By Pearl Rimon
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

GENEVA, Switzerland – The Human Rights Council of the United Nations’ approved a resolution to appoint a special rapporteur to focus on Belarus’ allegations of human rights violations.

The Human Rights Council’s vote was based on the human rights report released in April that documented human rights violations since the 2010 presidential elections. Belarus President, Alexander Lukashenko was the winner of the elections despite protests alleging voting fraud. Forty-three opposition leaders, activists and journalists were sentenced during the election protests, as well as five out of the nine opposition candidates.

The April report was compiled by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights lists the following violations: political opponents beaten, sentenced to prison where they were further tortured and denied medical treatment.

Tensions between the European Union and Belarus have been on the rise. The EU added sanctions against Belarus by adding 21 names to a list of Belarussian officials who face assets freezes and are banned from traveling to EU countries due to alleged human rights violations. The EU has also announced the recalling of its ambassadors to Belarus due to the country asking the EU and Polish ambassadors to leave.

Twenty-two of the 47 member council approved the resolution. China, Russia, India, Ecuador and Cuba voted against it, the remaining 20 members abstained.

“The cross-regional support to the establishment of the special rapporteur clearly shows that the concerns over the deterioration of the human rights situation in Belarus go far beyond Belarus’ neighborhood,” a statement from the EU delegation said. “The council sends a clear political signal to Belarus’ authorities that continuous suppression of fundamental rights, harassment of the opposition, civil society and free media and disrespect for a fair trial and the use of torture are not acceptable,” it said.

In response to the U.N.’s actions, Belarus ambassador, Mikhail Khvostoy said, “Belarus will not recognize the mandate of the special investigator and will not cooperate with him.” If Belarus stays true to this, they would be going the same route as Iran and North Korea.

The U.N. previously appointed a rapporteur in 2004 but was discontinued in 2007 due to a request from the Belarussian government.

 

 

For further information, please see:

Expatica UN rights body votes to appoint Belarus investigator – 05 July 2012

Reuters Africa UN sets rights probe on Belarus, Russia against – 05 July 2012

Washington Post UN expresses ‘grave concern’ at human rights in Belarus, appoints special investigator – 05 July 2012