice in this regard. After 20 days of coma, he passed away in the morning of 16 May. (20-MAY-08)
 

As he prepared to leave for Myanmar today, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, right, said he will do all he can to reinforce the immediate relief effort in the cyclone-devastated country and will also draw attention to the need for long-term reconstruction and development. (20-MAY-08)
 

Today, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) presents a report documenting that the situation in the Russian parts of Northern Caucasus remains the worst human rights crisis in Europe. A Regional System of Torture, Forced Confessions and Fabricated Trials shows how Russian authorities abuse the court system in their ongoing anti-terror operation. (14-MAY-08)
 

-Despite the tragedy that hit Burma a week ago, the junta has been determined to carry through the national referendum on the constitution as planned, today. Only the hardest hit areas will instead cast their vote on 24 May. Exile media report that the turnout was low, and that many who actually showed up to vote were told that they had already been voted for and that the punishment for voting against the junta’s proposition is three years’ imprisonment, says Inger Lise Husøy, right, Director of the Norwegian Burma Committee (NBC) (10-MAY-08)
 

This afternoon, many of the 2100 Burmese living in Norway paid tribute to the dead and expressed concerned for the survivors of the cyclone Nagris that recently hit Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), to devastating effect. The public moment of mourning arranged in front of the Norwegian parliament was also a protest against tomorrow´s totally undemocratic referendum on a new constitution in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). (09-MAY-08)
 

A natural disaster doesn´t in itself amount to a violation of human rights. It is the authorities´ handling of the situation that sometimes does. This certainly applies to the current situation in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), argues Marte Graff Jenssen, right, the Norwegian Burma Committee´s (NBC) information officer. (07-MAY-08)