The Center for Victims of Torture - New Tactics in Human Rights project celebrates the amazing courage of the people of Egypt to advance their hopes and commitment for democracy through nonviolent action for change. The spark ignited by the people of Tunisia became a beacon of hope to the Egyptian people.

Urgent Appeal from International Civil Society:  International Community Must Ensure Rights of Egyptians are Upheld

For ten days now Egyptians have been taking to the streets to voice their opposition to the continuing rule of President Mubarak. Up until two days ago, the protests were markedly peaceful in nature. A violent shift in events began on 1 February when pro-Mubarak forces began attacking the anti-government protesters. Further news of violence and the raiding of NGO offices has emerged.

The message below was sent out by a wide variety of organizations on 1 February calling for support to uphold and ensure the rights of Egyptians.

I want to take this opportunity to bring to the attention of the New Tactics network a wonderful analysis and resource regarding ways in
which NGOs have been evolving and adapting communication tactics -- particularly utilizing photos, video and other visual images to move
their social activism goals forward. The Rights Exposure Project has been a year-long exploration by Rob Godden. He has written a very thought provoking blog post summarizing his reflections. For NGOs thinking about how they can better use visual media to reach their social activism goals, this is a post well worth reading: ‘Real lives are like novels not legal documents’ – How NGOs should be using photos and video in social activism.

This past June 26 marked the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The Center for Victims of Torture, along with the National Religious Campaign against Torture, and Evangelicals for Human Rights have launched the Campaign to Ban Torture. These three nonprofits have developed a Declaration of Principles to create a national consensus to reject torture and cruelty.

Today, March 21, is recognized as the International Day Against Racism. The date is historically significant. We have also recently seen in stark and tragic detail how discrimination can lead to violent conflict.

In the United States, it was fitting that on Tuesday, March 18, Senator Barack Obama made a speech addressing the question of racism that has been raised in the current US presidential campaign. 

The terrible and traumatic events occurring in Kenya are threatening people’s safety. This information is especially helpful to eveyone, including those interviewing and assisting people who have survived horrible events - such as journalists, aid workers, or truth commission personnel.

You may be experiencing many reactions for the first time. For those who have had previous traumatic experiences, you may find that you are re-experiencing thoughts, emotions, symptoms, and fears associated with previous experiences. You are not alone.

Today in the United States we are honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated forty years ago on April 4, 1968.

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and his "I have a dream" speech given on August 28, 1963 inspires us today.

One of the New Tactics project grant partners, Tolekan Ismailova, director of the Human Rights Center/Citizens Against Corruption in Bishkek, Krygyz Republic, was arrested outside the parliament on December 18th with 20 young people and re-arrested again on December 20th along with 31 young people. They were peacefully protesting irregularities of the December 16th parliamentary elections.

You can submit an online letter or e-mail message to President Kurmanbek S. Bakiev regarding the wrongful detention of non-violent activists at:
http://eng.president.kg/feedback/ or http://eng.president.kg/president_ev/vopros/
Email: office [at] mail [dot] gov [dot] kg

Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed today at a political rally near the capital, Islamabad. News reports have said that she was shot just after addressing her supporters in a rally. A suicide bomb then exploded, further injuring Bhutto and resulting in the deaths of at least 20 other people.

Her assassination comes just days after President Musharraf lifted the state of emergency. This tragic event raises concerns about far more violence arising in the coming period.

The situation for citizens in Zimbabwe is becoming dire. Harare looks calm on the surface, but a bit deeper examination yields a different story.

A very meager shopping basket will cost you 51.1 Million Zimbabwean Dollars and won’t feed you much beyond one day.