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Harassment of human rights defenders in the Republic of Belarus has not gone unnoticed by the UN Human Rights Council. A report for 2009, produced by the watchdog’s Special Rapporteur, contains concerns about a ‘very restrictive’ environment in which Belarusian human rights defenders are able to operate. The case of Leanid Svetsik, right, duly covered on this website, is given in-depth attention.

Representatives of the Belarusian NGOs held a number of events on 12 May in Geneva that were connected with the report of the Belarusian authorities within the guidelines of the procedure of the Universal Periodical Review at the UN Human Rights Council.

On 6 May Supreme Court sentenced Mikalai Autukhovich to 5 years and 2 months in a maximum security penal colony for illegal possession and transportation of 5 shotgun shells and a hunting rifle. Charges of terrorism against state officials were not substantiated, but this case had already been dubbed as ‘a new political order’ of the authorities

On 3 May in Geneva the UN Council on Human Rights began its session within the framework of the Universal Periodic Review procedure. On 12 May Republic of Belarus will go through this procedure as the UN member-state where the HR situation causes concerns of the international community.

Секретариат Международной сети домов прав человека – Фонд домов прав человека – начинает набор белорусских адвокатов/юристов в группу по изучению международного права прав человека в рамках программы “Международное право в правозащитной деятельности”.

On Sunday, 25 April Republic of Belarus was voting for new representatives into local councils. In a customary manner on that day the authorities tried to imitate an atmosphere of a grand national holiday. Unfortunately, the right to elect and be elected as written in the Belarusian Constitution remained protected only by its heavy book cover.

“There are no elections in the Republic of Belarus,” – independent observers summarised. Aleś Hierasimienka, a young journalist and participant of the Election Observation: Theory and Practice project, shares his impressions about observing the local election in the Republic of Belarus. The project is organised by Belarusian Human Rights House in Vilnius, United Centre of Initiatives for Republic of Belarus (JuBIC), European Humanities University (EHU) and Swedish International Liberal Centre (Silc).

On 14 April members of the Human Rights House Network and several other international human rights organisations sent a letter of concern on the executions of two Belarusian citizens – Andrei Zhuk and Vasil Yuzepchuk. Signatories condemned that the fact of execution as well as deplored Republic of Belarus ignoring its international obligations in human rights. The letter was sent to two highest public officials in the country – president and prime-minister.

On 14 April members of the Human Rights House Network and several other international human rights organisations sent a letter of concern on the executions of two Belarusian citizens – Andrei Zhuk and Vasil Yuzepchuk. The letter signatories condemned that the fact of execution as well as deplored the Republic of Belarus ignoring its international obligations in human rights.