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Ludmilla Alexeeva who founded the first human rights organisation in Russia; the Helsinki Committee in Moscow in 1976, is visiting Norway between 21 and 25 May. The members of the Moscow Helsinki Group were the one to inform the West about the Soviet Union’s violations of the Helsinki declaration from1975. This led to pursuit, imprisonment and forced exile. Their work led to the creation of several sister- and solidarity-committees in other parts of the world. (21-May-07)

At its recent annual meeting, Norwegian PEN elected publisher, writer and columnist Anders Heger, right, as the organisation´s new president. Heger succeeds Kjell Olaf Jensen, who chaired the organisation for ten years. Heger, a renowned publisher, author and columnist, has been an active member of PEN for years and shown great commitment to freedom of expression issues. (07-MAY-07)
 

The humanitarian work in Burma is becoming increasingly challenging as further restrictions have been put on international and local organizations the last year. The junta´s mismanagement and lack of respect for human rights have caused the difficult situation for the Burmese people. The Norwegian Burma Committee invites you to listen to Charles Petrie, right, from the United Nations Development Programme and Richard Horsey from the International Labour Organisation in Rangoon views on and visions for Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). (02-MAY-07)
  

According to the Norwegian Refugee Council´s new report Internal Displacement: Global Overview of Trends and Developments in 2006, there are more than 500.000 internally displaced persons in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar). The estimate is considered modest. The report directs its criticism straight at Burmese authorities since the displacement is caused by the use of force of government troops. In its most recent newsletter, released today, the Norwegian Burma Committe sums up the situation. (18-APR-07)
 

Rabab Amidane (22), right, studies English at the Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech. Against the backdrop of one of Morocco´s livelier tourist destinations, her younger brother´s fate is to be decided today. She now pleads for Norwegian help to put pressure on Moroccan authorities so that he is not punished severely. Latest: El Oauli Amidane gets five years. (17-APR-07)
 

The Human Rights House concept was welcomed by Afghan human rights defenders when the Human Rights House Foundation visited Kabul last month together with the Norwegian PEN. Najia Haneefi (right) was one of many women working for women’s rights who said she feels isolated and stigmatized and needs a stronger regional and international network.(16-APR-07)
 

– Human rights education work constitutes an important investment towards fostering just societies in which all human rights of all persons are valued and respected, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour (right), at a conference in Murmansk initiated by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. (16-APR-07)
 

In its fourth report on freedom of expression conditions in Tunisia, the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Tunisian Monitoring Group (TMG) concludes that it is still increasingly important that free expression and human rights groups, as well as the international community at large still keep monitoring developments in Tunisia. (11-APR-07)
 

Tomorrow at 14:00, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Committee of the Norwegian Medical Association co-host a seminar at the Human Rights House in Oslo on Human Rights Developments in the Republic of Turkey: The Impact of the EU Reform Process on the Fight Against Torture. From Republic of Turkey, the two key speakers are Yavuz Önen, President, and Metin Bakkalci, Executive Director of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation. (15-APR-07)