Report on human rights violations in Belarus filed to UN

• 5.03.2010, 13:08

The report on human rights situation in Belarus prepared for the United Nations was presented in Vilnius-based Human Rights House on March 4.

The report says the Belarusian authorities continue to disperse opposition demonstrations and protest actions in spite of declaration of readiness for a dialogue with the European Union. Human rights activists note that in connection with the forthcoming presidential campaign in Belarus, the authorities have begun to screw ties, and say the year promises to be difficult, the website spring96.org informs.

Human rights defender Valyantsin Stefanovich paid attention to political prisoners in Belarus.

“There are political prisoners in the country. This is recognized also by international organizations and institutions,” Stefanovich said.

The official authorities were to present their report on the human rights situation in the country. However, they chose not to do this. Unlike in previous years, the human rights activists had an opportunity to meet with officials and turn their attention to some aspects in human rights sphere.

However, negotiations with officials, especially with head of Lukashenka’s Administration Natallya Pyatkevich, were not fruitful. “We were given to understand that nothing will change,” Stefanovich said.

What concerns the EU–Belarus relations and possible imposing sanctions on Belarus in connection with the recent events in Belarus, Ales Byalyatski, the head of Viasna human rights center and vice president of the International Federation of Human Rights, Europe should have the common position on Belarus.

“We were surprised to know that Lithuania invited Alyaksandr Lukashenka to the country,” he told journalists, human rights activists and representatives of diplomatic missions of other countries.