Position of the Committee

MEMORANDUM
of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus

Taking into consideration the analysis carried out by this Committee regarding grounds for initiation, investigation and judicial consideration of a range of criminal cases* against persons involved into the events of December 19th, 2010 and, most notably, the basic provisions of the report delivered by the Special Rapporteur of the Committee; considering the materials of the independent court monitoring organized by the International Observation Mission of the Committee and referring to other analytical documents prepared by it,

The Committee deems it necessary to state that:

1. The legislation of the Republic of Belarus that regulates the procedure of conducting mass events, as well as relevant international legal standards allow to point out the following possible violations of their enforcement:
 

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Recommendations for the International Community on Actions on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus after the Presidential Elections on 19 December 2010 by the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus hrwatch-by.org

On the occasion of the 17th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva, 30 May - 17 June 2011

Framework for actions by the international community:

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STATEMENT
of the Steering Council of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarusregarding violations by the Republic of Belarus of the OSCE commitments related to assistance to non-governmental organizations in monitoring conditions in the human dimension

The participating organizations of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus are concerned about the situation regarding representatives of the International Observation Mission, established under the auspices of the Committee. These concerns are especially relevant in light of recent invocation of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism with regard to Belarus and also in the light of statements of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus containing claims that Belarus strictly observes all OSCE commitments in the human dimension.

On March 16, 2011 the Head of the International Observation Mission, citizen of the Russian Federation Andrey Yurov was detained by the police and taken to the police department of the Sovetsky district, where he spent the entire night. There was an attempt of a criminal charge of illegal border crossing to be brought against him. In the morning of March 17th, 2011, an order was issued to dismiss the criminal case with instructions for him to leave the territory of Belarus in the next 24 hours. Mr. Yurov was also notified that his name was included in the “List of persons whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable” until 02/15/2013.

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Apr. 22, 2011

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Appeal of the Steering Council of Committee of International Control over human rights situation in Belarus

The Steering Council of Committee of International Control over human rights situation in Belarus expresses its profound concern with the  refusal of the Belarusian government to extend the mandate of the OSCE office in Minsk.

In our opinion, as an office of a respected international organization the OSCE Office in Minsk international organization has not yet exhausted its mandate with regard to assistance to Belarus government and society on issues of compliance to human rights commitments of  Belarus.

We regret about this situation, because thus step can be perceived as a reaction of the Belarusian government to the OSCE assessment of Presidential elections of December 19.

We believe that full-featured cooperation between Republic of Belarus and OSCE as well as other international institutions must not depend on assessments made by representatives of those institutions if Belarus indeed is committed to the implementation of international commitments to which it signed on and confirmed its support on multiple occasions.  It is our hope that the authorities of Belarus will continue to act within the accepted international standards and OSCE commitments that that the   authorities are ready to an  open dialogue with OSCE structures  and international governmental and non-governmental organizations. 

Dec. 30, 2010
23:30

Contacts:
Secretariat of the Committee: [email protected]