Minsk hosts conference on human rights and combating extremism

On June 4, Minsk human rights space Rights Territory hosts an international conference "Human Rights and Combating Extremism." The event takes place in the form of themed panel discussions.

At the conference opening, human rights defender from Viasna HRC Valiantsin Stefanovich pointed out that the human rights community is concerned about the increase in incidents of prosecuting citizens for distribution of extremist materials. Intentionally for the conference, the human rights coalition has prepared a report on the antiextremist law-enforcement practice in Belarus including analysis of the current legislation.

Viasna human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich opens the conference

The conference invited international experts to analyze the problem of combating extremism from the perspective of international standards in the field of human rights. Among these experts are Elena Chernyavska, senior adviser of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Matilda Bogner, senior adviser on human rights of the UN OHCHR in Belarus, Stephanie David, UN Advocacy Director (New York) at FIDH. The conference also features foreign experts who will talk about the fight against extremism in Russia and the CIS countries. In addition, the issue of combating the distribution of extremist materials in Belarus is to be discussed.

Senior adviser on human rights of the UN OHCHR in Belarus Matilda Bogner

"Certain states and experts go beyond the human rights plane in the discussion of countering extremism issues at the international level. It's disturbing. The discussion is becoming fiercer. Some states, under the pretext of combating extremism, take ambiguous measures and pass dubious laws. They serve to exert pressure on society and violate fundamental rights and freedoms," said Stephanie David.

Following the conference, a common resolution is to be adopted.