Human Rights Watch World Report: Belarus’ human rights friendly rhetoric not supported by genuine improvements

"Belarus’ human rights friendly rhetoric was not supported by genuine human rights improvements in 2016," Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2017 published on January 12.

"The death penalty remains in use. Officials continue to prosecute human rights activists and critical journalists on spurious charges. Legislative amendments further restricted freedom of expression by expanding the definition of “extremism” and by banning dissemination of certain types of information among children under the false pretense of protecting them. International observers recognized some progress during the September parliamentary elections, but called for additional reforms," HRW said.

"The European Union lifted sanctions, citing releases of political prisoners and improved elections. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ended restrictions on lending to state entities. Authorities continue to refuse to cooperate with the United Nations special rapporteur on Belarus.

In October, the government finalized an action plan to implement recommendations made by UN human rights treaty bodies and the Human Rights Council in the country’s Universal Periodic Review. The government did not consult independent civil society, and the plan lacks specifics and does not adequately address civil and political rights."

The Report separately mentions the cases of Belarusian human rights defenders Alena Tankachova and Mikhail Zhamchuzhny. The former was "forced from Belarus in February 2015 with a three-year entry ban, appealed for it to be shortened, but the appeal was rejected." According to Zhamchuzhny, "prison officials denied him access to necessary medical care and interfered with his filing an appeal against his sentence."