UN human rights chief concerned over first sentence in riot case

Navi Pillay, UN high commissioner for human rights, on Monday expressed deep concern at what she described as a harsh sentence handed down to Belarusian opposition activist Vasil Parfiankou, BelaPAN said.

In last week's trial, Mr. Parfiankou, 27, was found guilty of participation in a “mass riot” and sentenced to four years in prison over the December 19 post-election demonstration in Minsk.

"The prosecution and sentencing are particularly troubling given that he, together with dozens of other opposition activists, is facing trial for exercising his right to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression," Ms. Pillay said.

"The continued detention of political opponents, harassment of The UN high commissioner for human rights noted that the length and conditions of pretrial detention in Belarus do not comply with the standards stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Ms. Pillay denounced "the continued intimidation of lawyers who provide legal counsel" to detained government opposition. She pointed to the Belarusian justice ministry's decision to revoke the licenses of three lawyers involved in the case.

The commissioner also attacked the Belarusian authorities for "acts of harassment and political and administrative pressure against human rights defenders and NGOs." "Human rights defenders should be able to do their work in a safe environment without putting themselves at risk and without fear of reprisals, intimidation, threats or stigmatization," she warned.

According to Ms. Pillay, "states have a duty to protect human rights defenders, journalists and civil society from threats, retaliation or pressure stemming from the legitimate exercise of their work in defense of human rights."

The UN commissioner reiterated her call for the release of all of the opposition figures held in detention and urged Minsk to "take seriously its international commitments pertaining to human rights."

Earlier this month, Ms. Pillay met with representatives of a group set up by civil society activists from several countries to monitor the human rights situation in Belarus.

Russian activists Andrei Yurov and Dmitry Makarov asked the UN high commissioner to deploy a UN human rights mission to Belarus or arrange for a meeting with rights defenders to discuss the UN’s possible response to the Belarusian government’s post-election crackdown on opponents.

Messrs. Yurov and Makarov delivered a report on the treatment of rights defenders, lawyers and journalists in Belarus to Ms. Pillay.

Ms. Pillay said that she was following the situation in Belarus closely, promising to study the submitted material.