EU Statement - HRC58 - Interactive dialogue with the Group of Independent Experts on the situation of human rights in Belarus
United Nations Human Rights Council
Interactive dialogue with the Group of Independent Experts on the situation of human rights in Belarus
19 March 2025
EU Statement
Mr President,
The EU thanks the Group of Independent Experts for its first report and expresses its appreciation for their work.
According to the findings in the report, human rights violations continue to be committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against civilians, carried out in furtherance of government policy to silence any perceived or real dissent. The Group has found further evidence that some of the violations may amount to crimes against humanity, specifically in the context of unlawful imprisonment and persecution.
The wide range and severity of violations documented across UN human rights mechanisms speak for themselves, with continued arbitrary arrests and detentions, including incommunicado, torture and ill-treatment, appalling detention conditions, politically motivated charges, and systematic denial of the right to a fair trial. New restrictions on civic space, trade unionists, and independent media, with heightened surveillance and intimidation, continued to force many into exile, facing trials in absentia. In such environment, we reiterate our previously expressed concerns about the fairness and legitimacy of elections in the country.
We urge the Belarusian authorities once again to halt their internal and transnational repression and immediately and unconditionally release and effectively rehabilitate all political prisoners, among them Maxim Znak and Tatsiana and Aliaksandr Frantskevich. We call on Belarus to grant full access to all UN human rights mechanisms, including to all prisons and places of detention.
The EU reiterates its commitment to hold those responsible for human rights violations and abuses to account.
Independent Experts,
Considering the continuing systematic impunity in Belarus, what other possible avenues and measures, alongside national proceedings, should States explore in working towards accountability?
Thank you.