UN must immediately and fully resource the Belarus investigative mechanism

In March, the Council mandated and authorized funding for an investigation into the situation of human rights in Belarus, including the collection, consolidation, preservation, and analysis of information and evidence of human rights violations. We are disappointed with the lack of full funding for the mechanism and the resulting delays in fully operationalizing its mandate. Given these delays, we urge UN member states, especially those with membership on the Human Rights Council, to ensure that all necessary action is taken to fully and immediately resource the investigative mechanism. 

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) acted swiftly following the Council’s decision at its 47th Session. In May, OHCHR appointed three high-level experts to the investigative mechanism. Recently, it launched a platform for the collection of information and documentation related to human rights violations in Belarus. These were important first steps. 

Yet, as the Council approaches its 48th session, the investigative mechanism remains understaffed. This has led to the inability of the mechanism to hold critical consultations with Belarusian and international human rights organisations. We remain extremely concerned that the lack of sufficient resources for the investigative mechanism will prevent the international community from holding accountable those responsible for human rights violations in Belarus. The international community must not allow impunity for those responsible for such violations. 

The Human Rights Council made a commitment in March to the Belarusian people. It committed to fully investigate serious human rights violations in Belarus and to collect and preserve evidence of those violations. Insufficiently resourcing the investigative mechanism runs at odds with the Council’s decision and commitment and must be reversed. The UN must fully resource and support the Belarus investigative mechanism.

 Signed:

Human Rights House Foundation

Human Rights House Yerevan

•   Pink Human Rights Defenders
•   Socioscope

Human Rights House Azerbaijan

•   Women’s Association for Rationale Development

Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House

•   Legal Initiative

Human Rights House Zagreb

Human Rights House Tbilisi

•   Sapari

Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland)

Rafto Foundation

Russian Research Centre for Human Rights

Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv

•   UMDPL Association
•   Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union
•   NGO MART
•   Vostok SOS
•   No Borders Project

Human Rights House Crimea

• ZMINA Human Rights Centre