Annual OSCE human rights conference opens with calls for improved implementation of international standards

Press release - OSCE:
"Everyone who experienced the tragedy of living through wars or totalitarian regimes knows about the value of the respect for fundamental human rights and dignity," Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, former Polish foreign minister, said at the opening.

"There is probably no generally valid recipe for preventing once and for all the return of the traumatic and incomprehensible breakdowns of civilization we have experienced in Europe and elsewhere in the world. But I place my hopes in the solid anchoring of values such as tolerance, openness and justice in society, as well as education."

Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said that there are various ways to implement the OSCE's human rights and democracy commitments, and states by necessity develop at different paces.

But he dismissed claims referring to country specificities as an excuse for lack of implementation:

"I believe this argument can be answered easily: no one naturally, or because of cultural specificities, enjoys being deprived of the rights and freedoms whose promise is enshrined in the OSCE commitments."

Some 1,000 government representatives, experts and human rights defenders are attending the two-week meeting, which reviews the progress states have made in putting their international commitments into practice.

"The meeting provides a unique opportunity to share experiences, identify shortcomings and support progress in light of our human dimension commitments," said Ambassador Nicolaos Kalantzianos, the representative of the Greek OSCE chairmanship and head of the OSCE task force in the Greek foreign ministry.

In addition to regular working sessions, more than 50 side events will focus on specific human rights concerns and country situations.

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/item/39771.html

Protest at the OSCE Conference in Warsaw
this Monday morning during the speech of the Kazakh government delegate: Human Rights activists showed their "Free Evgeny Zhovits" & "Fair trial for Zhovits" T-shirts

Photos by Peter ZOEHRER

Kidnapping & Faithbreaking in Japan

Since 1966, More than 4,000 members of the Unification Church of Japan have been illegally confined by their families and “deprogrammers”  in an attempt to make them leave the religion which they, as adults, freely chose to join. Those who escaped their captors report that every case involved the use of force, prison-like conditions, deprival of the right to communicate with the outside world, and an intense effort to pressure the believer to change his or her faith. 

We therefore appeal to the leaders of the United States and the international human rights community to support the campaign for justice. A clear signal must be sent to those who perpetrate these crimes that their behavior will not be tolerated. Japan must adhere to international human-rights standards and live up to its own constitution, which affirms a commitment to protect religious freedom.

The Case of Mr. Goto

• Toru Goto’s Appeal
• HSA-UWC Japan’ Appeal
• Toru Goto’s Profile
• Toru Goto’s testimony at NGO

More background info here: www.religiousfreedom.com

Please sign the petition

PETITION: Witness for Kazakh human rights defender Evgeny Zhovtis Petition

DEAR READERS, PLEASE SIGN & help a great champion for human rights to get a fair trial (re-trial)
View Current Signatures   -   Sign the Petition

To:  World Community

International Committee for Observation of the Law
in the Legal Case against Evgeny Zhovtis

BACKGROUND: A Kazakh court has sentenced the country's leading human rights defender to four years of imprisonment in a trial that did not meet basic fair trial standards, (Human Rights Watch). On September 3, 2009, the second day of his trial, Evgeniy Zhovtis was found guilty of manslaughter for a fatal automobile accident and arrested in the courtroom. Witnesses told (out of court), a young man wlked across the highway and there was no way to for Mr. Zhovits to avoid the accident. Evgeny Zhovtis is the founding director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

STATEMENT:

Uphold rule of law and impartiality in the case of Kazakh human rights defender Evgeny Zhovtis

21 August, 2009

1.International Committee for Observation of the Law in the Legal Case against Evgeny Zhovtis expresses deep condolences to the family and friends of Kanat Moldabayev, who tragically died in the traffic accident. The Committee fully realizes the tragedy of the situation, when concurrence of circumstances led to the loss of life.

2. At the same time, the Committee points out that developments after the incident have generated wide public and international response, various interpretations of what had actually happened as well as attempts of manipulation of the public opinion and imposition of pressure on the investigation.

3. We call on the political parties, movements, NGOs, and mass media of Kazakhstan to refrain from politicization of the case and its consequences, distorting of the information around the case, or using it for their own interests.

GOD IN GOVERNMENT : Troubled Commission Faces the End

Is the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom going to disappear in 2011? That is when it's set to sunset under its authorizing legislation.

The agency, an independent commission charged with pressing the U.S. government to include religious freedom in its foreign policy, has been struggling recently. Its executive director quit abruptly after less than a year on the job, and sources say some of the eight members of the panel aren't exactly hitting it off. Sources say there is a lot of tension, a claim commission Vice Chairman Michael Cromartie denies. It's more that commission members feel strongly about the subject of religious persecution, he said.
"Sometimes people bring strong emotions and strong opinions to the table. . . . Understandably, passions can run high," Cromartie said.
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The Big Question: Does God Tweet?

Please join the interesting discussion on the Washington Post Blog: On Faith:

Thanks to new digital technologies, you can 'tweet' prayers via Twitter to the Western Wall or prayer requests to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. You can pray the rosary or pray the hours from your laptop. You can participate in worship services and discuss holy texts via Facebook. You can create and join faith communities on Second Life. Are social media tools a blessing or a curse for people of  faith? Should we use digital technology to commune with the divine? Does God tweet?
Read more ...'

Swiss Catholic bishops oppose proposal to ban construction of minarets | USCatholic.org

FRIBOURG, Switzerland (CNS) -- The Swiss Catholic bishops' conference said it opposed a proposal to ban the construction of minarets in Switzerland.

A statement on the conference's Web site said the ban would hinder interreligious dialogue and that Swiss building codes already regulate the construction and operation of minarets, the high, slender towers attached to mosques.
The statement said that, "as bishops and Swiss citizens, we are pleased that there are no longer any special articles relating to religion in the constitution and we wish that no new ones should be introduced."  Read more ...

Update: wave of arrests of Christians in Iran

Iran (MNN) ― Iranian Christians have seen a wave of trouble coming from the government over recent weeks.
Last month, authorities arrested 27 believers of a Muslim background (BMBs) at a home church, seven of whom are still being detained.
Glenn Penner of Voice of the Martyrs Canadasays, "There does seem to be a certain pattern of deliberateness to this. Why again? We can only speculate. But we simply observe that this is taking place."   Read more ...

New Reports Track Democratic Declines in Former Communist States

Russia's descent into the ranks of the world's consolidated authoritarian regimes is explained in a new analysis from Freedom House. Full country reports are now available for all 29 countries covered in Nations in Transit, an annual study of democratic reform in the former communist states of Europe and Eurasia.    Read more ...

U.S. Commission Names 13 Countries as Religious Freedom Violators

Saturday, May 2, 2009 (4:58 am)

By Dan Robinson, Voice of America Correspondent, special to Worthy News

WASHINGTON, USA (Worthy News)-- The latest annual report by the independent United States Commission on International Religious Freedom names 13 countries as serious violators of religious freedom, Worthy News monitored Saturday, May 2, with reporting by the Voice of America network (VOA).

The commission expresses concern about increasing extremism in many countries, including sharp criticism for Pakistan, saying extremism poses a particular threat to religious freedom.

The 13 countries named as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) in this year's report are Burma, North Korea, China, Vietnam, Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.  Read more ...

Human Rights in Kazakhstan: Seven Months before the OSCE Chairmanship | Human Rights Watch

In seven months, Kazakhstan will take on the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to lead the organization. It is therefore an important time for Kazakhstan to make positive changes in light of the gaps between the country's human rights record and the prominent role and responsibilities the chairmanship of the OSCE entails.
Read more ...

Kazakhstan: Review Rights Defenders Harsh Sentence | Human Rights Watch

Case Underscores Concerns about Country’s Upcoming OSCE Chairmanship

(New York) - A Kazakh court has sentenced the country's leading human rights defender to four years of imprisonment in a trial that did not meet basic fair trial standards, Human Rights Watch said today.
On September 3, 2009, the second day of his trial, Evgeniy Zhovtis was found guilty of manslaughter for a fatal automobile accident and arrested in the courtroom. Zhovtis is the founding director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.   Read more ....

Prominent Kazakh Rights Activist Sentenced To Four Years In Jail

 By Radio Free Europe
A court in Kazakhstan has sentenced a prominent human rights activist to four years in jail for manslaughter, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

Yevgeny Zhovtis, the director of the International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, was driving a car on July 26 in Almaty Oblast when he struck and killed a 35-year-old man. Kazakh human rights activist Andrei Sviridov told RFE/RL that Zhovtis refused to make any last statement after the verdict was announced, saying only that the trial was a "political punishment."   Read more ... 


 Link (Freedom House): Kazakhstani Activist Denied Right to Fair Trial

Religious Discrimination in Belgium

In the wake of a controversial parliamentary commission

Ten years after the establishment of the “Observatory on Sects”, it is time to draw some conclusions and raise questions about the results of what is widely considered to be, at least beyond the Belgian borders, an out of proportion and discriminatory series of measures that target religious organizations, violating international human rights treaties ratified by Belgium...

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"New Inquisition" in Russia: Christian communities appeal for help!

Dear Mr. Peter Zoehrer - secretary general of FOREF Europe,

On behalf of Russian Evangelical Churches and thousands of believers throughout Russia we appeal to you to attract your attention to an outstanding situation we have today in the area of religious freedom and human rights in Russia.

In April 2009 Ministry of Justice of Russian Federation founded a Committee on Religious Expertise. The Committee has the right to control and monitor activities of already registered religious organizations. In fact they are persecuting those who are not of the Orthodox Christian Faith. The Committee members have the right to speak out on behalf of the Russian Government and give recommendations to the Enforces of the Law to persecute Evangelical religious organizations. Now our freedom of consciousness and belief is put under this Committee’s decisions. The same measures were only delegated to the Committee on Religion during the Soviet regime. 

Reafd more ...

Unbelievable: Violation of religious freedom in Japan - Kidnapping & Faithbraking

Mr. Toru Goto was imprisoned in an apartment for 12 years and 5 months by his family and paid "deprogrammers" in an effort to break his religious faith. Mr. Goto is a member of the Unification Church in Japan.

VIENNA: OSCE meeting on freedom of religion or belief gets underway with calls for better implementation of commitments

OSCE participating States have agreed to one of the most extensive sets of freedom of religion or belief standards, but governments are not doing enough to implement these commitments and let themselves be guided by them in tackling challenges, participants at the meeting were told.

"There can be no doubt that the promotion of freedom of religion or belief offers the best remedy to extremism, and adds an important safeguard to our collective security," said Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, the director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which organized the meeting.
But he also stressed that religious commitment must not conflict with the respect for the rule of law: "Having obtained the status of a religious or belief community is not a licence for disregarding the law."
Read more ...

No fun for small churches in Putin's Russia

One of the most controversial figures – well known to the hundreds of religious minority groups in Eastern Europe – Alexander Dvorkin has been appointed Chairman of the Justice Department’s “Commission for the Implementation of State Expertise on Religious Science”.

Furthermore. Dvorkin has also been elected vice-president of the "European Federation of Research Centers for Information about Sects" (FECRIS). His range of attack includes not just Jehovah Witnesses, Scientology, the Hare Krishna community, Falun Gong or the Unification Church.  Alexander Dvorkin has been known to fight Christian groups, such as the Baptists, Pentecostals and many other Christian churches which have been growing impressively during the last two decades in the post communist era.
Read full text of commentary ...

KAZAKHSTAN: How far does tolerance of religious minorities go?

Baptist Churches & Krisha Homes bulldozed by government forces: Report by FORUM 18

Krishna Press Release: As an effort to resolve the conflict caused by the destruction of 26 homes and confiscation of 116 acres of property of the Society for Krishna Consciousness the Kazakhstan government has continually offered unsuitable land plots.

See the the shocking video: http://www.registan.net/index.php/2006/11/27/kazakhstan-krishnas-and-web-video/

Read more ...

Kremlin/St. Petersburg/: Religions under attack

Antisecterian Conference in St. Petersburg

Sect-Warrior Alexander DVORKIN becomes "FECRIS" Vice President

The leading Russian sect scholar, professor, director of "Center of Religious Studies Research" and "Russian Association of Centers for the Study of Religions and Sects," and chairman of the Council for Conducting State Religious Studies Expert Analyses of the Ministry of Justice of RF, Alexander Dvorkin, was elected vice president of the "European Federation of Research Centers for Information about Sects" (FECRIS).
This was the result of the annual conference of the organization which was held 15-17 May in St. Petersburg. FECRIS itself was organized fifteen years ago and is the official consultant of the Council of Europe on matters of totalitarian sects. Members of the organization have gathered annually for their conferences. Previous ones have been held, for example, in Vienna, Barcelona, Brussels, and Hamburg. Now the honor of conducting FECRIS conferences has been handed for the first time to Russia. It is symbolic that the place for the forum was the Law Faculty of St. Petersburg State University, where Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev studied.

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RUSSIA: A New Inquisition

The powers of the Russian Justice Ministry's Expert Council for Conducting State Religious-Studies Analysis were considerably widened in February 2009, allowing it to investigate the activity, doctrines, leadership decisions, literature and worship of any registered religious organisation and recommend action to the Ministry. The subsequent appointment of renowned "anti-cultists" and controversial scholars of Islam to the Council - and the choice of prominent "anti-cultist" Aleksandr Dvorkin as its chair - have led a wide range of religious representatives to liken the Council to a new "inquisition", Forum 18 News Service notes. If the Council is given free rein, it is likely to recommend harsh measures against certain religious organisations.

At the Council's first meeting, Dvorkin named the Russian Bible Society as a possible target for investigation, but its executive director told Forum 18 no action has followed. Forum 18 asked the Justice Ministry how many commissions it is likely to give the Council each year, whether the Ministry will automatically accept its conclusions and, if not, who will decide. However, the Ministry has so far failed to respond.

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RUSSIA: Controversial figure heads the new

On 3 April, Alexander Dvorkin, the Russian priest most famous for the defamation of religious groups not belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate of the Orthodox faith, was elected Chairman of the Justice Department’s “Commission for the Implementation of State Expertise on Religious Science”, reports Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. This committee had been officially founded a month earlier on 3 March. Dvorkin, a US citizen and according to some reports a 1983 graduate of Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood/New York, is a self-avowed specialist on the cults. He is known for the broken glass and other acts of vandalism committed against religious buildings following in the wake of his public appearances across Russia.


The result of his election was a vociferous and immediate outcry from academic experts on religion and others acknowledging the multi-ethnic and multi-religious character of Russian society. Citing Russian literature, the religion expert Michael Sitnikov compared Dvorkin’s election to “authorising the donkey to guard the vegetable patch”.

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