UN Resolution Draft Denouncing Human Rights Violations in Belarus Passed
UN General Assembly Third Committee adopted a resolution draft on human rights violations in Belarus, reports UN News Centre. The situation with mass media is given extensive coverage in the resolution.
Particularly, the document states continuing arrests and pressure on Belarusian journalists. Its drafters remind Belarusian authorities about political opponents’ disappearance, namely the 2000 case of Dzmitry Zavadski, and urge Belarusian officials to put an end to intimidating independent media outlets.
The Belarusian side, in its turn, called the resolution "an anti-Belarusian propaganda leaflet". This position was voiced on November, 22 by Andrej Papou, Belarusian MFA press-secretary, at a briefing for journalists.
According to the UN News Centre, the draft was submitted by the USA joined by Australia, the EU, Israel, Canada, Switzerland and Japan. Sixty-eight states backed up the resolution, thirty-two members voted against it, while 76 countries abstained from voting. However, the draft was passed by the prevalence of positive over negative vote.
