Events

We host regular morning seminars called “One Hour of Human Rights” at our head office in Stockholm. These seminars are broadcasted live on our Bambuser channel and are also available to view afterwards. From time to time we organise movie screenings followed by discussions. We also arrange, and participate in, a great number of different activities.

No upcoming events at present.

No sweet songs for human rights defenders

Vugar Goyajev

A year ago Swedish TV viewers’ attention was directed towards Azerbaijan; and wile the Eurovision Song Contest was held in Baku, the regime’s human rights violations continued in the backyard. Today, the lights have gone out but the repression of civil society has reached new lows. On 14 May, Civil Rights Defenders will release a report on the situation of human rights defenders in Azerbaijan. Listen to Vugar Goyajev’s presentation of the findings of the report.

Seminar: The path to democracy

Benedicte Berner

Serbia, Hungary and the Czech Republic have all come a long way from the time when communism was overthrown. But the path from transition to consolidation of democracy is long and difficult. Where do we stand today, in the three countries? What can we learn from the past? Four panellists will share their analysis and thoughts: Borka Pavicevic and Tanja Petovar from Serbia, Jan Urban from the Czech Republic and Miklos Haraszti from Hungary.

The fight for redress

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At six o’clock in the morning of 30 October 2010, Nizar Khalaili and three of his relatives were arrested after heavily armed police had raided their home. Nizar Khalaili and his relatives were suspected of preparations to commit terrorist acts but after a few days the investigation was closed down. The Police officers and the prosecutor have in their actions breached Swedish law and violated the individuals’ right to personal freedom and private life. Hear Nizar Khalaili’s own story about the fight for redress.

Criminalisation and persecution of Cambodian human rights defenders

“Free the 15” campaign (Photo LICADHO)

In May, police arrested 15 human rights defenders in Phnom Penh. Within days, 13 of them had been convicted to each 2.5 years in prison in an unfair trial. In the past several years, they have carried out peaceful protests against forced evictions and unlawful expropriation of land. Ee Sarom at Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) tells his story about the “Free the 15” and the increasingly tough conditions for human rights defenders in Cambodia, in this autumn’s first seminar in our series “One hour of human rights”!

Seminar: Propaganda laws strangles gay activism

Demonstration mot lag

A new law prohibiting ”propaganda” for homosexuality was recently passed in St Petersburg’s local parliament. Similar laws have already been passed in Ryazan, Arkhangelsk and Kostroma, and there is a ongoing discussion about introducing propaganda laws on a federal level. Listen to Anastasia Smirnova and Alexandra Semenova about how the laws came about and how they affect the work for human rights, on Friday May 25.

The role of civil society, citizens and media in the Western Balkans: Challenges as an opportunity

Civil Rights Defenders is organising a two-day regional conference in cooperation with Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) on the theme “The role of civil society, citizens and media in the Western Balkans: Challenges as an opportunity“. The conference will be held in Sarajevo, November 22-23. Journalists, activists and civil society organisations from the [...]

Discussion about Sweden’s and the EU’s politics regarding Russia

Oksana Tjelysjeva är verksam inom Rysk-tjetjenska vänskapsförbundet och kolumnist för den oberoende tidningen Novaja Gazeta. Usam Bajsajev arbetar för den ryska människorättsorganisationen Memorial, som i år tilldelats det prestigefulla Sacharovpriset. Ingmar Oldberg är Rysslandsexpert och associerad forskare vid Utrikespolitiska institutet. Robert Hårdh är chef för Civil Rights Defenders. Martin Uggla är ordförande i Östgruppen för [...]

Terrorist fear and Rule of law – the Guantanamo system after Bush

Public meeting with a panel discussion on terrorism legislation and human rights. Participants: Thomas Olsson, Lawyer, has represented members of al-Barakaat among other Laue Traberg Smidt, Danish Lawyer, has represented members of al-Aqsa among other Anna Wigenmark, Lawyer, Civil Rights Defenders Madelaine Seidlitz, Lawyer, Amnesty Abdirisak Aden, Gösta Hultén, Journalist, Charta 2008 Date: Saturday November [...]