U.N. demands Belarus agree to rights probe :: Charter'97 :: News

The United Nations` top human rights body pressed Belarus on Thursday to agree to a visit from a special U.N. investigator to report on numerous allegations of violations.

The Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights expressed "deep concern" that senior government officials had been implicated in the 1999 disappearances of three political opponents and a journalist in 2000.

It called for the full and impartial investigation of "all cases of forced disappearance, summary execution and torture," and that all perpetrators be brought before independent tribunals.

By a vote of 23 for to 16 against, with 14 abstentions, the commission agreed to renew the mandate of its special envoy for Belarus -- who the government has so far refused to let visit -- for a further year.

It also urged the government of President Alexander Lukashenko to accept visits from special U.N. investigators on torture, disappearances and extra-judicial executions, amongst others.

The resolution, which was proposed by the European Union, was backed by the United States and Ukraine. China and Russia were amongst commission members opposing it.