OHCHR examination of the human rights situation in Belarus mandate extended for another year Document

Human Rights Council's resolution on the situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath was adopted at the 52nd session of the UN. This means that the OHCHR examination of the human rights situation in Belarus mandate was extended for another year.

In a resolution of the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council:

• Decides to extend, for a period of one year, the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the assistance of the three appointed independent experts and special procedure mandate holders, until the fifty-fifth session of the Human Rights Council;
• Requests the High Commissioner to present an interim oral update to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-fourth session, and a comprehensive report at its fifty-fifth session, both to be followed by an interactive dialogue;
• Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Office of the High Commissioner with full administrative, technical, and logistical support and the resources necessary to enable it to carry out its mandate.

The Human Rights Council welcomed the comprehensive written report presented by the High Commissioner to the Council at its current session.

Belarus outraged by the UNHCHR report on the situation with the human rights in the country

On March 22, oral statements were delivered during the interactive dialogue with OHCHR experts on Belarus at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Read how the report on Belarus was received by representatives of the country's delegation, interested countries, and NGOs.

 In addition, the Human Rights Council:

• Expressed deep concern at the further deterioration of the situation of human rights in Belarus in the aftermath of the presidential election held on 9 August 2020 and the continued impunity and lack of accountability for human rights violations committed in Belarus since 1 May 2020;
• Condemned in this respect the continuing systematic denial of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including with regard to the holding of more than 1,462 political prisoners and the arbitrary detention and arrest of opposition members, journalists and other media workers, environmental and human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, lawyers, medical workers, cultural workers, teachers, students, children, persons belonging to national minorities, members of trade unions and strike committees, and other members of civil society and individuals for expressing dissenting opinions and exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• Condemned the actions of Belarusian authorities in committing an act of unlawful interference that deliberately endangered the safety and security of a civilian flight in Belarusian airspace in May 2021 and the lives of all those on board;
• Expressed once again its regret that the Belarusian authorities have not fulfilled their obligations with regard to the right of every citizen to vote and to be elected at free, fair and inclusive periodic elections.

Forty-seven countries took part in voting on the resolution. Five countries (Bolivia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, and Vietnam) opposed the continuation of the mandate on Belarus.