Yesterday 2 December, on the initiative of Austria, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany and the United Kingdom, a virtual UN side-event was held where Professor Wolfgang Benedek briefed UN member states on an independent report drawn up under the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism. The report, initiated by Estonia and 16 other OSCE participating states, proves the falsification of the elections of Belarus and extensive violations of the human rights of peaceful protesters.
At the meeting, Estonia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Sven Jürgenson emphasised that the findings of the report confirmed election fraud as well as major human rights abuses committed by the authorities. “The perpetrators of such deeds must be held accountable, because impunity only adds more fuel to the fire. Unfortunately, as the report shows, not a single criminal case has been opened on any case of torture and ill-treatment,” Jürgenson said.
He also expressed deep concern over the restrictions on media freedom and freedom of speech both online and offline. “The report states clearly that in Belarus there is no media freedom, no freedom of assembly nor expression,” the ambassador said.
“We have previously discussed the situation in Belarus in the Security Council and it worries me that we have seen no improvements,” Jürgenson said. Estonia urges the Belarusian authorities to reconsider their approach, engage with the OSCE and make use of the recommendations in the report.
The 72 recommendations of the report include a call to cancel the results of the elections of 9 August, bring the electoral law in conformity with international standards, immediately cease all violence, release political prisoners, ensure the safety of journalists and refrain from limiting access to internet.
The international community is addressing the human rights violations in Belarus in several formats this week. In addition to the event with Professor Benedek, Estonia’s permanent representative to the UN also spoke at a discussion held with representatives of the civil society on the political prisoners of Belarus. Tomorrow, Foreign Minister Reinsalu attends a Human Rights Council discussion on Belarus.
Read the full statement: https://un.mfa.ee/statement-by-ambassador-sven-jurgenson-at-side-event-on-the-report-on-alleged-human-rights-violations-related-to-the-presidential-elections-of-9-august-2020-in-belarus/
