Newsletter from the Human Rights House Network, 16th Febuary 2005

1 "Orange" Belarusians ask for political asylum in Ukraine
Two Belarusians who participated in the orange revolution have asked Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko for political asylum, stating that Belarusian authorities persecute and threaten them. A criminal case is already brought against one of the applicants.
See also: Belarusian iron curtain

2 Sarajevo: Want fascism to be banned
Nine organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina want neo-fascist expressions and organizations to be banned. - Attempts to revise the history and rehabilitate the forces that had been historically defeated in the Second World War, have increased the past few months, the nine organizations warned in a recent statement.

3 Poland: Prisoners' baby died, HFHR reacts
A court case of a prison inmate vs. a midwife and a doctor from prison in Grudziadz who neglected their duties – which resulted in death of an unborn child – begun last Wednesday in Grudziadz. The Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights sent a representative to observe the trial.

4 Iraq's elections: the world's most dangerous assignment
Amid threats to personal safety, accusations of disloyalty, and mixed messages from the US authorities, Iraqi journalists and media workers reported widely on the 30 January election. How did they manage? Index on Censorship´s Rohan Jayasekera reports.

5 Croatia: Journalist wiretapped again
The special working group of the Parliamentary Committee for Internal Affairs and National Security is opening an investigation today of the Croatian Counter Intelligence service (CIS). The principal cause for the investigation is the recent public address of five journalists who were the subject of secret treatment of the CIS during 2003 and 2004, under the allegation that they have deliberately published wrong information about Hague fugitive general Gotovina in order to obstruct Croatia to enter the European Union.

6 Azerbaijan: Seven people died of torture in 2004, says ACAT
Seven persons were tortured to death in Azerbaijan last year, according to Azerbaijan Committee Against Tortures (ACAT). - The torture is so terrible that people will confess even if they haven't committed the crime, says Elchin Behbudov, Chairman of ACAT, who asks for a thorough investigation.

7 Azerbaijan: AVHRC fights against election fraud -
The disputed presidential elections of October 2003 and rigged municipal elections of 2005 in Azerbaijan proved that the local NGOs should work dynamically and actively with the general public, particularly with those living in remote areas who lack awareness on basic electoral rights and other fundamental civil rights, says Fuad Hasanov, the director of the “Against Violence” Human Rights Centre (AVHRC).

8 Human Rights Houses engaged in North Korea
The grave human rights and refugees´ situation in North Korea is addressed at the 6th International Conference that opened in Seoul this week. The Human Rights House Foundation is present, and will co-host the next year´s conference with the Egil Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen.

9 Optimism in Ukraine
For the first time since Ukraine’s revolution, representatives of the newborn democracy visited Norway to share their experiences and debate what to do next. At a seminar hosted by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and NUPI last week, both Ihor Ostash, Ukrainan Member of Parliament and Yvehen Zakharov, Chairman of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group, are optimistic with regards to their new government’s chances of success.

******************************************************************
Free of charge news and background service from the Human
Rights House Network, an international forum of cooperation between
independent human rights houses. It works to strengthen cooperation and
improve the security and capacity of the 70 human rights organizations in
the Network. The Human Rights House Foundation in Oslo is the
secretariat.

More news and background on www.humanrightshouse.org
******************************************************************
Sent by:
Borghild T. Krokan
Editor/Project Manager
The Human Rights House Foundation (HRH)
Address: Menneskerettighetshuset,
Tordenskioldsgate 6b, 0160 Oslo, Norway
Tel: (+47) 22 47 92 47, Direct: (+47) 22 47 92 44,
Fax: (+47) 22 47 92 01
Website: http://www.humanrightshouse.org,
http://www.menneskerettigheter.no Borghild T. Krokan
Project Manager
The Human Rights House Foundation
Address: Tordenskioldsgate 6b, 0160 Oslo, Norway
Tel: (+47) 22 47 92 47, Direct: (+47) 22 47 92 44,
Fax: (+47) 22 47 92 01
Website: http://www.humanrightshouse.org,
http://www.menneskerettigheter.no