Official Minsk urged the UN to establish order in the Human Rights Council

Atthe 69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on October 23 was presented the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst.

"Belarus isn’t mentioned in the report, it only describes the general situation with human rights defenders around the world.

The report was presented in the format of interactive dialogue. This means that after it the representatives of States could comment on it and ask questions.
The representative of Belarus asked what measures the special rapporteur is going to take to combat the abusive practice of human rights defenders, that are in a speculative way under the guise of protection of victims of peaceful assembly they protect persons engaged in activities against the rule of law ", - told to “Svaboda” the representative of Human Rights Center" Viasna "and the Belarusian human Rights House Tatsiana Raviaka who takes part in the event.

The Special Rapporteur said that with his further actions will be able to answer all the questions.
Tatsiana Raviaka commented the official report of the representative of the Belarusian State:

"I think that the representative of Belarus is ruling by the common position of the Belarusian authorities against people who suffer from prosecution for trying to exercise their rights: they are represented by the State like common criminals. And when human rights defenders are presenting them from the other position, it turns out that, according to the authorities, they are just speculating. Here we can say about the substitution of notions, which the Belarusian authorities use in order to look better in the eyes of the international community. "
Today in New York will be a side event with the participation of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur on Belarus and human rights defenders themselves.

"In fact, it is the main event for us, where we will have an opportunity to present the situation not only with human rights defenders, but also with the wider civil society and the human rights situation in Belarus in general."
Report on the situation in Belarus will be presented on October 28 by Miklos Harastzi.

The delegation of Belarus claimed that human rights in our country are used for speculation and pressure.
"During the interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the delegation of Belarus claimed that human rights are used for speculation and pressure on the country and urged the Commissioner to "establish order in the Human Rights Council." The delegation accused the Council in the absence of interest in the consensus approach that, according to it, "undermines the credibility of the Human Rights Council." It confirmed the rejection of the mandate of the special rapporteur in country and the rejection of cooperation, "- said Tatsiana Raviaka.
Commenting on the position of the official Minsk, Tatsiana Raviaka noted:

"The position of the official Minsk is not new; it was announced immediately after the introduction of the mandate in 2012. And during this time (the mandate has already lasted twice), the Belarusian authorities support it. Belarusian authorities support electivity position: they want to choose with whom to cooperate or not, and the attitude of the country to the rapporteur just confirms this position. "

Miklos Harastzi in a report called on the Belarusian authorities immediately release all political prisoners and to ensure the full rehabilitation of their civil and political rights.

The report notes that as for July 2014 there are seven political prisoners in the prisons: Mikalai Statkevich, Eduard Lobau, Mikalai Dziadok, Ihar Olinevich, Yauhen Vaskovich, Artsiom Prakapenka and Vasil Parfiankou.
Harastzi also recommends the Belarusian government guarantee the independence of civil society organizations and human rights defenders, to create the conditions to ensure that they can work without fear of reprisal.
The report also notes that despite "some limited improvements" over the last year the situation with human rights in Belarus as a whole has not significantly changes.

Harastzi said that, despite many requests, he wasn’t able to get permission from the Belarusian authorities to enter the country.
In June of this year the UN Council on Human Rights continued the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Belarus Miklos Harastzi.