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For some time now, the Court in Strasbourg has been re-broadcasting hearings held before the Grand Chamber, which could later be watched in the Internet. These are usually very interesting cases that deal with issues controversial from the perspective of human rights. For the first time, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights organized a session of shared watching of a trial held before the ECHR.(29-MAR-08)

On March 10, 2008 on the streets of Lhasa Tibetan monks of the Sera and Drepung monasteries started their peaceful protests. 11 March 2008 – the Chinese authorities used tear gas and two days later military and police forces to pacify those marches. It is said that there were hundreds of killed and wounded. Protests are breaking out in consecutive monasteries and are being pacified by the authorities.(21-MAR-08)

On 17 June 2008, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is going to consider the complaint of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church (PAOC) versus Republic of Poland regarding its right to property to nationalized Post-Uniate places of worship. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, according to which this is one of the few inter-denominational conflicts in present-day Republic of Poland, is involved in the case.(14-MAR-08)

A seminar organized by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights as part of the program “Anti-Discrimination and Diversity training; VT/2006/009”, funded by the European Commission, took place in Warsaw on 29 February – 1 March 2008. Representatives of nongovernmental organizations and trade unions dealing with the subject matter of anti-discrimination throughout Republic of Poland participated in seminar.(05-MAR-08)

A delegation of “experts” from the Ministry of Public Security of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is in the Republic of Poland, and according to Polish newspapers its officials are interrogating their compatriots. – They are doing this only in the presence of Polish civil servants – assures the Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration (MSWiA). – That is not true – say the interrogated Vietnamese. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights has also taken a position in this case. (29-FEB-08)

The Helsinki Committee in Poland in its position from 20 February 2008 reminds again that personal freedom from encroachment by the state is the superseding principle and limitations on freedom may occur solely in thoroughly-warranted cases. In particular wiretapping may constitute an unwarranted violation of personal freedom. (22-FEB-08)

On 30 January 2008 a session of the Council of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights was held and was also the first meeting in a series devoted to the development of the strategy for Foundation´s activities in the upcoming years. At the same time, the Council introduced changes in the Foundation´s statutory bodies. (04-FEB-08)

The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings entered into force on 1 February and this day the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights sent a letter to Prime Minister of Republic of Poland Mr. Donald Tusk drawing his attention to the necessity for Republic of Poland to ratify this Convention. (01-FEB-08)

On January 25, 2008 the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights addressed to Mr. Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe and to Mr. Jose Manuel Barosso, President of the European Commission, letters regarding refusal of the President of Republic of Poland to appoint 9 persons for the position of judges in Polish courts. The point is that alI the persons concerned followed the process af judicial appointments established by the relevant law and fulfilled all the pre-conditions required for the respective positions.(28-JAN-08)