On 17 June the 17th session of the UN Human Rights Council adopted the resolution on the human rights situation in Belarus. The resolution put forward by the delegation of the European Union, was supported by Canada, Norway, USA, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, the majority of Latin American countries – members of the Council, as well as delegations of Gabon, Zambia, Jordan, Mauritius, Maldives and Uruguay. Only 5 countries: China, Cuba, Russia, Nigeria and Ecuador have voted against the resolution.

In preparation for the June session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Human Rights House Foundation and the Belarusian Human Rights House have developed and distributed a document that described the human rights situation in Belarus.

Anna Gerasimova, the director of the Belarusian Human Rights House, participated in a joint briefing organized by the “like-minded” EU-countries , and attended meetings with the countries from different regions, such as Brazil, Nigeria, Ukraine and others.

The resolution condemns the actions of the Belarusian authorities which destabilize the human rights situation, as well as urges to cease politically motivated prosecution of opposition leaders and civil society representatives, to comply with international standards of a fair and impartial justice, to release all political prisoners, to conduct a thorough independent investigation into unreasonable and disproportionate use of force against the protesters on December 19, 2010, and into cases of torture as well. The document also contains a demand to respect freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly and to fulfill international obligations within the framework of OSCE and to allow OSCE presence in Belarus.

UN Council asked the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pilley to monitor the situation in Belarus and to assess the situation at the Council session in September.

Official Minsk promptly responded to the resolution. Foreign Ministry condemned it, calling the “politically motivated and baseless” and said that the resolution “will have destructive consequences for the UN Human Rights Council and of UN human rights bodies in general.”

Mistakes of Belarus
On 20 June, Luxembourg held a session of EU Council, where the foreign minsters discussed the problematic issues and adopted several decisions regarding Belarus. First of all, they noted political persecution, including the imprisonment of the ex-presidential candidates. Secondly, the participants expressed “deep concern about the reports of torture and other cruel treatment in Belarusian prisons” and urged authorities to “respect the international obligations assumed by Belarus, in particular, a complete ban on torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”

The second issue noted was the freedom of speech violations. EU refers to suits against “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya”, shut down “Autoradio” and the Poczobut trial. It was said that Belarus should “respect the rules of diplomatic immunity … and to stop intimidation and harassment” of EU diplomatic staff in Belarus.

EU Council of Ministers declares that, in case of further deterioration of the situation it is ready to consider “further pinpoin measures in all areas if needed.”

Sanctions against the “personal banker” of Lukashenka
The foreign ministers of EU countries have also decided at a meeting in Luxembourg to freeze the accounts of “the three companies linked to the regime.”

This decision was made to strengthen the financial pressure on the Belarusian authorities in order to force them to stop repressions and to normalize relations with the EU. It was also decided to add a few businessmen to the EU ban-list of 188 Belarusian officials.

These are the first European sanctions that affect business, notably close to Lukashenka businessman Vladimir Peftiev (right) and his firm “BelTechExport” (arms trade) and marketing firm”Sport-Pari”(“Sport-Bet”).

According to the Forbes magazine, Peftiev became the second richest man in Belarus after President Aliaksandr Lukashenka in 2010. He is known as a “person associated with President Lukashenka and his family.” “He is the chief economic adviser of President Lukashenka and key financial sponsor of the Lukashenka’s regime, chairman of the Board of Shareholders of “BelTechExport”, the largest Belarusian company dealing with imports and exports of arms” – noted the Council.

One of the co-founders of “Sport-Pari” company appeared to be the President’s Sports Club, headed by Dzmitry Lukashenka, son of Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

The sanctions also affect the company “BT Telecommunications” – the general sponsor of the Presidential Sports Club.

Riot police left without ammunition?
The EU has also imposed an embargo on export of weapons and materials that can be used to suppress the society to Belarus.

EU Law Journal published a long list of things that are prohibited for export to Belarus. In addition to weapons and explosives, list contains a number of other things.

Among them – the paddy wagons, water cannon, equipment for night vision equipment, including helmets and shields. Combat knives and bayonets with a blade longer than 10 cm are also banned for sale.

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