Human Rights House Foundation statement
HRC61 – Item 4 – Interactive Dialogue – Belarus Group of Independent Experts
12 March 2026
Check against delivery.
Thank you Vice-President.
We welcome the news that just this afternoon the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced it was officially opening an investigation into Belarus. This decision further reflects the gravity of the human rights violations and crimes being perpetrated.
Vice-President.
Despite the limited recent releases of political prisoners in Belarus, we remain deeply concerned for new arrests, and for the continued imprisonment of friends and colleagues, including Valiantsin Stefanovic, Marfa Rabkova, Andrei Aliaksandrau and Nasta Loika.
The report of the Group of Experts also details patterns of transnational repression targeting Belarusians in exile, including denial of consular services, trials in absentia, confiscation of property and assets, harassment of family members and “extremist” listings. On 27 February, PEN Belarus was designated as an “extremist formation” for their human rights work focused on freedom of expression, as well as promoting the Belarusian language and culture.
As we highlighted in our recent joint NGO letter to all Human Rights Council members, these developments make the case for continued analysis by the Special Rapporteur, and evidence collection and preservation by the Group of Independent Experts, and we recommend the Council renew both mandates.
Vice-President.
We ask the Group of Experts: what are the most concrete steps states can take to increase the likelihood of accountability, for the violations and crimes committed by Belarus?
Thank you.
