General situation addressed

Cases
Location of case in SG report
2025-015-001
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2025
Country Geolocation

Latitude: 53.709807

Longitude: 27.953389

Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
Belarus
From Region
UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
  • UN Special Procedures: Country
  • UN Human Rights Council: UN Human Rights Council - General
Dates of prior UN action
June 2025,
Type of record
General situation addressed
Individual's/organization's activity
  1. During the reporting period, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus stated that individuals who fled Belarus face extraterritorial persecution7 and that those that remain in the country live in an atmosphere of fear, censorship and self-censorship. (A/HRC/59/59, para. 3) The Special Rapporteur noted further that families of many prisoners avoid contact with human rights defenders and with mandate holders, owing to fear of retaliation by the authorities and urged the Government to ensure protection from reprisals for anyone engaging with them. (A/HRC/59/59, para. 45, 88 a)
  2. According to information received by OHCHR, the environment of fear and intimidation among Belarussian citizens living in neighbouring third countries has contributed to self-censorship, which reportedly inhibits cooperation with the United Nations. The Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus reported that fears have been further exacerbated by recent developments indicating the use of enhanced digital surveillance, both in the country and abroad, and the launching of criminal proceedings in absentia against hundreds of Belarusians in exile(A/HRC/58/68 paras 33, 58-59, 63-65).
  3. In its 2025 resolution on the situation of human rights in Belarus, the Human Rights Council urged the Belarusian authorities to establish full and non-selective engagement with all United Nations human rights mechanisms, including the Group of Independent Experts, and to refrain from all forms of intimidation and reprisals against persons and associations for their cooperation with those mechanisms (A/HRC/RES/58/19).
Type of rights defended
  • Unclear in SG Report
Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
No
Engagement with UN body
  • UN Special Procedures: country
  • UN Human Rights Council: UN Independent Investigation
  • Unclear
Type of attempted engagement
  • Unclear
Types of reprisals suffered
  • Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Charge/Investigation/Prosecution - General
  • Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Conviction
  • Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Trial
  • Family/friends/acquaintances targeted
  • Surveillance
  • Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
Alleged/likely perpetrators
State actors
Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
No
Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
Yes
Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
No
Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
No
Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
Yes