HRHF and Belarusian HRH's written statement on Belarus submitted to the Human Rights Council

Submitted by admin on Sat, 03/10/2012 - 09:13

Human Rights Council
Nineteenth session
Agenda item 4
Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention

Written statement* submitted by the Human Rights House Foundation, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status

The Secretary-General has received the following written statement which is circulated in
accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31.

Continued human rights violations in the Republic of Belarus**

Since the 19 December 2010 presidential elections, authorities have been harshly repressing human rights defenders and their organisations, lawyers, journalists, and any person who raises a critical voice or shows concern about the human rights situation in Belarus, such as students and citizens peacefully assembling. 

On 21 February 2011, the High Commissioner for Human Rights gave the following assessment: “Acts of harassment and  political and administrative pressure against human rights defenders and NGOs also continue, including arrests, interrogation, office raids, confiscation of material, and intimidation designed to prevent contact with international and intergovernmental organizations. […] I have stressed before to the Belarus Government and I shall say it again: states have a duty to protect human rights defenders, journalists and civil society from threats, retaliation or pressure stemming from the legitimate exercise of their work in defence of human rights.”

The human rights situation in the Republic of Belarus has deteriorated since the Human Rights Council adopted the resolution at its 17th session (May-June 2011).

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News of Belarus

Belarus trials highlight need for substantial justice reform, OSCE human rights chief says

Submitted by admin on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 13:46

WARSAW, 10 November 2011 – The trials conducted in the aftermath of the 19 December 2010 presidential election in Belarus highlighted the need for a substantial reform of the country’s justice system, Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today following the publication of a report on the findings of ODIHR’s trial monitors.

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