The ICJ today denounced the continuing endemic impunity in Belarus for gross violations of human rights before the UN Human Rights Council during the interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus.
The statement reads as follows:
“Mr President,
The ICJ deplores the continuing endemic impunity in Belarus for systematic torture and other ill treatment, cases of arbitrary detention and other gross human rights violations.
The Belarusian authorities have failed to implement any recommendations by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus and the OSCE Moscow Mechanism.
The ICJ condemns the increasing prosecution of independent lawyers for carrying out their legitimate professional functions. Lawyers under attack include Anastassiya Lazarenko, charged with incitement to hatred and Andrey Mochalov, who is facing two years of imprisonment on dubious charges of forging documents. His own lawyer, Vitaliy Braginets, was arrested on charges of disobedience for 15 days and was not released after having served this sentence. Five more lawyers were arrested, with four still remaining in detention.
The ICJ calls on the authorities of Belarus to :
– immediately stop any practice of torture or other ill-treatment and arbitrary detention and ensure accountability for these violations;
– implement all the recommendations of, and fully cooperate with this Council’s Special Procedures and OHCHR;
– release arbitrarily detained lawyers and withdraw any charges aimed at undermining their independence.
I thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949