According to the UN, the Belarusian government is involved in numerous cases of illegal imprisonment, torture, deprivation of life and sexual violence against opposition members and dissidents.
The United Nations has recorded a large number of facts of human rights violations in the Republic of Belarus with the assistance of the country’s top leadership. This is discussed in the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged representatives of the Belarusian authorities to refrain from systematic repression against citizens holding opposition views.
According to the report, gross violations of human rights have been recorded throughout Belarus. The authors of the document are based on interviews with 207 victims and witnesses. The UN also has more than 2,000 pieces of evidence.
Violations include deprivation of life, illegal imprisonment, torture, restrictions on freedom of expression, denial of a fair trial, ill-treatment and sexual violence.
According to the authors of the report, some of the mentioned facts can be regarded as crimes against humanity.
“Our report presents an unacceptable picture of impunity and the almost complete destruction of civil society space and fundamental freedoms in Belarus,” Türk stated.
The document also mentions the use of force by the Belarusian security forces against participants in peaceful protests that took place from August 9 to 14, 2020 in connection with the alleged election fraud in the country.
According to the UN, Belarus’ top leadership openly incited violence against demonstrators. Evidence indicates that the disproportionate use of force resulted in the deaths of at least five protesters.
The top of the Belarusian authorities are also accused of abusing the judicial system when it comes to oppositionists and other citizens. As of March 17, 1,462 Belarusians are in prison for political reasons.
“The appalling practice of persecuting and punishing people for legitimate human rights activities continues,” Volker Türk said.
It should be reminded that according to the data of the Viasna human rights movement dated March 10, the authorities of Belarus are very frightened by the scale of the partisan movement. In this regard, 1,575 Belarusian opponents of the war in Ukraine were detained in the country, 56 of them received prison terms.
We also wrote that on March 9, Alexander Lukashenko signed the law on the death penalty for high treason. The new bill is primarily aimed at civil servants and the military.
