UN Commission on Human Rights Receives “Viasna” Complaint

More than half a year passed since Judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus Valiantsina Kulik decided to liquidate the Public association “Human Rights Center “Viasna”. The decision that was issued on 28 October 2003 was enforced immediately after its pronouncing. According to the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, verdicts of the Supreme Court are final and can’t be complained against for cassation. That’s why having depleted all the possibilities for defense at the national level (review complaint to the head of the Supreme Court), “Viasna” representatives prepared a complaint to the UN Commission on Human Rights.

The complaint was filed on behalf of the head of the organization Board Ales Bialiatski and nine more members of the organization. All of them are victims of human rights violations. The complaint mentions the main violations of the national and international legislation, committed during the consideration of the case at the Supreme Court, including part 1 of article 14, parts 1 and 2 of article 22 and article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that was ratified by Belarus.

“Viasna” members are of the opinion that the main violations are violation of the right to association and the right to fair trial.