Belarus hits new low: Five years at the bottom of torture prohibition index in post-Soviet states
The Working Group on the Fight Torture of the Civic Solidarity Platform, which includes representatives from seven countries in the OSCE region (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine), has released the annual results of measuring the Prohibition of Torture Index in these countries. For the fifth consecutive year, Belarus occupies the lowest ranking position on the list.
- Detention at 2020 protests in Belarus. File photo
What is the Prohibition of Torture Index?
The Prohibition of Torture Index is a distinctive instrument for evaluating the extent to which the prohibition of torture is implemented effectively. It was developed by the Working Group in 2020. The index was initially tested in eight countries within the OSCE region, using data from 2019 as a basis for comparison. The index was calculated for each country and included the following assessments: the state mechanism for responding to torture, judicial control, the existence of norms in national legislation prohibiting torture, the level of procedural guarantees working to prevent torture, the mechanisms and means of torture prevention available in the country, and the extent to which the state has adopted international commitments on the prohibition of torture.
Following the pilot measurement, the Working Group held a series of discussions to refine the parameters of the Index and ensure a more comprehensive approach to assessing the situation in the country. As a result, a number of changes were made to the Index methodology. Indicators were clarified and expanded, and criteria were balanced to reflect both normative regulation and law enforcement practice. In addition, a new section was added, which assesses the effectiveness of investigations through surveys of experts in the field (lawyers, prosecutors, judges, investigators, and human rights defenders).
What is the situation in Belarus?
The Index reveals that Belarus has traditionally ranked last, with a 2023 score of -93.83. Armenia, on the other hand, has emerged as the leader in terms of compliance with the prohibition of torture, with a score of 131.53. Belarus and Russia continue to lag behind in this regard.
"The dynamics of the Prohibition of Torture Index in Belarus were primarily influenced by the refinement of the Index parameters following the pilot measurement in 2019, and subsequently by the 2021 decline in indicators reflecting the criminalization of torture in domestic legislation in Belarus and the impact of video surveillance in places of detention on torture prevention. Over the past two years, the Index has remained almost invariably low in Belarus," expert stated.
Working Group members from the following countries contributed to the Index preparation:
- Crew against Torture, Russia
- FREERIGHTS, Ukraine
- Human Rights Movement Bir Duino, Kyrgyzstan
- Human Rights Center Viasna, Belarus
- International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, Kazakhstan
- Kadir Kassiyet, Kazakhstan
- Promo-LEX Association, Moldova
- Protection of Rights without Borders, Armenia
- Public Verdict Foundation, Russia
- Voice of Freedom, Kyrgyzstan
