Belarusian authorities are not eager to sign the Convention on protection from forced disappearances :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus has got the possibility of signing the International Convention on protection of all persons from forced disappearances later when the country considers it necessary, the spokesman for the MIA of Belarus Andrey Papou declared at the briefing 1 March.

International Convention on protection of all persons from forced disappearances was signed by 57 states in February. Belarus has not joined them, yet. The convention prescribes for the UNO member –states to take effective legislative, administrative, judicial and other measures for prevention and termination of forced disappearances. It prohibits secrete prisons and obliges to inform families on the fate of their detained relatives. The document has the binding force for all the countries, which signed it.

As the spokesman explained, the Convention had been adopted at the 61st session of the General Assembly of the UNO and the Republic of Belarus had participated in drafting its resolution, which had enabled adoption of the Convention.

Andrey Papou also stressed that perspectives of signing the document by this or that country are a voluntary issue. Each state joins one or another convention in compliance with its own rules and interests.

He also pointed out that Belarus had signed no less important right-protecting documents, among these were conventions on child’s rights and on termination of all forms of woman’s discrimination. Meanwhile, Papou mentioned that many influential states had not joined them.

It is to be mentioned that leaders of the opposition Yuri Zakharenka, Viktar Ganchar, Anatol Krasousky and journalist Zmitser Zavatsky disappeared in 1999-2000. Upper authorities of the country are suspected in participation in oppositionists’ killing and kidnapping.