Madam Special Rapporteur,

The EU wishes to thank you for your report.

It is already over three years since the Belarusian authorities in Minsk launched a widespread crackdown on the people of Belarus for peacefully seeking democratic governance. Since then the Belarusian authorities are perpetuating a massive assault on the Belarusian civil society, pro-democratic movements, journalists and other media workers, persons belonging to national minorities, trade unions and the broader human rights community. The EU is gravely concerned over the latest report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which refers to documented violations that may amount to crimes against humanity.

We are alarmed by the ever-growing instrumentalization of the national legislation to shrink Belarus’ civic space and silence any critical voices, which you describe in detail in your report, and in this respect we condemn the recent designation of Viasna Human Rights Centre as an “extremist formation” meaning that anyone working with the organization can be prosecuted for merely working there.

The EU urges Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release and rehabilitate all political prisoners and detained human rights defenders, including those  sentenced on politically motivated charges of “extremism” or “terrorism”, and to cease the brutal repression and harassment against civil society. Belarus is the only country left in Europe where the death penalty is still in force, and the grounds for its use have recently been expanded to include dissidents. We reiterate our call on Belarus to introduce a moratorium on the use of the death penalty as a first step towards the full abolition, in line with the worldwide trend.

The EU is determined to address the human rights situation in the country and will continue to support the Belarusian people in their legitimate quest for democracy, including through support to civil society and independent media. In this vein, in June 2023, the High Representative of the EU has launched a new consultative group with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society to help shape further EU actions in support of the efforts of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society. 

Madam Special Rapporteur,

For over a year and a half, the Belarusian authorities have been acting as an accomplice in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It does so against the will of the vast majority of the Belarusian people. The Belarusian authorities have been permitting Russia to use the Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine, as a launchpad for its missiles, which is an act of aggression in itself. Belarus is granting Moscow full political and logistical support, and it is participating in Russia’s forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children and other civilians. The recent deployment in Belarus of the Wagner Group, continued instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes and the announced transfer of Russian nuclear warheads to Belarus also have destabilizing effects on the region and further undermine Belarus’ independence. The EU exhorts the Belarusian authorities to stop enabling Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s forcible transfer of Ukrainian children within areas temporarily controlled by Russia and their deportation to the Russian Federation and Belarus and urges Belarus to immediately ensure their safe return.

Madam Special Rapporteur,

In your report you outline the misuse by the Belarussian authorities of the legislation and measures for countering terrorism and extremism to silence any actual or perceived dissent in the country and to curtail the remaining civic space. We are particularly troubled by the removal of the presumption of innocence and the right to fair trial from the counter-terrorism legislation. Can you elaborate on the tools at the disposal of the UN system to help bring the Belarussian CT legislation into compliance with principle of legality and respect for human rights?

Lastly, we reiterate our call on Belarus to cooperate with international human rights monitoring mechanisms, including with your mandate.

I thank you.