A/HRC/60/62 the ILO Governing Body. The ILO Governing Body and Special Procedures mandate holders addressed the situation of Mr. Yarashuk, to which the Government responded.19 26. In its 2023 and 2024 follow-up reports to the resolution on the measures on Belarus recommended under article 33 of the ILO Constitution, the ILO’s Governing Body and the Committee on Freedom of Association noted with concern the change in the conditions of imprisonment of Mr. Yarashuk from “ordinary” to “strict”, his transfer in November 2023 to Mogilev Prison No. 4. and the deteriorating conditions of his detention. On 12 September 2023, ILO’s Director-General addressed his case (GB.349/INS/13(Rev.1), para. 7 and GB.350/INS/10 (Rev.1), paras. 6 and 51). 27. On 13 June 2024, mandate holders addressed concerns about the high number of older persons deprived of their liberty in inhuman conditions, including Mr. Yarashuk (72 years old) and his inclusion in the official list of persons involved in extremist activities. Mandate holders also noted that the draft amnesty law which proposes to grant amnesty to individuals who have reached the pensionable age (63 years for men) would not be applicable to him and other prisoners convicted under a broad range of provisions of the Criminal Code excluded from the scope of the proposed amnesty (BLR 5/2024). Reportedly, Mr. Yarashuk has not benefited from the recent pardons granted to some political detainees between July and December 2024. In its response to mandate holders, the Government noted that, in accordance with the requirements of Article 12 of Act No. 19-Z of 2 July 2024, an “amnesty” does not apply to individuals included convicted for extremist and terrorist activities, including Mr. Yarashuk.20 28. In March 2025, during the 353rd session of the ILO’s Governing Body, the chairperson paid special tribute to its member Aliaksandr Yarashuk. He highlighted that union activists and workers continue to be branded as terrorist and extremist and subjected to criminal and administrative sanctions (GB.353/NSP/PV, paras 15, 223). 29. The case of the NGO Human Rights Centre Viasna, a human rights organization providing legal aid in Belarus, has been included since 2021 in the reports of the Secretary-General21 on allegations of raids, arbitrary arrest, criminal charges and long prison sentencing of its Chair and staff in connection with their cooperation with the United Nations. special procedure mandate holders addressed the situation of the staff of the NGO Viasna and the persecution of the NGO Viasna on several occasions,22 to which the Government has responded.23 30. In December 2023, special procedure mandate holders noted with concern the decisions in August 2023 by the State Security Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs declaring the NGO Viasna and its regional branches as “extremist” organizations. Based on these decisions, the NGO Viasna and its branches were added to the list of extremist organizations administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and their websites and other online resources were banned (BLR 10/2023).24 31. During the reporting period, due to the threat of arbitrary detention, staff members of the NGO Viasna were compelled to go into exile and continue their human rights activities 19 See Minutes of the 346th session of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office (GB.346/PV), paras. 467–468; and BLR 6/2022. 20 https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=38570. 21 A/HRC/57/60, Annex II paras. 37–38, A/HRC/54/61, Annex II paras. 20–22.A/HRC/51/47, Annex II paras. 23–24; A/HRC/48/28, Annex I, para. 2. 22 BLR 1/2010; BLR 2/2011; BLR 7/2011; BLR 9/2011; BLR 2/2012; BLR 3/2012; BLR 1/2013; BLR 1/2019; BLR 2/2019; BLR 8/2021; BLR 3/2023. 23 See Government replies at: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=31683; https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=31386;https://spcommreports.o hchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=31263;https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBas e/DownLoadFile?gId=32592;https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=3 4577;https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34679; https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=36641. 24 See also https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/belarus-year-after-conviction-viasna-chairand-members-concerns-about. 49