DOCSLIB.ORG

Brief an Den Gouverneur Des Bundesstaates

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Brief an Den Gouverneur Des Bundesstaates HVD · Wallstr. 65 · 10179 Berlin Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Office of the Governor Government House Kano Kano State, Nigeria Telephone: (+234) 7044-930000 Email: [email protected] 28.4.2021 Betreff: Fortwährende Inhaftierung von Mubarak Bala Sehr geehrter Herr Gouverneur, Die unterzeichnenden 51 Organisationen und Einzelpersonen schreiben Ihnen heute, um unsere tiefe Besorgnis über die andauernde Inhaftierung von Mubarak Bala, dem Präsidenten der Humanist Association of Nigeria, auszudrücken, der nun schon seit 365 Tagen willkürlich inhaftiert ist. Wir fordern Sie auf, Herrn Bala sofort und bedingungslos freizulassen. Mubarak Bala, geboren 1984 im Bundesstaat Kano, Nordnigeria, ist ein prominentes und angesehenes Mitglied der Humanistischen Bewegung. Der gelernte Chemieingenieur ist Präsident der Humanist Association of Nigeria. Er hat im Internet und den sozialen Medien Kampagnen zur Förderung der Menschenrechte, Religions- und Weltanschauungsfreiheit und zur Sensibilisierung für religiösen Extremismus gestartet. Seit er 2014 dem Islam abgeschworen hat, ist Herr Bala Opfer von Morddrohungen und Schikanen geworden. Im Juni desselben Jahres wurde er gegen seinen Willen in einer psychiatrischen Einrichtung im Bundesstaat Kano festgehalten. Die globale Organisation Humanists International und ihre Mitgliedsorganisationen sind tief besorgt um sein Wohlergehen. Die Verhaftung von Herrn Bala am 28. April 2020 folgte auf eine Petition, die am 27. April beim Polizeipräsidenten des Kano-Kommandos von einer lokalen Anwaltskanzlei eingereicht wurde. Es wurde behauptet, Mubarak Bala hätte in seinen Facebook-Posts den Propheten Mohammed beleidig, was gegen Abschnitt 26(1)(c) des ‚Cybercrimes Acts‘ verstößt. Humanistischer Wallstr. 65 · 10179 Berlin Amtsgericht IBAN Geschäftskonto: Verband Tel.: 030 61390-434 · Fax: - Charlottenburg DE68 1002 0500 0003 Deutschlands e.V. 450 VR-Nr. 13723 Nz 3271 00 Bndesverband Steuer-Nr. IBAN Spendenkonto: DE41 27/667/51725 1002 0500 0003 3271 01 Das Gesetz stellt die Beleidigung von Personen aufgrund ihrer Zugehörigkeit zu einer religiösen Gruppe unter Strafe und kann mit einer Geldstrafe und/oder bis zu fünf Jahren Haft geahndet werden. Die Unterzeichnenden behaupten außerdem, die Beiträge von Herrn Bala würden die muslimische Gemeinschaft aufstacheln und zu öffentlichen Unruhen führen, was einen Verstoß gegen Abschnitt 210 des Strafgesetzbuches des Staates Kano darstellt. Wir sind zutiefst besorgt darüber, dass die andauernde Inhaftierung von Herrn Bala ohne ein ordentliches Verfahren fortdauert. Nach unserer Kenntnis ist Herr Bala auch 365 Tage nach seiner ersten Verhaftung noch immer keines Verbrechens angeklagt worden. Wir weisen darauf hin, dass der ehrenwerte Richter I. E. Ekwo vom Federal High Court in Abuja die andauernde Inhaftierung von Herrn Bala für illegal erklärte und seine sofortige Freilassung gegen Kaution anordnet hat. Die unterzeichnenden Organisationen befürchten, dass Herr Bala nur deshalb belangt wird, weil er sein Recht auf Glaubensfreiheit und freie Meinungsäußerung wahrnimmt, wie es in der nigerianischen Verfassung und in internationalen und regionalen Abkommen Nigerias verankert ist. Wir fordern Sie dringend auf, Ihrer Pflicht zur Achtung der Grundfreiheiten nachzukommen und Mubarak Bala unverzüglich und ohne Auflagen freizulassen. Hochachtungsvoll Erwin Kress Vorstandssprecher Liste der unterzeichnenden Organisationen: Humanists International Council of Australian Humanist Societies Humanist Association of Nigeria Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka AFEX - African Freedom of Expression Exchange Coventry and Warwickshire Humanists Alliance for Secular Nigeria Danish Humanist Society Ambedkar Social Institute East London Humanists (UK) American Atheists Electronic Frontiers Foundation American Humanist Association Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations Ateizm Dernegi (Association of Atheism, Turkey) Finnish Humanist Association Atheist in Kenya Society Freedom Centre-Uganda Brighton Humanists (UK) German Humanist Association Burmese Atheists Humanist Alliance Philippines, International Capital District Humanist Society Humanists & Atheists of Zambia Children’s Spaces Humanist Assembly of Lagos Humanist Association of Ghana Iranian Humanist Humanist Association of Ireland Malcolm Children’s Foundation Humanist Association of the Netherlands Malta Humanist Association Humanists Australia North East Humanists Humanists Iceland Norwegian Humanist Association Humanists Malawi PEN International Humanists in Northern Uganda PEN Nigeria Humanists New Zealand Vice-President, Ontario Humanist Society Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix Secular Humanist Association Humans Humanist Society Scotland Secular Humanists Mauritius Humanists Sweden Society Prometheus of Slovakia Humanist Union of Greece Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics Humanists UK (Italy) .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Annual Report 2015
    Annual Report 2015 challenging religious privilege ABOUT THE NATIONAL SECULAR SOCIETY Founded in 1866, we work towards a society in which all citizens, regardless of religious belief, or lack of religious belief, can live together fairly and cohesively. We campaign for a secular democracy with a separation of religion and state, where everyone’s Human Rights are respected equally. This report covers the period October 2014 – October 2015 THE SECULAR CHARTER Our campaigning and policy objectives are guided by our Secular Charter. The National Secular Society campaigns for a secular state, where: • There is no established state religion. • Everyone is equal before the law, regardless of religion, belief or non-belief. • The judicial process is not hindered or replaced by religious codes or processes. • Freedom of expression is not restricted by religious considerations. • Religion plays no role in state-funded education, whether through religious affiliation of schools, curriculum setting, organised worship, religious instruction, pupil selection or employment practices. • The state does not express religious beliefs or preferences and does not intervene in the setting of religious doctrine. • The state does not engage in, fund or promote religious activities or practices. • There is freedom of belief, non-belief and to renounce or change religion. • Public and publicly-funded service provision does not discriminate on grounds of religion, belief or non-belief. • Individuals and groups are neither accorded privilege nor disadvantaged because of their religion, belief or non-belief. 01 FROM THE PRESIDENT Secularism’s role has You might have thought that the ‘Trojan Horse’ affair would have shaken the never been so important Government’s faith in faith schools, but This has been another significant year for once more Mr Cameron gives them a free the NSS, with the prospect of an even pass.
    [Show full text]
  • Here Are Many Heroes of the Skeptical Movement, Past and Present
    THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-INTERNATIONA! (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy. State University of New York at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist. York Univ., Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Univ. Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist, New York Univ. Toronto Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Joe Nickell,* senior research fellow, CSICOP Steve Allen, comedian, author, composer, Toronto Lee Nisbet* philosopher, Medaille College pianist Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Bill Nye, science educator and television Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univ. host, Nye Labs Albany, Oregon Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts James E. Oberg, science writer Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of and Sciences, prof, of philosophy, Loren Pankratz, psychologist Oregon Kentucky University of Miami Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist Univ. of Wales Health Sciences Univ. consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Al Hibbs, scientist. Jet Propulsion Laboratory John Paulos, mathematician. Temple Univ. Barry Beyerstein, * biopsychologist, Simon Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human W. V. Quine, philosopher, Harvard Univ. Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada understanding and cognitive science, Milton Rosenberg, psychologist. Univ. of Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Indiana Univ. Chicago Southern California Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor Susan Blackmore, psychologist, Univ. of the Physics and professor of history of science, of medicine, Stanford Univ. West of England, Bristol Harvard Univ.
    [Show full text]
  • For a Tolerant World Where Rational Thinking and Kindness Prevail Welcome
    Northumbria Students Union 2 Sandyford Ford, Newcastle NE1 8SB 22-24 June 2018 Newcastle FOR A TOLERANT WORLD WHERE RATIONAL THINKING AND KINDNESS PREVAIL WELCOME Welcome to Humanists UK probed some of the bigger Convention 2018, in the questions about human nature stunning city of Newcastle. We and morality. hope, over this weekend, to be inspired and entertained as One of the most striking we bring together hundreds features of Northumbrian of like-minded people to think, humanism has been its laugh, eat, and discuss ideas outward-looking nature, under one roof. We’re all here exemplifying Harold because we are humanists: Blackham’s maxim that people who shape their own ‘Humanism is about the lives in the here and now. And world, not about humanism.’ as the national organisation The North East Humanists, a for humanists in the UK, it’s partner group of Humanists Humanists UK’s mission to UK originally founded in 1957, in. And you’ll have a chance champion ideas for the one is a great example of this. to ask questions of some of life we have. This weekend The group has been a great the foremost activists working we’ll dive deep into some of supporter of the Isaac Newton to build a fairer, more rational those ideas – and we hope High School in Uganda for society in the UK and around you’ll find the talks, debates, many years now, helping the the world. and entertainment we’ve Ugandan humanists ensure put on both stimulating and that a broad-based, liberal Whether this is your first ever rewarding.
    [Show full text]
  • Some Practical Guidelines for Starting and Running Humanist Groups
    Groupwise Some practical guidelines for starting and running Humanist groups Produced for the British Humanist Association First edition 1989 Second edition (revised) 2005 This 2005 edition, which has been revised, renamed and extended by Barrie Berkley of North East Humanists and Jane Wynne Willson of Birmingham Humanists, is also available in electronic form. Details are on the BHA website (www.humanism.org.uk). Thanks are due to members of other Groups and to Jemma Hooper at the BHA for their suggestions and contributions, to William Wynne Willson for the layout and design, and to Birmingham Humanists and North East Humanists for covering the cost of the booklet’s initial production. CONTENTS 1. Introduction 5 2. Starting a new Group 7 3. Preparing a programme 9 4. Officers and committee 11 5. Publicity 13 6. The cost of running a Group 16 7. Welcoming newcomers 18 8. Meetings and speakers 20 9. Social events 23 10. Campaigns and lobbying 24 11. Education and SACREs 26 12. Communicating with your Group 28 13. Practical Humanism 30 14. Affiliations 32 15. Humanist Groups Network 36 16. A sample constitution 38 17. Humanist publications 40 3 4 Introduction This booklet is intended to provide some material and helpful suggestions for those involved in the running of local Humanist Groups. It does not seek to pontificate on how a Group should or should not be run and recognises that Groups can vary in size and structure according to their needs and the people involved in running them. However there is a core of practice that has evolved among well-established Groups over the years.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2018
    challenging religious privilege Annual Report 2018 National Secular Society: Annual Report 2018 The National Secular Society works for the separation of religion and state and equal respect for everyone’s human rights so no one is advantaged or disadvantaged on account of their beliefs. The NSS sees secularism – the position that the state should be separate from religion – as an essential element in promoting equality between all citizens. THE SECULAR CHARTER The National Secular Society campaigns for a secular democracy, where: • There is no established state religion. • Everyone is equal before the law, regardless of religion, belief or non-belief. • The judicial process is not hindered or replaced by religious codes or processes. • Freedom of expression is not restricted by religious considerations. • Religion plays no role in state-funded education, whether through religious affiliation of schools, curriculum setting, organised worship, religious instruction, pupil selection or employment practices. • The state does not express religious beliefs or preferences and does not intervene in the setting of religious doctrine. • The state does not engage in, fund or promote religious activities or practices. • There is freedom of belief, non-belief and to renounce or change religion. • Public and publicly-funded service provision does not discriminate on grounds of religion, belief or non-belief. • Individuals and groups are neither accorded privilege nor disadvantaged because of their religion, belief or non-belief. This report covers the year from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018. Message from the president The right to religious freedom is a human right. But ‘religious freedom’ is being redefined by many politically-motivated religious groups to mean more than just the right to worship freely and without interference.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2017
    Annual Report PRIVILEGE RELIGIOUS RELIGIOUS CHALLENGING 2017 National Secular Society Annual Report 2017 The National Secular Society works for the separation of religion and state and equal respect for everyone’s human rights so that no one is either advantaged or disadvantaged on account of their beliefs. The NSS sees secularism – the position that the state should be separate from religion – as an essential element in promoting equality between all citizens. Our campaigning and policy objectives are guided by our Secular Charter. THE SECULAR CHARTER The National Secular Society campaigns for a secular state, where: • There is no established state religion. • Everyone is equal before the law, regardless of religion, belief or non-belief. • The judicial process is not hindered or replaced by religious codes or processes. • Freedom of expression is not restricted by religious considerations. • Religion plays no role in state-funded education, whether through religious affiliation of schools, curriculum setting, organised worship, religious instruction, pupil selection or employment practices. • The state does not express religious beliefs or preferences and does not intervene in the setting of religious doctrine. • The state does not engage in, fund or promote religious activities or practices. • There is freedom of belief, non-belief and to renounce or change religion. • Public and publicly-funded service provision does not discriminate on grounds of religion, belief or non-belief. • Individuals and groups are neither accorded privilege nor disadvantaged because of their religion, belief or non-belief. This report covers the period from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT I have thoroughly enjoyed my 17 years on the NSS Council – eleven of which have been as President.
    [Show full text]
  • Letter to the Governor of Kano State Regarding
    Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Office of the Governor Government House Kano Kano State, Nigeria Telephone: (+234) 7044-930000 Email: [email protected] 28 April 2021 Dear Governor, RE: Ongoing detention of Mubarak Bala The undersigned 86 organizations and concerned individuals write to you today to express our deep concern regarding the ongoing detention of Mubarak Bala, President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, who has now been arbitrarily detained for 365 days. We urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Mr Bala. Mubarak Bala, born in Kano state, northern Nigeria, in 1984 is a well known and respected member of the Humanist movement. A chemical engineer by training, he is president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria and has led human rights education campaigns to promote freedom of religion or belief and raise awareness about religious extremism via the internet or social media platforms. Since renouncing Islam in 2014, Mr Bala has been the victim of death threats and harassment. In June the same year, he was held against his will in a psychiatric facility in Kano state. As such, Humanists International and its member organizations are deeply concerned for his welfare. Mr Bala’s arrest on 28 April 2020 followed a petition filed with the Police Commissioner of Kano Command on 27 April by a local law firm who alleged that Bala insulted the Prophet Muhammad in his Facebook posts in violation of Section 26(1)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises insult of any persons due to their belonging to a group distinguished by their religion, among other characteristics, and is punishable by a fine and/or up to five years’ imprisonment.
    [Show full text]
  • Joint NGO Statement on Danger of U.N
    Joint NGO Statement on Danger of U.N. “Defamation of Religions” Campaign We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations, Deeply concerned by the pervasive and mounting campaign by the Organization of the Is- lamic Conference (OIC) to produce U.N. resolutions, declarations, and world conferences that propagate the concept of “defamation of religions,” a concept having no basis in domestic or international law, and which would alter the very meaning of human rights, which protect individuals from harm, but not beliefs from critical inquiry; Deeply concerned by the attempt to misuse the U.N. to legitimize blasphemy laws, thereby restricting freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press; Deeply concerned that “defamation of religions” resolutions may be used in certain countries to silence and intimidate human rights activists, religious dissenters, and other independent voices; Alarmed by the resolution on “defamation of religions” recently tabled at the current 10th session of the UN Human Rights Council; Alarmed by the draft resolution on freedom of expression circulated by Egypt, whose amend- ments seek to restrict, not promote, protections for free speech; Alarmed by the recently-announced initiative of the U.N. “Ad Hoc Committee on Comple- mentary Standards” to amend the International Convention for the Elimination of Racial Dis- crimination (ICERD) by adding a protocol on “defamation of religions”; Alarmed by provisions in the latest draft outcome document of the Durban Review Confer- ence that, through coded language and veiled references, endorse and encourage these anti- democratic initiatives; 1. Call upon all governments to oppose the “defamation of religions” resolution currently tabled at the UN Human Rights Council, and the objectionable provisions of the freedom of expression resolution; 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Canadian Atheist: Set XI
    1 2 In-Sight Publishing 3 Canadian Atheist: Set XI 4 IN-SIGHT PUBLISHING Publisher since 2014 Published and distributed by In-Sight Publishing Fort Langley, British Columbia, Canada www.in-sightjournal.com Copyright © 2020 by Scott Douglas Jacobsen In-Sight Publishing established in 2014 as a not-for-profit alternative to the large commercial publishing houses who dominate the publishing industry. In-Sight Publishing operates in independent and public interests rather than in dependent and private ones, and remains committed to publishing innovative projects for free or low-cost while electronic and easily accessible for public domain consumption within communal, cultural, educational, moral, personal, scientific, and social values, sometimes or even often, deemed insufficient drivers based on understandable profit objectives. Thank you for the download of this ebook, your consumption, effort, interest, and time support independent and public publishing purposed for the encouragement and support of academic inquiry, creativity, diverse voices, freedom of expression, independent thought, intellectual freedom, and novel ideas. © 2014-2020 by Scott Douglas Jacobsen. All rights reserved. Original appearance in Canadian Atheist. Not a member or members of In-Sight Publishing, 2020 This first edition published in 2020 No parts of this collection may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized, in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented or created, which includes photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher or the individual co-author(s) or place of publication of individual articles. Independent Cataloguing-in-Publication Data No official catalogue record for this book, as an independent endeavour.
    [Show full text]
  • Reason Freedom Solidarity
    European Humanist 2019 2020 Federation Annual Report REASON FREEDOM SOLIDARITY © European Humanist Federation, 2020 [email protected] www.humanistfederation.eu Twitter : @EU_Humanists Facebook : European.Humanist.Federation OUR VISION & MISSION We work towards the establishment of a more humane society where the many worldviews and life stances can co-exist and people are able to live their lives to the fullest. A world that is rooted in the values of humanism: freedom, equality, solidarity and respect for human dignity. Our mission is to achieve changes in European and international public policies when our values are at stake and to enable humanist organisations to do the same. We provide information, support and advocacy channels to our member organizations. We provide support to European Humanist professionals who promote our values through engagement in education, and non-confessional services, such as humanist ceremonies (weddings, funerals) or moral support. Our work is structured on four strands: European Union As an official partner of the EU under Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Council of Europe With the participatory status at the Conference of INGOs. OSCE Through participation in the Human Dimension Implementation Meetings (ODIHR). United Nations With the consultative status at the Economic and Social Council of the UN. CONTENTS FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT 5 OUR MEMBER ORGANISATIONS 7 OUR PARTNERS: MULTIPLYING OUR IMPACT 8 STRENGTHENING OUR NETWORK 10 DEFENDING FREEDOM OF THOUGHT ACROSS EUROPE 11 CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE AGENDA 14 STANDING BY NON-BELIEVER ASYLUM SEEKERS 16 SAFEGUARDING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 19 TOWARDS A MORE SECULAR STATE, IN ALL ITS FORMS 22 RESISTING OBSTACLES TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS 26 ADVANCING IN EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LGBTI PEOPLE 30 END-OF-LIFE SELF-DETERMINATION: MOVING FORWARD 32 RESOURCES & PUBLICATIONS AT A GLANCE 33 PROVIDING HUMANIST SERVICES 35 FOREWORD by Giulio Ercolessi Lethal epidemics have exterminated humans for millennia.
    [Show full text]
  • Georg Stiernhielm's Hercules
    RHETORIC, MORALS, AND PATRIOTISM IN EARLY SWEDISH LITERATURE: GEORG STIERNHIELM’S HERCULES (1658) Mats Malm The honorific title ‘the Father of Swedish poetry’ is traditionally given to Georg Stiernhielm (1598-1672). This is obviously a title that he would have desired since he considered himself to be the one who taught the Muses to sing and play in the Swedish language, entitling his 1668 collection of poems Musae Suethizantes (‘The Muses Singing in Swedish’). Stiernhielm was not the only poet writing in Swedish by the mid-seventeenth century, but he certainly was the most influential, and the one who is generally remembered today. It is thanks in large part to one work that Stiernhielm has become em- blematic of the beginnings of Swedish literature, namely the poem Hercules, which was first published in 1658 and is often described as the epitome of An earlier version of this article was presented at the Nordic Network for the History of Rhetoric’s second conference, in Helsinki, Finland, August 22-25, 2002. I have discussed the material in greater detail in a study written in Swedish; cf. Malm 2004. I wish to thank the editors of the present volume for their qualified and essential scrutiny of my text. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– This article is published as pp. 1-26 in Pernille Harsting & Jon Viklund (eds.): Rhetoric and Literature in Finland and Sweden, 1600-1900 [= Nordic Studies in the History of Rhetoric 2] Copenhagen: NNRH, 2008 http://www.nnrh.dk/NSHR/nshr2/index.html ISBN: 978-87-988829-1-6 © 2008 by Nordisk Netværk for Retorikkens Historie E-mail: [email protected] – Homepage: http://www.nnrh.dk 2 MATS MALM Swedish Baroque literature.
    [Show full text]
  • Swedes Publishing in Estonia up to the End of the Second
    (Online) ISSN 2345­0053. KNYGOTYRA. 2016. 66 148 SWEDES PUBLISHING IN ESTONIA UP TO THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR Tiiu Reimo | Tallinn University School of Digital Technologies, 25 Narva Road, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia E­mail: [email protected] The ethnic Swedish minority inhabited the islands and Western coast of Estonia for about seven centuries, from the end of the 13th century up to the end of the Second World War. The settlements in remote islands hindered the intercommunication and the development of cooperative movement. However, the national awakening movement which started in the 2nd half of the 19th century created the conditions for national self-determination and consolidation of the Swedish community. The schools with instruction in Swedish and libraries were opened, educational and cultural societies established and books in Swedish published. The book culture of the Estonian Swedes was varied and manifold. The number of Swedish publications in Es- tonia was not big and not all of the print production in Swedish was intended for the use to the Swedish community. A lot of library books and schoolbooks were also obtained from Sweden. As a counterbalance, a lot of books on Estonian Swedish settlements were published in Sweden by people who were engaged in Swedish schools or churches in Estonia. KEYWORDS: ethnic minorities, Estonia, Estonian Swedes, Swedish language, publishing, national awakening movement, book production. INTRODUCTION The history and culture of the ethnic minorities in Estonia has not been an intensive object of academic research for many reasons. During World War II, Estonia lost a large number of its population as refugees and three of its bigger ethnic minorities: Baltic Germans had to leave at the beginning of the War accor­ ding to the Molotov–Ribbentrop pact of 1939, the majority of the Swedish popu­ lation left for Sweden in 1943–1944 and the Jews who could not manage to escape were killed.
    [Show full text]