The French Immigration Minister’s proposals to address the needs of unaccompanied migrant children held at transit zones, especially airports, falls short of bringing France into compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Kyrgyz authorities should immediately release the human rights activists Bakhrom Hamroev and Izzatilla Rakhmatillaev and allow them to continue their fact-finding work without further interference.

European leaders should use the upcoming EU-Russia summit to convey alarm over deteriorating human rights in Russia and to press for concrete improvements. The summit is scheduled for November 18 and 19, 2009, in Stockholm.

Uzbek authorities should immediately release the human rights defender and farmers' rights activist Ganikhon Mamatkhanov, who is facing trial on politically motivated charges.

Uzbek authorities should immediately stop their new harassment campaign against political activists and human rights defenders. Since November 7, 2009, local authorities in six locations have detained at least seven activists and beaten three of them, one of whom sought hospital treatment.

The criminal convictions of two young activist bloggers are a step backward for free expression in Azerbaijan.

Turkmenistan’s release of the environmental activist Andrei Zatoka from prison on November 6, 2009, is a welcome development, but reports that the authorities effectively forced him to leave the country and confiscated his apartment, having already brought false charges against him, are troubling.

Turkey should not allow President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, an accused war criminal, to attend a conference in Istanbul, and should arrest him if he sets foot in Turkey.