DemocracyNews
Monthly Electronic Newsletter of the World Movement for Democracy

April 2007

CONTENTS

DEMOCRACY ALERTS/APPEALS
1. Update: Crackdown on Vietnamese Democracy and Religious Activists Continues
2. Action 2007 Issues Alert and Initiates Petition for Arrested Activists in India
3. Alerts Issued for Women Activists and Civil Society Organizations in Iran
4. Serbian Human Rights Organizations Call for Serbia's Cooperation with International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
5. World Movement for Democracy's Istanbul Assembly Report Accessible Online
6. World Youth Movement for Democracy Launches Essay Contest
7. UNESCO Posthumously Honors Slain Russian Journalist Anna Politkovskaya
8. Gambian NGO Initiates Biannual Magazine for Africa
9. International Advisory Committee Releases Recommended Invitations List for Community of Democracies Ministerial Meeting
10. Freedom House Releases Report on Erosion of Democracy in Russia
11. Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Calls for Nominations for 2007 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award
12. Rights & Democracy Calls for Nominations for John Humphrey Freedom Award

CIVIC EDUCATION
13. Israel Democracy Institute's Living Democracy Project Holds Mock Trial

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING
14. CIVICUS Issues Media Release on Serbia Country Report

CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE
15. Summer Institute on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution
16. Iraq Memory Foundation March Newsletter Highlights Saddam Hussein's Anfal Campaigns

ELECTIONS
17. Arab Election Network Publishes Seventh Edition of ELECTION OBSERVER

GENDER ISSUES AND SEXUAL MINORITY RIGHTS
18. Human Rights and Justice Group International Conducts Certificate Course
19. Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics Announces Training Course
20. Center of Arab Women Training and Research Launches Online Resource Center

GOOD GOVERNANCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND ANTI-CORRUPTION
21. Changemakers Holds Competition on Ways to End Corruption
22. Africa Governance and Monitoring Project Launches March Newsletter
23. CIVICUS Announces Update of Legitimacy, Transparency, and Accountability Web Site and Focus of Its World Assembly

HUMAN RIGHTS, EQUALITY, AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE
24. Human Rights House Opens in Lithuania to Include Belarus
25. International Human Rights Academy to Be Held in The Netherlands
26. NGOs Launch Global Petition to Preserve the Act for Special Procedures
27. Frontline Publishes Manual on Digital Security and Privacy for Human Rights Defenders

MEDIA, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
28. Entries Sought for Gender in Journalism Award 2007 in Pakistan
29. Media Freedom in Arab Countries Report Published
30. Persian/English Online Journal "Gozaar" Available in Iran
31. Training Course on Freedom of Expression Held in Qatar

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH
32. Alliance for Peace Organizes Youth Movement in Nepal
33. Transparency International's March "Spotlight Story" Highlights Serbian and Georgian Youth Movements
34. Liberian Youth Movement Issues March Update on Activities

POLITICAL PARTIES AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
35. Political Party Assistance Roundtable Held in Australia

RULE OF LAW AND JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE
36. ARTICLE 19's Defamation ABC Available in Five Languages

37. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

DEMOCRACY ALERTS/APPEALS

1. Update: Crackdown on Vietnamese Democracy and Religious Activists Continues
The Vietnamese government has continued its crackdown on democracy and religious activists. Since February there has been an evident increase in state repression of individuals who are involved in religious, human rights, and/or pro-democracy work. Most recently, on March 30, Father Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, who has spent 14 of the last 24 years in prison, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment after a court found him guilty of "extremely serious violations against national security" and "having distributed materials intended to undermine the government." Four of Father Ly's associates, who helped him produce a dissident publication called Tu do Ngon luan (Free Speech), were also sentenced. The court found them guilty of "propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam." Nguyen Phong, Nguyen Binh Thanh, Hoang Thi Anh Dao, and Le Thi Le Hang received jail terms ranging from 18 months to six years.

For a statement by the Rafto Foundation (Norway), go to: www.rafto.no/DesktopModules/ViewAnnouncement.aspx?ItemID=281&Mid=42

For a statement by Human Rights Watch on the recent crackdown on democracy in Vietnam, go to: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/04/06/vietna15664.htm

For a previous WMD alert, go to: www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/mar2307.html

2. Action 2007 Issues Alert and Initiates Petition for Arrested Activists in India
Action 2007, a movement of activists from 200 organizations fighting for different causes in India, has issued an alert condemning unwarranted police action and the misbehavior of police toward women activists during a peaceful rally held on March 22, 2007 in Delhi. The group was protesting the privatization and appropriation of water sources in India on World Water Day while waiting for a meeting with the Planning Commission Office. Action 2007 argues that the appropriation of water resources by large dams, bottling plants, and other unsustainable forms of development, has led to deprivation and water scarcity for the majority of India's large population. More than 60 activists were arrested on the compound of the Planning Commission Office by a Rapid Reaction Force and the Indian police, and the group was not allowed to meet with the Planning Commission Office. Action 2007 contends that the police used unnecessary force on the activists. All those arrested who were taken to the police station and asked to sign blank arrest memos, have been placed in judicial custody for 15 days, until April 5. Action 2007 is petitioning for the release of the arrested activists and an end to repression of peaceful protesters in India.

Go to: www.action2007.net/twiki/tiki-index.php

3. Alerts Issued for Women Activists and Civil Society Organizations in Iran
The Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP) has issued two alerts regarding the arrests of women activists in Iran. On April 2, Mahboubeh Hossein Zadeh and Nahid Keshavarz, two members of the One Million Signatures Campaign, were arrested while collecting signatures in support of a petition to change discriminatory laws against women. During their interrogations, Kesharev and Hosseing-Zadeh were asked to sign a statement agreeing to end their activities in the Campaign and on behalf of women. When they refused to sign, they were charged with actions against national security and transferred to Evin Prison. In March, two prominent Iranian women's activists, Shadi Sadr and Mahboubeh Abasgholizade, were charged with acting against national security and holding an illegal assembly. The charges against the women relate to their role in organizing a peaceful protest on March 4 against the increasing government pressure on civil society activists and, in particular, against the trial of five women activists who organized a demonstration for women's rights on June 12, 2006. WLP relates the crackdown on women activists in Iran to the widespread and increasing harassment of civil society in Iran in general, exemplified by the arrests of eight women peacefully protesting for women's rights on International Women's Day, the forced closure of several NGOs, and the detention of teachers protesting for pay raises. WLP urges a show of support for Iranian activists and an end to the harassment of civil society organizations and activists.

Go to: www.learningpartnership.org/advocacy/alerts/iranwomenarrests0307; www.learningpartnership.org/advocacy/alerts/iranwomenreleased0320

4. Serbian Human Rights Organizations Call for Serbia's Cooperation with International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia
On March 30 and April 2, eight Serbian human rights organizations sent two letters to the heads of government in the European Union to express concern at recent signals of retreat from insistence on Serbia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) as a pre-condition to resuming talks on a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). In May 2006, the European Commission (EC) called off SAA negotiations with Serbia due to its failure to fully cooperate with the ICTY, includingthe failure to arrest and transfer of former Bosnian Serb Army Commander Ratko Mladic. In November 2006, the EC reiterated this condition. Thereafter, the ICTY chief prosecutor has reported that Serbia has not been cooperating, and none of the six remaining ICTY fugitives have been arrested. Nevertheless, the EC, the EU Presidency, and some EU governments have recently signaled the possible resumption of SAA negotiations with Serbia. These Serbian human rights organizations have requested that the EC renew its resolve in bringing the final six ICTY fugitives to justice.

To read the letter of appeal by the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Open Society Institute, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, and Belgrade Circle, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/apr07demnews4a.pdf

To read the letter of appeal by the Humanitarian Law Center, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Women in Black, and Civic Initiatives, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/apr07demnews4b.pdf

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

5. World Movement for Democracy's Istanbul Assembly Report Accessible Online
The Final Report on the World Movement's Fourth Assembly, held in Istanbul, Turkey, from April 2-5, 2006, is now accessible on the WMD Web site. The Fourth Assembly, "Advancing Democracy: Justice, Pluralism, and Participation," brought together nearly 600 democracy activists, practitioners, trade unionists, scholars, policy makers, and individuals involved in democracy-promotion from some 120 countries. The Assembly Report includes excerpts of speeches, summaries of the Democracy Courage Tributes, presentations, the democracy fair, and reports on plenary sessions, panel discussions, and more than 50 workshops.

Go to: www.wmd.org/fourth_assembly/istanbulReport.pdf

6. World Youth Movement for Democracy Launches Essay Contest
The World Youth Movement for Democracy (WYMD), an international community of young people working non-violently to promote democratic institutions and practices, is holding an essay contest for young individuals to share their perspectives on democracy. Young activists, students, and citizens aged 14 to 30 are invited to write a short essay, under 2,500 words, reflecting on their experiences with the ideals and realities of democracy, and the future of democracy in their communities and countries. All finalists' essays will be included in an international publication, and two finalists will receive a scholarship to travel to Kyiv, Ukraine, and participate in the Fifth Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy in April 2008. This essay contest is part of the WYMD's Global Youth Campaign for Democracy, which encourages young people around the world to be part of political processes in their respective communities and regions. All submissions must be received by April 15, 2007.

Go to: www.wymd.youthlink.org

7. UNESCO Posthumously Honors Slain Russian Journalist Anna Politkovskaya
Anna Politkovskaya, the Russian journalist and human rights campaigner who was murdered last October, will be awarded the 2007 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. This is the first time the award has been given posthumously in its 10-year history. Known for her coverage of the conflict in Chechnya as a columnist for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, Politkovskaya's work was recognized worldwide. She was the recipient of the Golden Pen of Russia award and the Special Diploma of the Jury of the Andrei Sakharov Prize "For the Life Sacrificed to Journalism," among many other honors. The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997 by UNESCO's Executive Board, honors an individual or organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if the work puts the person's life at risk. Candidates are nominated by UN Member States, regional groups or international organizations that work on issues pertaining to freedom of expression.

Go to: www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22079&Cr=unesco&Cr1

For a previous WMD Alert on Anna Politovskaya's murder, go to: www.wmd.org/democracynews/nov06.html#1

8. Gambian NGO Initiates Biannual Magazine for Africa
Africa in Democracy and Good Governance, an NGO based in The Gambia that promotes human rights, civic responsibilities, the rule of law, and democracy, has announced the launch of a biannual magazine entitled WINDOWS ON AFRICA. The magazine will focus on human rights and gender issues, including reports on the human rights situation in Africa, the policies of country leaders, and the role of African women in peace-building, leadership, and decision-making positions. The magazine will also engage on the issue of politics and gender by examining how politics can affect changes in women's emancipation.

Go to: http://allafrica.com/stories/200704021371.html

9. International Advisory Committee Releases Recommended Invitations List for Community of Democracies Ministerial Meeting
The International Advisory Committee (IAC), a body of experts established to assess the quality of democracy in countries belonging, or aspiring to belong, to the Community of Democracies (CD), has issued its recommendations of those governments that it believes merit invitations to the CD Fourth Ministerial Meeting to be convened this November in Bamako, Mali. The IAC is charged with making recommendations on invitations for consideration by the Convening Group, a CD leadership committee of 16 governments. To provide IAC members with thorough, updated analyses on the state of democracy and human rights around the world, a Secretariat team coordinated by the Democracy Coalition Project, in partnership with the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the Ghana Center for Democratic Development and Freedom House, prepared a series of 35 in-depth reports on countries that deserved further analysis, and 11 shorter reports on countries that initially qualified for invitations to the Ministerial Meeting, but in which recent developments and ongoing trends recommended closer scrutiny.

Go to: www.demcoalition.org/2005_html/commu_cdm07.html

10. Freedom House Releases Report on Erosion of Democracy in Russia
On March 30, Freedom House released its narrative report on the state of freedom in Russia during the past year and concluded that civil liberties and political rights continue an alarming decline. The report, available on the Freedom House Web site in both Russian and English, provides the rationale for the low scores assigned to Russia by Freedom House in its annual survey of countries, FREEDOM IN THE WORLD, and is accompanied by an overview essay providing a broader context for the report. The scores given to Russia have steadily decreased since the early 1990s. The Freedom House report concludes that heightened government control of civil society organizations, along with growing constraints on the news media, further diminished freedom in Russia in 2006.

Go to: www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=70&release=480

11. Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Calls for Nominations for 2007 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award
In 2006, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) created the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award (ADHRA) to support the work of individuals and organizations making substantial contributions to democracy and human rights in Asia. In accordance with the ADHRA guidelines, the TFD will present each year's laureate with an award sculpture and a grant of US$100,000 to contribute to the democracy and human rights promotion work of the winner. The first ADHRA was presented to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which has been very active in promoting press freedom in Asia. The TFD invited RSF Secretary-General and founder Mr. Robert Menard to Taipei, where President Chen Shui-bian conferred the award on him personally at a ceremony on January 28, 2007. The TFD is now accepting nominations for the 2007 ADHRA, for which the final deadline is June 30. Nomination forms, rules, and information can be found on the TFD's Web site.

Go to: www.tfd.org.tw/english/index.php

12. Rights & Democracy Calls for Nominations for John Humphrey Freedom Award
Rights & Democracy is currently accepting nominations for the John Humphrey Freedom Award, which is presented every year to an organization or person who has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of human rights and democratic development. The award consists of a grant of $25,000 as well as a speaking tour of Canadian cities to help increase awareness of the recipient's human rights work. The deadline for nominations is April 15, 2007. Eligibility criteria are listed on the Web site.

Go to: www.dd-rd.ca

CIVIC EDUCATION

13. Israel Democracy Institute's Living Democracy Project Holds Mock Trial
On March 15, after preparing for months, high school students who are participating in the programs of the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) held a mock trial in Netivot. The mock trial was held with real judges and witnesses, some pupils playing the lawyers, and the rest, together with the teachers and the parents, being the jury. The simulated case was about Yael, a girl restricted to a wheelchair, who wanted to audition at a drama school, but was prohibited by the head of the school. For the past four years, the Educational Program of the IDI has been working to enrich Israel's formal educational system in the field of civic education and democratic studies. Living Democracy endorses democratic studies for all students of all sectors and socioeconomic backgrounds. The project's goals are to create multi-year programs for democratic studies and civic education led by local authorities, provide teachers and students with democratic knowledge, generate a common civic language for students, and promote civic and communal involvement.

Go to: www.idi.org.il/english/article.asp?id=3234

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING

14. CIVICUS Issues Media Release on Serbia Country Report
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation issued a media release on March 15 warning that according to its most recent Civil Society Index (CSI) Country Report for Serbia, post-Milosevic Serbian civil society has been weakened and faces increasing challenges. The Report notes a "general lack of political will to recognize the significance of civil society" among the Serbian population. It reflects on the decline of citizen participation, particularly in the late 1990s, arguing that in an environment marked by institutional weakness, high level of crime and overall insecurity, the loss of the common enemy Milosevic ended the trend of growing citizen participation. By isolating the problems and recommending tangible ways to overcome them, the CSI Report is a guidebook for the strengthening of Serbian civil society. The comprehensive report is the first to reflect on the state of civil society in Serbia and provides a thorough assessment of post-war Serbian civil society.

Go to: www.civicus.org/new/CSI_Serbia.htm

CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE

15. Summer Institute on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution
In Partnership with Nur University in Bolivia, the Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) has announced a Summer Institute on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution (IPCR). The IPCR will be held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with travel to La Paz and surrounding communities, from June 9 – July 7, 2007. IPCR is an intensive residential program intended to build the capacity of current and future professionals in a wide variety of fields related to conflict resolution. At IPCR, lectures, case studies, field trips, role-plays, and simulations are combined with a supportive learning environment and the experience of local and international peace-building practitioners to form a comprehensive and rewarding learning experience. Interested upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professionals in a relevant field, are encouraged to submit their applications to the program by April 15, 2007.

Go to: www.conflicttransformation.org/OverviewSummerInstitute2005/tabid/100/Default.aspx

16. Iraq Memory Foundation March Newsletter Highlights Saddam Hussein's Anfal Campaigns
The Iraq Memory Foundation, whose mission is to encourage an understanding of history free from distortions and to use the Iraqi experience to promote the understanding of traumatized people throughout the world, issued the March edition of its monthly newsletter MEMORY. The March issue highlights the Anfal Campaigns, an attempt by Saddam Hussein's regime to undermine opposition forces in northern Iraq, an area with a significant Kurdish dissident population, between 1986 and 1988. It is estimated that over 100,000 Kurds disappeared during the campaigns, and thousands of civilians were killed during chemical and conventional bombardments from the spring of 1987 to the fall of 1988. The Iraq Memory Foundation has collected the testimonies of many survivors of the Anfal Campaigns and has organized these documents into the North Iraq Dataset, a comprehensive record of the oppression to which the Iraqi Kurds were subjected between 1986 and 1988.

Go to: www.wmd.org/documents/apr07demnews16.pdf For more information on memory projects, go to: www.wmd.org/wbdo/aug-sep06.html

ELECTIONS

17. Arab Election Network Publishes Seventh Edition of ELECTION OBSERVER
The Election Network in the Arab Region has published the seventh edition of the ELECTION OBSERVER. The journal, launched in August 2006, covers municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections throughout the Arab countries. This issue includes a report on the Mauritanian presidential elections, the debate on legislative election laws in Morocco, the promises of the Algerian authorities to practice honest elections, municipal elections in Qatar, municipal and parliamentary elections in Jordan, and presidential and legislative elections in Egypt.

Go to: www.intekhabat.org/look/newsletter/newsletter_en_march2007.htm

GENDER ISSUES AND SEXUAL MINORITY RIGHTS

18. Human Rights and Justice Group International Conducts Certificate Course
Human Rights and Justice Group International (Justice Group), an NGO based in Lagos, Nigeria, is conducting an online certificate course in Gender Development on May 2 – June 22, 2007. The course, which all interested individuals are welcome to attend, is designed to prompt an exploration of common behaviors and attitudes towards gender differences. It focuses on the importance of gender issues in achieving national development objectives and the Millennium Development Goals, and will provide an opportunity for participants to develop a common language and understanding for defining and fostering gender-focused development approaches. The course aims to empower participants with tools and sector-specific guidelines for gender mainstreaming in their institutions and development planning. Furthermore, it aims to improve the abilities of participants to reduce gender inequalities in their various organizations and communities.

Go to: http://justicegroup.org/training/application.htm#GD

19. Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics Announces Training Course
The Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP)'s Institute for Gender, Governance and Leadership is holding a training course on "Making Governance Gender Responsive" on June 24-30, 2007, in Manila, Philippines. The aim of the course is to promote gender responsive governance through transformative leadership and citizenship. Parliamentarians, government officials, political party members, research and training institutes, NGOs, and civil society organizations that are leading or participating in governance reform initiatives in their respective countries are invited to attend the event. The course, which is being held for the seventh time in three years, has been revised and redesigned based on feedback from previous trainings. It will involve numerous case studies and field trips in order to enhance participants' understanding of gender and development and governance concepts, and their ability to recognize and eliminate gender biases in their spheres of influence.

Go to: www.wmd.org/documents/apr07demnews19.pdf

20. Center of Arab Women Training and Research Launches Online Resource Center
On March 8, 2007, the Center of Arab Women Training and Research (CAWTAR) launched a specialized e-library and online resource center on Arab women and local governance. Covering the countries of Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Yemen, resources include empirical country studies, legislation, best practices, bibliographies, contact information of experts and specialized institutions in the region, and views of the Arab media regarding women's leadership, electoral candidacy, and political participation in local governance. This Web site and e-forum will foster interactive discussion among activists on how to better influence policies relating to women's effective participation in elections and decision making at the local and national levels. There is also a link on the Web site to the quarterly monthly newsletter authored by CAWTAR's partner NGOs and journalists, where relevant advocacy activities are highlighted.

Go to: http://localgov.cawtar.org

GOOD GOVERNANCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND ANTI-CORRUPTION

21. Changemakers Holds Competition on Ways to End Corruption
Changemakers, an initiative of Ashoka, an NGO that strives to create an innovative, entrepreneurial, global, and competitive citizen sector, is holding a collaborative competition entitled "Ending Corruption: Honesty Instituted." Changemakers is searching for an innovative, high-impact strategy to end the problem of corruption, and is inviting individuals or organizations from the business, media, government or citizen sector to submit their proposals on the Changemakers Web site. A panel of leading investors will choose 12 finalists, of which three winners will be chosen by the public and receive $5,000 each. All entries are available for viewing on the Changemaker Web site. Changemakers will also award $500 to the picture that best supports the competition proposal. Candidates must submit entries by May 16, 2007.

Go to: www.changemakers.net/en-us/competition/endcorruption

22. Africa Governance and Monitoring Project Launches March Newsletter
The Africa Governance and Monitoring Project (AfriMAP) works with national civil society organizations to conduct systematic audits of government performance in the fields of justice and the rule of law, political participation and democracy, and effective delivery of public services. Its newsletter focuses on recent research and published reports on these themes with reference to African countries or organizations, and informs the public about current and upcoming projects. The March installment highlights recently published reports that examine the accessibility of African Union (AU) decision-making processes to civil society input both at continental and national level, and the process by which the African Peer Review Mechanism process in Rwanda was conducted and the extent to which it was open, participatory, transparent and accountable. It also provides information on upcoming projects such as AfriMAP's own governance audit reports on Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, and South Africa; its call for papers discussing the text of the AU's recently adopted Charter on Democracy, Governance and Elections; and a study on the state of public service broadcasting in Africa.

Go to: www.afrimap.org/afrimapnewsletter.php?rec=0

23. CIVICUS Announces Update of Legitimacy, Transparency, and Accountability Web Site and Focus of Its World Assembly
The CIVICUS Legitimacy, Transparency, and Accountability (LT&A) program Web site has recently been updated. The Web site provides resources for strengthening the capacity of CSOs to respond effectively to challenges posed to their authority and right to speak on behalf of broader constituencies. It also serves as a platform where CSOs/NGOs and donors, governments, and the private sector can share knowledge and best practices on relevant issues. The Web site contains published materials on LT&A shared by different organizations around the world. The Resources section is subdivided into four broad categories: global LT&A news, papers, articles, and reports; manuals and toolkits; and LT&A guidelines.

CIVICUS has also announced the focus of its upcoming World Assembly: "Acting Together for a Just World." The Assembly will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, on May 23-27, 2007, and will highlight issues of accountability and transparency, including media accountability, corporate, government, and NGO accountability.

Go to: www.civicus.org/new/default.asp; www.civicusassembly.org

HUMAN RIGHTS, EQUALITY, AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE

24. Human Rights House Opens in Lithuania to Include Belarus
The Human Rights House Foundation, a working community of human rights organizations that aims to enhance cooperation and joint activities of human rights movements by bringing human rights groups together in one location, has opened a Human Rights House in Vilnius, Lithuania. The House, inaugurated on January 30, 2007, intends to be a safe, creative, and constructive contribution to the important work of the human rights and democracy movement, not only in Lithuania, but in neighboring Belarus, where most human rights organizations are banned. A number of Belarusian NGOs decided that it was necessary to set the House up in Lithuania because it would not have been possible to do so in Belarus. The Human Rights House is crucial to the development of the human rights movement in Belarus, where freedoms of association and expression are marginalized.

Go to: www.humanrightshouse.org/dllvis5.asp?id=5121

25. International Human Rights Academy to Be Held in The Netherlands
The 2007 International Human Rights Academy, a human rights course organized every year in South Africa or in Europe, will be held on August 20 – September 1, 2007, in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The Academy is held under the auspices of the Law Faculty of Ghent University (Belgium), the Law Faculty of Utrecht University (The Netherlands), the Law Faculty of the University of the Western Cape (Republic of South Africa), and the Washington College of Law at American University (USA). The various intensive courses that make up the Academy are designed to provide high legal education in comparative international human rights and humanitarian law, with an emphasis on practical aspects in the various fields. The International Human Rights Academy offers courses ranging from overviews of regional systems of human rights protection practices to specific topics such as minority or women's rights.

Go to: www.law.uu.nl/ihra

26. NGOs Launch Global Petition to Preserve the Act for Special Procedures
In cooperation with 15 regional and international NGOs, Amnesty International has launched a global petition in support of the UN Human Rights Council known as the "Special Procedures," a group of representatives, independent experts, and working groups that is among the UN's most responsive tools used to promote and protect human rights. The UN Human Rights Council is currently discussing changes to the "Special Procedures," and several states are proposing modifications that would hinder its ability to promote and protect human rights as effectively as they have previously been doing. The global petition calls on UN member states to build on the achievements of the past, and maintain a strengthened system of Special Procedures that comprises independent experts who are able to monitor and respond rapidly to allegations of human rights violations.

To sign the petition, go to: www.amnesty.ca/specialprocedures/?lg=en

27. Frontline Publishes Manual on Digital Security and Privacy for Human Rights Defenders
Frontline: International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (Frontline) has published a manual that serves as an educational tool for ordinary computer users and provides them with solutions to problems of privacy and security in a modern digital environment. The Manual acknowledges that while the Internet has in many ways improved the work and security of human rights defenders, it has also ushered in some previously unknown problems and vulnerabilities. The Manual is divided into four sections, the first of which concentrates on understanding security needs and vulnerabilities and describes a non-technical approach to the digital environment. The second section lists various elements of computer and Internet security and introduces the reader to computer operations and Internet infrastructure. Methods of securing data and bypassing Internet censorship are explained in detail. The third section is a summary of legislation worldwide that restricts and monitors information flow and communications. The final section outlines possible scenarios for human rights defenders and their organizations to deal with problems of electronic insecurity.

Go to: www.frontlinedefenders.org/manual/en/esecman/

MEDIA, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

28. Entries Sought for Gender in Journalism Award 2007 in Pakistan
The Pakistan Press Foundation, with the support of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has instituted awards of 50,000 Rupees each for two winners of the Gender in Journalism Award 2007. The first award, open to both male and female journalists, is for excellence in gender sensitive reporting and recognizes models of excellence and best practices in the coverage of gender related issues. The second award, presented for outstanding coverage of any issue by a female journalist, acknowledges the competence and contribution of women journalists and their contributions to journalism and the model they present to younger aspiring journalists. News, columns, articles, and features published in Pakistani print media between January 1 and December 31, 2006, are eligible for the awards. Entries must be received by April 15, 2007.

Go to: www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/useractivitiesdetails.asp?uid=1202

29. Media Freedom in Arab Countries Report Published
The Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) has published its Freedom of the Media in the Arab Countries 2006 Report, which compares media freedom across Arab countries based on sets of indicators, such as media censorship, restrictions, and harassment of media workers. It also measures the level of press freedom in each of the Arab countries, and ranks them according to international standards and indicators selected by this study. The Report concludes that Arab journalists are suffering from various kinds of harassment that obstructs their right to perform their work in seeking, receiving, and disseminating information. The main problem facing journalists in various Arab countries, according to the Report, is the difficulty of obtaining information. In addition, journalists are restraining themselves in their work due to their fear of penalties and heavy fines, which also has a negative impact on the freedom of the press in Arab countries.

ACHRS has also released the March 2007 edition of its Newsletter, which includes articles on a workshop held to evaluate the Arab experience in the field of juvenile justice and on a roundtable on the same subject. It also features articles on the founding of the Jordanian Alliance for Civil Society Organizations, the ACHRS' hosting of the 'Ad Dor Al Manthour' schools, the conclusion of the campaign for women and youth participation in elections, ACHRS's Annual Plan, and a human rights training course.

For the ACHRS Freedom of the Media in the Arab Countries 2006 Report, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/apr07demnews29a.pdf

For the ACHRS newsletter, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/apr07demnews29b.pdf

30. Persian/English Online Journal "Gozaar" Available in Iran
In the October 2006 edition of DemocracyNews, it was reported that Freedom House had launched "Gozaar," a Persian/English online journal devoted to discussion of democracy and human rights in Iran. Gozaar's Web site, which was previously available only outside Iran, is now accessible from inside Iran. Each issue features interviews, essays, political cartoons, feature articles, satire, and reviews of art, film and literature. In response to widespread censorship and the closure of all independent print newspapers in Iran, the journal seeks to help Iranian democrats fulfill the universal aspiration for freedom of expression by creating an inclusive and provocative space for the discussion of liberty.

For access from inside Iran, go to: www.nozhan1.org.

For access from outside Iran, go to: www.gozaar.org

31. Training Course on Freedom of Expression Held in Qatar
In cooperation with the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS), the Qatari National Human Rights Committee held a training course in Doha, Qatar, on March 4-9, 2007 on the freedom of expression. The aim of the training course was to introduce the concepts of freedom of opinion and freedom of expression to Qatari journalists and media workers, and to educate them on ways to protect those rights and integrate them into their media work. Twenty-five participants from various Qatari media outlets attended the training course, which included a variety of sessions that covered the general principles and concepts of human rights, freedom of the press, and freedom of expression and opinion according to international standards and national Qatari legislation. Both the Secretary General of the National Committee of Human Rights in Qatar, Dr. Ali Al-Marri, and the Director General of ACHRS, Dr. Nizam Assaf, addressed the participants at the opening session of the training course.

Go to: www.achrs.org/english/CatCenterNews.asp

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH

32. Alliance for Peace Organizes Youth Movement in Nepal
The Alliance for Peace: Youth Solidarity Nepal, a youth NGO dedicated to a peaceful and democratic Nepal, has organized the Youth Movement for the Right to Representation in Political and Peace Processes. The Alliance for Peace believes that students and youth in Nepal have always been the primary victims of the country's fluctuating socio-political situation. However, Nepal's youth have been marginalized in Nepal's peace process and have become completely powerless and disconnected from its mainstream political events. It is therefore calling on Nepalese youth to jointly pressure the Nepalese government and political parties to acknowledge young people's efforts, to restore peace and democracy in Nepal, and to ensure the representation of youth in the country's peace process and political transition. The Alliance for Peace urges supporters to demonstrate solidarity with the Youth Movement for the Right to Representation in Political and Peace Processes.

Go to: www.afpnepal.org/more_news.php?news_id=3

33. Transparency International's March "Spotlight Story" Highlights Serbian and Georgian Youth Movements
The March 2007 edition of Transparency International's "Spotlight Story," a column in its e-bulletin Transparency Watch, highlights successful non-violent youth movements in Serbia and Georgia that were instrumental in organizing resistance to oppressive regimes in their countries. "Spotlight Story" discusses the work of Otpor and Kmara, two youth movements that relayed their messages to the public in non-violent and creative ways, and that used the adverse effects of corruption on people's lives to motivate them to become actively engaged against oppressive and corrupt regimes. Otpor organized the resistance to Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and used the issue of corruption to de-legitimize his regime. Kmara was the student organization behind Georgian President Shevardnadze's overthrow in 2003. It maintained that corruption was the most important of the many troubles afflicting Georgia in the early 2000s.

Go to: www.transparency.org/publications/newsletter/2007/march_2007/spotlight

34. Liberian Youth Movement Issues March Update on Activities
The National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections-Partners for Democratic Development (NAYMOTE-PADD) in Liberia has issued an update on its activities for the month of March, focusing mostly on its "Civic Month" public sensitization campaign. Under this campaign, NAYMOTE-PADD held various activities including citizens' forums, town hall meetings, citizens' legislature interactions, youth leadership debates, student engagements, and public outreach events. These activities aimed to strengthen citizens' participation in governance, leadership, and decision making; foster good citizenship; and enhance political pluralism and the protection of fundamental rights. As a result of the campaign, youth and other citizens are now openly discussing community and county development issues and are demanding transparency and accountability from their elected representatives.

Go to: www.wmd.org/documents/apr07demnews34.pdf

POLITICAL PARTIES AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

35. Political Party Assistance Roundtable Held in Australia
The April/May 2007 issue of the Center for Democratic Institutions (CDI)'s newsletter highlights the Political Party Assistance Roundtable held in Canberra on March 21. The Roundtable is an annual event that brings together Australian political leaders, policy makers and party secretariats with international experts to consider a range of issues related to political party assistance. The 2007 event was attended by the Australian Foreign Minister and the shadow Foreign Minister, as well as other senior figures in Australian politics. It also featured a presentation from Mr. Ivan Doherty of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and a member of the World Movement Steering Committee. This year, the event focused on political party assistance in new democracies, with special reference to the Asia-Pacific region, and reflected on the importance of political parties and political party development to the broader challenge of democracy strengthening.

Go to: www.cdi.anu.edu.au/cdinews/cdinews.htm

RULE OF LAW AND JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE

36. ARTICLE 19's Defamation ABC Available in Five Languages
ARTICLE 19, an international human rights organization that defends and promotes freedom of expression and freedom of information, issued a press release on March 29 announcing that its publication Defamation ABC is now available in English, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Russian. The Defamation ABC is intended as both an accessible introduction to the law on defamation and as a tool for those interested in progressive reform of defamation statutes, whether lawyers or other individuals. The Defamation ABC describes common features of defamation laws worldwide and defines terms associated with the law, such as the difference between libel and slander. It also provides an overview of key international standards on balancing individual reputations against freedom of expression. Areas covered include the problematic nature of criminal defamation, the position of public bodies and officials in defamation law, the defenses that should be recognized against an allegation of defamation, and other procedural issues, such as allocation of the burden of proof.

For English, go to: www.article19.org/pdfs/tools/defamation-abc.pdf

For Arabic, go to: www.article19.org/pdfs/tools/defamation-abc-arabic.pdf

For French, go to: www.article19.org/pdfs/tools/defamation-abc-french.pdf

For Russian, go to: www.article19.org/pdfs/tools/defamation-abc-russian.pdf

For Spanish, go to: www.article19.org/pdfs/tools/defamation-abc-spanish.pdf

37. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

• Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP) – www.learningpartnership.org
• Democracy Coalition Project – www.demcoalition.org
• Ghana Center for Democratic Development – www.cddghana.org
• Freedom House – www.freedomhouse.org
• Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) – www.tfd.org.tw
• Rights & Democracy – www.dd-rd.ca
• World Youth Movement for Democracy (WYMD) – www.ymd.youthlink.org
• Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) – www.idi.org
• CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation – www.civicus.org
• Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) - www.conflicttransformation.org
• Arab Elections Network – www.intekhabat.org
• Changemakers – www.changemakers.net
• Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) – www.achrs.org
• Transparency International – www.transparency.org
• Otpor – www.otpor.com
• Center for Democratic Institutions (CDI) – www.cdi.anu.edu.au
• National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) – www.ndi.org