FINROSFORUM

FINROSFORUM

FINROSFORUM  //  The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum strives to promote cooperation between the peoples of Finland and Russia by supporting civic initiatives for democracy, human rights, and freedom of speech.

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May 11 / 1:55am

Tribunal 12 Helsinki

by Kerkko Paananen

Syytämme Eurooppaa pakolaisiin, siirtolaisiin ja turvapaikanhakijoihin kohdistuvista jatkuvista ihmisoikeusloukkauksista ja järjestelmällisestä kaltoinkohtelusta!

Tribunal 12 Helsinki on tapahtuma, jossa vaaditaan EU:ta ottamaan moraalinen, laillinen ja polittiinen vastuu alueelleen paenneista ihmisistä. Tapahtumaa tukee laaja joukko ihmisoikeuksia ja sananvapautta puolustavia järjestöjä ja eri alojen taiteilijoita. Sen taustalla on Tukholmassa lauantaina 12.5.2012 järjestettävä näytösluontoinen oikeusistunto Tribunal 12, joka ottaa kantaa Euroopan ihmisoikeusrikkomuksiin pakolaisia, turvapaikanhakijoita ja siirtolaisia kohtaan.

Tribunal 12 Helsinki järjestetään Iso Roobertinkatu 4:ssä sijaitsevassa katutason liiketilassa lauantaina 12.5.2012 kello 10:30-24:00. Yleisöllä on mahdollisuus seurata Tukholman tapahtumia suorana lähetyksenä. Lähetysten välille on rakennettu runsas ohjelma, joka koostuu kansalaisjärjestöjen ja puheenvuoroista ja taiteilijoiden esityksistä. Päivän aikana käsitelllään muun muassa rajakontrollia, turvapaikkaprosessia, paperittomuutta, sekä säilöönottoa ja käännytyksiä.

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Filed under  //  Asylum   Finland   Helsinki   Human Rights   Migrants   Refugees   Tribunal 12  
 
May 3 / 3:03am

"Past Cannot Be Forgotten"

by Kerkko Paananen

The Arkadia International Bookshop in Helsinki will host a talk with journalist and human rights defender Oksana Chelysheva and Chechen singer Liza Umarova on the situation in Chechnya on Saturday 5 May 2012 at 4 pm. The discussion will be in English and Russian.

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Filed under  //  Aldy   Chechnya   Helsinki   Human Rights   Russia   War Crimes  
 
May 2 / 12:01pm

Angels of Grozny Can Stay

by Kerkko Paananen

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The Gatayevs in Helsinki. (Photo: Vladimir Telegin.)

The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has granted asylum to the Chechen couple, Malik Gatayev and Khadizhat Gatayeva, and three of their children. The couple fled from persecution in Chechnya and Lithuania, and applied for asylum in Finland in September 2009. The Gatayevs ran orphanages for Chechen children in the Chechen capital, Grozny, and in Lithuania's second-largest city, Kaunas.

Migri initially rejected the Gatayevs' asylum application in March 2010, and the couple was detained pending deportation. However, the Helsinki Administrative Court ruled in May 2010 that Lithuania was not a safe country of return. In March 2012, Finland's Supreme Administrative Court upheld the lower court ruling, obliging Migri to reconsider the case. Finally, on 19 April 2012, Migri granted the family asylum.

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Filed under  //  Asylum   Chechnya   Finland   Human Rights   Lithuania   Refugees  
 
Feb 19 / 12:28pm

Musa: Survivor of Chechen Meat Grinder

by Kerkko Paananen

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The Finnish webzine, Fifi, ran an interview with Musa, a Chechen refugee living in Finland. Below, an abridged translation of Jussi Förbom’s original article:

Finnish director Mervi Junkkonen’s documentary film, After Life - Four Stories of Torture, is an excruciating, maddening, and beautiful plea in defence of torture victims. One of the film’s main characters is Musa, who escaped the Chechen meat grinder. He wishes that the viewers of the film appreciate the importance of freedom and understand that the conflict in Chechnya is not over. One day, he hopes to be able to tell his son about his experiences under torture.

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Filed under  //  Asylum   Chechnya   Human Rights   Refugees   Russia   Torture  
 
Jan 17 / 2:56pm

Russia Making a Mockery of Human Rights

by Kerkko Paananen

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The Russian Foreign Ministry has published a report on the human rights situation in various countries. The starting point of the report is one of double standards: The report only focuses on human rights in countries, with which Russia is looking for discord.

The report devotes several pages to Finland. It seems that Moscow regards Finland as a similar target for pressure and part of its “near abroad” as the Baltic States. The report directs accusations against Finland using the same sort of demagoguery as against the Baltic States.

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Filed under  //  Democracy   EU   Europe   FINROSFORUM   Finland   Human Rights   Russia   Tuomioja  
 
Dec 23 / 1:52pm

"Putin's Voodoo Is Gone"

by Kerkko Paananen

Russian music critic and journalist Artemy Troitsky gave an interview to the Finnish publishing house, Into Kustannus, which publishes the Finnish edition of Novaya Gazeta. Speaking on the eve of renewed pro-democracy demonstrations planned for 24 December 2011, Mr Troitsky spoke about the change in the Russian people's protest mentality, the dismal state of the country's political party system, and the impending collapse of Vladimir Putin's regime. Below, an edited transcript of Mr Troitsky's comments.

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Filed under  //  Democracy   Human Rights   Medvedev   Opposition   Putin   Russia   Troitsky  
 
Dec 15 / 11:10am

Opposition Leader Held for Protest Attempt

by Kerkko Paananen

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Russian opposition leader Sergey Udaltsov has been in detention in Moscow since 4 December 2011, solely for attempting to lead peaceful protests against alleged election fraud. Amnesty International considers Mr Udaltsov, leader of the political movement, Left Front, a prisoner of conscience, who should not be detained at all. He is in need of medical treatment and should be released without delay, the organisation demands.

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Filed under  //  Amnesty   Democracy   Demonstration   Human Rights   Left Front   Opposition   Russia   Udaltsov  
 
Dec 9 / 4:36pm

EU-Russia NGO Body Condemns Crackdown

by Kerkko Paananen

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Statement by the Steering Committee of the EU-Russia Civil Society Forum

Russian authorities should ensure that Russian citizens are able to excercise the rights to freedom of assembly and expression when demanding free and fair elections

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Filed under  //  Civil Society   Democracy   Duma   EU   Elections   Forum   Human Rights   Russia  
 
Dec 9 / 3:34pm

FINROSFORUM 2011 | Helsinki 10-11 December 2011

by Kerkko Paananen

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The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum (FINROSFORUM) will hold its fifth annual conference, FINROSFORUM 2011, in Helsinki on 10-11 December 2011. The themes of this year's conference will be public participation in large-scale infrastructure projects and corruption in Russia. The programme consists of four panel discussions: The campaign against ”Gazprom Tower” in St Petersburg; the campaign to defend Khimki Forest near Moscow; the campaign against the Olympic construction projects in Sochi; and Russia's system of corruption.

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Filed under  //  Conference   Democracy   FINROSFORUM   Finland   Helsinki   Human Rights   Russia  
 
Dec 9 / 2:51pm

FINROSFORUM 2011 | Speaker Profiles

by Kerkko Paananen

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The fifth annual conference of the Finnish-Russian Civic Forum (FINROSFORUM) begins on 10 December 2011 at the Sofia Cultural Centre in Helsinki's Vuosaari district. Guest speakers include a number of grassroots civic activists and experts from Russia, Finland, and elsewhere. Below, short introductions of the speakers.

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Filed under  //  Conference   Corruption   Democracy   Environment   FINROSFORUM   Finland   Human Rights   Russia