UN commission adopted resolution on Human rights violations in Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

The Commission on Human Rights acted on a series of draft resolutions on country-specific situations this afternoon, approving by roll-call vote measures criticizing human rights matters in Cuba, Turkmenistan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Belarus.

Through the resolutions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Belarus, it decided to appoint Special Rapporteurs to investigate human rights issues in those countries.

In a resolution on the situation of human rights in Belarus, adopted by a roll-call vote of 23 in favour and 13 opposed, with 17 abstentions, the Commission expressed deep concern at reports from credible sources implicating senior officials of the Government of Belarus in the forced disappearance and/or summary execution of three political opponents of the incumbent authorities and of a journalist; about the electoral process and legislative framework in Belarus, which remained fundamentally flawed; about continued reports of arbitrary arrests and detentions; about persistent reports of harassment and closure of non-governmental organizations, national minority organizations, independent media outlets, opposition political parties, and independent trade unions; and about increased restrictions on the activities of religious organizations. The Commission decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus.

A Representative of Belarus said the appointment of a Special Rapporteur was a mere attempt to divert the Commission from the consideration of true mass violations of human rights such as were occurring in Iraq; and that the Commission once again found itself being used as the tool of the political interests of certain Member States.

In a resolution on the situation of human rights in Belarus (E/CN.4/2004/L.22), adopted by a roll-call vote of 23 in favour and 13 opposed, with 17 abstentions, the Commission expressed deep concern at reports from credible sources implicating senior officials of the Government of Belarus in the forced disappearance and/or summary execution of three political opponents of the incumbent authorities and of a journalist; about the electoral process and legislative framework in Belarus, which remained fundamentally flawed; about continued reports of arbitrary arrests and detentions; about persistent reports of harassment and closure of non-governmental organizations, national minority organizations, independent media outlets, opposition political parties, and independent trade unions; about increased restrictions on the activities of religious organizations; about reports of harassment of independent and internationally oriented educational establishments; about the failure of the Government to cooperate fully with all the mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights, as requested in its resolution 2003/14; and about the criminal prosecution of a leading opposition figure.

The Commission urged the Government to dismiss or suspend from their duties law enforcement officers and public officials implicated in forced disappearances and/or summary executions, pending an impartial, credible and full investigation of those cases; to ensure that all necessary measures were taken to investigate fully and impartially all cases of forced disappearance, summary execution and torture and that perpetrators were brought to justice; to bring the electoral process and legislative framework into line with international standards; to bring the actions of its police and security forces into conformity with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; to establish independence of the judiciary and end impunity for persons responsible for killing or injuring individuals; and to release scientists and other individuals detained for politically motivated reasons.

It urged the Government to cooperate fully with all the mechanisms of the Commission, including by extending invitations to the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders; as well as the Working Group on Enforced or Arbitrary Disappearances; and decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur to establish direct contacts with the Government and people of Belarus with a view to examining the situation of human rights in the country.

The vote was as follows:

In favour (23): Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States.

Against (13): Armenia, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.

Abstentions (17): Argentina, Bahrain, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Honduras, Mauritania, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, Togo and Uganda.

Earlier, a “no-action motion” tabled by the Russian Federation on resolution E/CN.4/2004/L.22 was rejected by a roll-call vote of 22 in favour and 22 opposed, with 9 abstentions.