Latest

The Norwegian government´s decision not to abide by UNHCR guidelines regarding return to unsafe areas is among many areas that seven Norwegian NGOs criticize in a supplementary report submitted to the UN Human Rights Committee last week. The report is an independent examination of Norway’s 5th Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (19-SEP-05)
Download PDF version of the Shadow Report
 

-The human rights situation in general, and the freedom of expression situation in particular, is seriously worsened, says international observers. Carl Morten Iversen and Elisabeth Eide; Norwegian PEN’s representatives in the Tunisian Monitoring Group (TMG) have just returned from a five-days’ observation and documentation mission to the North African country. (14-SEP-05) 
  

17 May 1995, the then 6-year old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, also known as Panchen Lama (right), was taken from his home in Tibet by Chinese authorities’ and put into “protective custody”. Panchen Lama has not been seen since. On 19 September, the International Campaign for Tibet confrints the People´s Republic of China, right ahead of the oppressor’s meeting with the UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) (14-SEP-05)
 

-We are deeply impressed with the standard of Norwegian elections, said the 28 election observers from Central Asia and Caucasus at a press conference at the Norwegian Human Rights House yesterday. -The voting took place in a calm and orderly manner, demonstrating that all actors wanted the procedure to be carried out the best way possible. We have seen no attemps of abusing the system. (14-SEP-05)
 

For the parliamentary elections in Norway on Monday, 12 September, election observers from Central Asia, Caucasus and Moldova will be present to make sure all procedures meet international standards, so many times checked by Norwegian observers elsewhere. -We’re turning classical election observation on its head, says Berit Lindeman (right), of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. (5-SEP-05)
 

The Norwegian Burma Committee, among the NGOs in the Human Rights House in Oslo, is critical of the City Council of Stavanger, on the west coast of Norway, who welcomes Total, the French oil giant remaining the biggest Western investor in Burma (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), as sponsor of its huge 2008 Cultural City project. Leif Johan Sevland, Major of Stavanger, waves off all protests. (3-SEP-05)
 

Together with Norwegian PEN?s Secretary General Carl Morten Iversen, Board member, author and journalism researcher Elisabeth Eide will next week participate in the IFEX (International Freedom of Exchange) / TMG (Tunisian Monitoring Group) lead third observation envoy to Tunisia. (1-SEP-05)
 

The West Saharan liberation movement Polisario´s chief negotiator Emhamed Khadad (right) visited the Norwegian Human Rights House yesterday. -Norway must do a lot more to push Moroccan authorities to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, Khadad stated. With its occupation of Western Sahara, declared illegal by the UN, Morocco remains Africa´s last colonial power. (31-AUG-05)
 

From the Norwegian Tibet Committee, one of the in-house member organisations of the Norwegian Human Rights House, www.humanrightshouse.org has received the following appeal, addressing the issue of violations of children’s rights, including Panchen Lama (right) in the People´s Republic of China. Please read and sign it, as soon as possible. (31-AUG-05)