Following Belarusian authorities’ liquidation of the Human Rights Center Viasna in October 2003, members of the organisation appealed sent an appeal to the UN Human Rights Committee in April 2004, suggesting that the liquidation was illegal and asking the UN committee for its opinion. After careful consideration, the UN responded earlier this month with unconditional support. Belarusian authorities have violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (16-AUG-07)
At the beginning of August 2007, after all necessary considerations and procedures had been observed, the UN Human Rights committee passed its verdict in agreement with the original appeal’s arguments – that the decision behind Viasna’s liquidation violates the right to freedom of association, warranted by International Covenant on civil and political rights. The Republic of Belarus has signed and ratified the Covenant, but not officielly entered it into force.
-Remedy and re-register, says the UN to Belarusian authorities
The Human Rights Committee, acting under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is of the view that the information before it discloses a violation by the State party of article 22, paragraph 1, of the Covenant. Pursuant to article 2, paragraph 3(a), of the Covenant, the Committee considers that the author and the co-authors are entitled to an appropriate remedy, including the re-registration of “Viasna” and compensation. It is also under an obligation to take steps to prevent similar violations occurring in the future.
Human Rights activists’ comments
The head of the former HRC Viasna, vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiacky considers that “the Committee’s decision again underlines the deepness of the legal violations created by the authorities in a legal state, which is what Belarus considers itself to be”. Human Rights activist Valiancin Stefanific has commented Committee’s decision: ‘By its decision, the UN Human Rights committee is of the opinion that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was violated by the liquidation of HRC Viasna. The committee’s decision is really actual nowadays because on July 23, 2007 the members of the liquidated HRC Viasna applied to the Ministry of Justice for registration of the human rights public association Viasna. In our opinion, registration could be one of the steps to restore the violated right to freedom of association. It is important also that this decision takes into account the last amendments to the Criminal Code, namely Article 193.1, on serious threats to the civil society in Belarus. The committee appeals to Belarusian authorities to take all necessary measures to prevent such violations in the future”.
To read the full text of the UN Human rights committee’s decision, click here.