On 24 March 2021, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Belarus in the run-up to the presidential election and in its aftermath. The adopted resolution establishes a special mechanism for monitoring human rights situation in Belarus and for a comprehensive examination of violations committed since 1 May 2020. The new process set up by the UN Human Rights Council aims to ensure accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations and justice for their victims. The new mechanism will function under the auspices of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The first action report is to be presented during the autumn session of the Human Rights Council in September this year.

The resolution also condemns the systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus, including the arrests and detention of opposition members, journalists, human rights defenders, and other Belarusian citizens exercising their fundamental freedoms. The document expresses particular concern about the numerous cases of torture and inhuman treatment of detainees at the hands of the Belarusian authorities, at the same time calling on Belarus to release all political prisoners, journalists and other arbitrarily arrested people.  

The resolution was presented at the Human Rights Council on behalf of the European Union. Poland actively sought to launch work on the document and remained actively involved throughout all stages of the process to adopt the resolution. We particularly stressed the importance of the new mechanism to ensure support for Belarusian society in asserting the rights of the victims of the Lukashenko regime.

The resolution’s adoption and the establishment of the new mechanism are another example of the international community’s extensive collaboration to protect and ensure respect for human rights in Belarus. The establishment of a new process led by the Office of the UN High Commissioner will also contribute to the protection of the human rights of national minorities, who, on an equal basis with other Belarusian citizens, are the target of discriminatory actions by the Belarusian authorities.

 

MFA Press Office