About Committee

On December 27, 2010 the decision to establish the Committee on International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus was taken by the non-governmental organizations’ coalition of OSCE region.

It was triggered by continuing information on flagrant and systematic human rights violations after Presidential elections in Belarus; inter alia – freedom from torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, right to fair trial, freedom of assembly and association, freedom of speech.

At the moment Committee consists of around 30 international organizations, among them: International Civil Initiative for OSCE, Moscow Helsinki Group (Russia), International Network for Freedom, Legality and Rights in Europe (FLARE), International Youth Human Rights Movement (YHRM).

The fundamental decision of the Committee is that the belarusian organizations would not participate in the work of the Committee. According to the Moscow Helsinki Group expert Andrey Yurov, mentioned reflects the intention to keep neutrality of the mission in relation to the current political situation in Belarus.

Committee will be engaged in monitoring and control over the observation of fundamental human rights, conditions of human rights defenders and human rights organizations in the country. The observation will be focused on actions of state  authorities in case of human rights violations as well as on possible activities of any radical society groups, being able to put under threat its observance.

The Committee will also make recommendations for the national authorities and supranational authorities on normalization situation in the country and bringing it to conformity with the national legislation and international obligations undertaken by the Belarus government.

The Mission will not provide evaluation of the  the Presidential elections’ results and electoral process.

For the work on the territory of the Republic of Belarus the Committee formed long-term International Observation Mission, composed of representatives of the human rights organizations from the OSCE area, members of international organizations and independent experts.

Emphasizing its political neutrality and wishing to form a complete picture of the situation, Committee calls on both governmental authorities and non-governmental organizations, including civil and human rights organizations towards open and fruitful cooperation.

For additional information you can address to the Secretariat of the Committee on [email protected]