A number of key Belarusian human rights NGOs, including Human Rights Centre Viasna, Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Belarusian Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs and Belarusian Association of Journalists, have worked together on this report.
The Belarusian authorities, in their turn, will have to submit a similar report by February 2010. According to human rights activist Valiantsin Stefanovich every UN member-state is obliged to prepare universal periodical report once in 4 year term.
For the first time in its history Belarus will undergo this particular procedure in May next year; however, the report has to be compiled well in advance. According to Mr Stefanovich during the report preparation the authorities agreed to arrange consultations with NGOs.
Human rights defenders met twice with the Belarusian MFA officials as well as with a first-deputy head of the presidential administration Natallia Piatkevich. As for the contents of the report, Mr. Stefanovich said:
“We highlighted the main problems with the exercise of human rights in Belarus – the freedom of association, together with Article 193.1, the freedom of peaceful assembly, politically-motivated harassment, arbitrary detentions, discrimination, the freedom of speech, the death penalty. In general we are making a conclusion that there is a very limited possibility to realise numerous political and civil rights in Belarus.”
The report, together with that to be submitted by the authorities, will be considered by the Council, who will then issues recommendations to be implemented by Belarus.
At the moment human rights defenders are preparing yet another alternative report on implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by Belarus to be submitted to the UN Committee on Human Rights.
Mr Stefanovich stressed that previously the official Minsk ignored twice submitting its report to the Committee and refused to implement its recommendations.
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