UN Committee for Human Rights: Civic Initiative Shut Down Illegally

On November 21 the UN Committee for Human Rights satisfied the complaint filed by the leadership of Homel NGO “Civic Initiatives”. The committee recognized the organization had been closed illegally. All 14 members of the Committee decided that the “Civic Initiatives” had been closed in violation of Article 22 of the Pact on Civic and Political Rights (the right to freedom of association).

Viktar Karniyenka, head of Civic Initiatives, received the Committee’s decision yesterday. It says all founders of the Civic Initiatives are to be recognized victims; the Belarusian government should renew registration of the NGO and pay compensation to its members. The state has 3 months for that.

Leanid Sudalenka, head of Homel city organization Legal Initiative and former lawyer of Civic Initiatives, says: “We are in unpredictable situation in Belarus now. I will not be surprised if the Belarusian government implements the decision of the UN Committee”.