The UN Human Rights Council recently published an advance version of a report concerning the human rights situation in Belarus during and after the 2020 presidential election. This report concludes that the persecution crimes that potentially amounts to crimes against humanity may indeed have occurred in Belarus.
The document discusses various issues – arbitrary deprivation of life, enforced disappearance, torture, and discrimination on political grounds, to name but a few. It emphasizes the arbitrary mass detention period from August 9 to 14, 2020, the time of the presidential election, which triggered nationwide protests. According to the findings, at least 550 civil society organizations were compelled to close due to fear of persecution or violence.
The report states that the mass imprisonment and torture may constitute a breach of the International Human Rights Standards on Elections, potentially escalating to a crime against humanity. The investigation was initiated after the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 52/29, voicing its deep concerns about the further deterioration of human rights in Belarus.
Despite the Belarusian government’s continuing active policy to shield perpetrators and prevent accountability, the report calls on the government to release all individuals arbitrarily detained and prompts other UN member states to facilitate international refugee protection.
The government of Belarus, under the leadership of President Alexander Lukashenko, has been criticised by the UN and rejected by the EU for its serious human rights violations. Nonetheless, political repression continues unabated, primarily through the imprisonment of dissidents, amendments to election laws, and property confiscations.
Further details on the report can be found at JURIST – News.