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We, the undersigned Belarusian and international human rights organisations, condemn recent steps taken by the Belarusian authorities to withdraw from the First Optional Protocol of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and remove an important avenue for redress for victims of human rights violations committed by Belarusian authorities. The move would also set a dangerous precedent for states seeking to negate their international human rights obligations to avoid unwanted scrutiny.

We, the undersigned human rights defenders and organisations from the Russian Federation, urge EU member states to lead a core group of states at the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council to establish a mandate of a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Russian Federation. 

Six months after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Human Rights House Foundation repeats its condemnation of Russian aggression against Ukraine and ensuing human rights crisis. HRHF also renews its call on UN Human Rights Council member states to establish a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia.

Join us on Thursday 18 August at Arendalsuka, Norway for a conversation on the future of democracy in Europe with three leading experts from Poland, Hungary, and Romania.

What is really going on in Russia today? On 16 August 2022, HRHF and other Norwegian organisations discussed the human rights situation in Russia at an event at Arendalsuka, Norway.

Siarhei Sakavets is a 29-year-old engineer from Minsk, who was detained on 21 September 2021 for having subscribed to the Telegram channel “Real Belarus”, which shares news that is critical of the regime.

In June 2022, a series of events organised by PEN Armenia, PEN Georgia and PEN America, and entitled “Burning Poet(s)” was held in Armenia highlighting and celebrating the cultural ties between Armenia and Georgia, and bringing the literary communities of both countries together to highlight free expression and human rights in the South Caucasus.

At the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights House Foundation continued its work calling on the Human Rights Council to take action on the human rights crisis in Eastern Europe characterised, in part, by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, and the increasingly dire human rights situation in Belarus.

In a joint letter, Human Rights House Foundation and several international civil society organisations call on the European Union to lead a process to establish a Special Rapporteur on Russia at the 51st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.