The Netherlands Helsinki Committee congratulates Russian human rights activist Gregory Shvedov on being awarded the 2012 Geuzenpenning Shvedov has been fighting for human rights in Russia and the former Soviet Republics for years. Shvedov is editor-in-chief of the Caucasian Knot, an independent news and reference site covering the Caucasus region.

The Netherlands Helsinki Committee will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in October 2012. For us, this is an occasion for investigating and discussing current and future developments in promoting and protecting human rights, the rule of law and democracy in Europe and the former Soviet Union.

A special issue of Security and Human Rights is published, honouring the life and work of Max van der Stoel, who passed away earlier this year. This special SHR issue contains never before published personal recollections of distinguished authors who all worked closely with Max van der Stoel. Among the authors are Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Danilo Turk (President of Slovenia), Peter Kooijmans (former Foreign Minister of the Netherlands) and Knut Vollebaek (former Foreign Minister of Norway and the present OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities). The special issue offers unique insights in many aspects of the multifaceted work of Max van der Stoel that have largely remained outside the public domain so far.

Het Nederlands Helsinki Comité (NHC) organiseert op woensdag 19 oktober een debat over de Olympische Spelen en mensenrechten. Dit debat is de tweede bijeenkomst in een reeks 'Mensenrechtenavonden' die het NHC organiseert in het Humanity House om de discussie over mensenrechtenkwesties te bevorderen.