A/HRC/57/60
deep concern and called on the authorities to refrain from any action that would be
detrimental to Mr. Yarashuk’s situation, including any potential negative consequences on
his health (GB.349/INS/13(Rev.1), para. 7 and GB.350/INS/10(Rev.1), paras. 6 and 51).
35.
In its reply to the ILO, the Government noted that the activities of the BKDP and its
member organizations were terminated by Supreme Court decisions as contradicting the
national Constitution and other legislation and causing harm to the State or public interests.
The Government also noted that Mr. Yarashuk and other trade unionists had been found
guilty of committing specific serious offences (GB.349/INS/13(Rev.1), para. 13).
36.
In its 2024 conclusions, the ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association noted with
concern the latest allegations submitted by the BKDP indicating that the Government had not
implemented the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry and that the repression
against worker leaders and independent trade unions continued in 2023 and 2024. The
Committee reiterated its previous request to immediately release all trade union leaders and
activists, who, in the consistent appreciation of the ILO supervisory bodies, were prosecuted
for exercising their legitimate activities and to drop all related charges
(GB.350/INS/10(Rev.1), paras. 51 and 61(a)).
37.
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-General35 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 Procedures mandate holders addressed the situation of Viasna staff and the
persecution of the NGO Viasna on several occasions, 36 to which the Government has
responded.37
38.
In December 2023, special procedures 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).38
39.
During the reporting period, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
in Belarus noted the high risks of retaliation for those engaging with United Nations human
rights mechanisms. Consequently, she chose not to disclose the names of numerous victims
and sources in her 2023 report (A/HRC/53/53, para. 19),39 and to anonymise the names of
the organizations that submitted inputs for her 2024 report as a measure of protection against
retaliation (A/HRC/56/65, para. 9).
40.
In its 2024 resolution on the situation in Belarus, the Human Rights Council called on
the Belarusian authorities to establish full and non-selective engagement with all United
Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms and urged them to refrain from all forms of
intimidation and reprisals against persons and associations for their cooperation with those
mechanisms (A/HRC/RES/55/27).
35
36
37
38
39
42
A/HRC/51/47, Annex II paras. 23–24; A/HRC/48/28, Annex I, para. 2.
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.
See Government replies at:
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=31683;
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=31386;
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=31263;
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=32592;
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34577;
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34679;
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=36641.
See also https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/belarus-year-after-conviction-viasna-chairand-members-concerns-about.
See also https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/07/belarus-human-rights-situation-stillcatastrophic-un-expert-says; https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k11/k11sol9553, time stamp 00:01:10.
GE.24-14259