Youth Human Rights Movement – Sweden

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, declared by the UN in 1967. On this day in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid ”pass laws”.

from: YHRM Human Rights Calendar

Pressmeddelande från YHRM (direktlänk)

Open Letter from the Wives, Mothers, and Sisters of Victims of Political Persecution in Connection with the 2008 Armenian Presidential Election

We are writing this letter as the wives, mothers, and sisters of those citizens of the Republic of Armenia who have been subjected to illegal measures by the authorities in connection with the February 19, 2008 presidential election, during the pre-election process, at the time of the election, and in the days since then.

These measures include violence, brutality, kidnapping, unlawful detention, home searches without any legal justification accompanied by extensive damage to property, and the arrests of our husbands, sons, and brothers, almost all on similar charges: “Criminal actions against the state with the aim of overthrowing the government.”

We believe that these arrests have been purely political in nature, given that the detainees are members of political parties, proxies of opposition candidates, or participants in the peaceful demonstrations held by the democratic opposition.

The measures taken by the authorities are in contradiction to national law and are incompatible with international norms and obligations undertaken by the Armenian Government. They are acts of political persecution aimed at destroying democratic opposition, and as such represent a gross violation of human rights.

We call upon the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United States of America to organize an independent and impartial investigation of all of the cases connected with the February 19 presidential election, including both the killing of innocent people and the arrests of our family members. Finally, we note with alarm that these arrests are continuing to this day.

SvD: Armeniska oppositionella greps

SvD: Många döda i protester

(Läs mer…)

YHRM samlar tillsammans med andra MR-organisationer i Ryssland in namnunderskrifter för att den dödsjuke Vasilij Aleksanian skall släppas ur häkte. Aleksanian har långt gången AIDS och cancer i lymfkörtlarna, och kan inte få den vård han behöver i häktet. Vasilij Aleksanian är åtalad för pengatvätt i anknytning till Yukosaffären och torde knappast utgöra en fara för samhället.

YHRM:s brev till blivande presidenten Medvedev: Срочный сбор подписей в защиту Алексаняна

Om Aleksanian i Wikipedia (eng)

DN: Rysk oljefånge i hungerstrejk

SvD: Sjuk Yukoschef hålls kvar i fängelse

Yukosaffären enligt Wikipedia

International Day against Police Brutality. First organized in 1997 as an initiative of an anarchist federation from Switzerland and supported by a citizens’ organization from Canada, it was a response to police abuse in Switzerland of two children, aged 11 and 12.

from: YHRM Human Rights Calendar

Pressmeddeland från YHRM (direktlänk) 

14 of March 2008

Network News (No Region)

Why?
It’s been 15 years since criminal prosecution of male homosexuality was finally repealed in Russia. For almost a decade same-sex attraction is no longer considered pathological among mainstream Russian medical specialists. But still Russian society as a whole embodies strong negative attitudes and intolerance towards men and women of homosexual orientation based on prejudice and misinformation. It leads to widespread violation of human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT), as well as to hate crimes – physical violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Low level of sex education is the ground for promoting fear, hatred and extremely fascist ideas by organizations and public figures of particular kind. That’s why homophobia is dangerous not only for LGBT themselves, but for the entire society, where the tendency for suppressing any individuality is being instilled. (Läs mer…)

Civil Disobedience Day. On this day in 1930, Mahatma Gandhi along with several dozens of his followers set out on foot for ”the Salt March” (Salt Satyagraha) to the seashore in an act of protest against the British salt tax in colonial India. This action is considered a great example of successful non-violent action organized in defense of public interests.

From: YHRM’s Human Rights Calendar

In 1975 this date was designated by United Nations as an international holiday. On this day in 1857, the demonstration of women garment workers on the streets of New York against poor working conditions and low wages was dispersed by the police.

from: YHRM’s Human Rights Calender

SvD: Pictures from International Women’s Day celebrations around the world

Pressmeddelande från YHRM (direktlänk)

Main (No Region)

This is an invitation to join Peace and Collaborative Development Network (http://internationalpeaceandconflict.org), a new online initiative to bring together professionals, academics and students involved in Conflict Resolution, Human Rights, International Development, Democratization, Social Entrepreneurship and related fields. (Läs mer…)

Pressmeddelande från YHRM (direktlänk)

(Georgia)

Under support of the Unity of Georgian Armenians “Nor Serund” in Tbilisi was opened the office «SOS. ARMENIA» (address: 13 Tsutskiridze Str.; phone/fax: +995 32 77 03 21; e-mail: sosarmenia@yahoo.com). Aim of the office activity is to inform the Georgian society about the processes ongoing in Armenia. Except this, proceeding form the existing information vacuum faced by the Armenian population after inculcation of the state of emergency, the office will be periodically disseminating information through the Internet about the events taking place both in Armenia and outside its borders. (Läs mer…)