UN expresses grave concerns with trials in Belarus

09.01.2023 Tags: political prisoners, Viasna, human rights, UN Figures: Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich, Uladzimir Labkovich

https://spring96.org/en/news/110375 2023 2023-01-09T19:43:36+0300 2023-01-09T19:43:36+0300 2023-01-09T19:43:36+0300 en https://spring96.org/files/images/sources/20230106-belarus-election-award.png The Human Rights Center “Viasna” The Human Rights Center “Viasna” The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

A spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Jeremy Laurence has delivered the organization's concerns by the trial of human rights defenders from Viasna, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski.

The briefing note posted on the UN website says:

We are gravely concerned by the trial of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski which started in Belarus on Thursday. Bialiatski faces up to 12 years in jail. Two other representatives of his Viasna Human Rights Center are also facing prison sentences. We have serious concerns about the conduct of their trial.

The trio are among hundreds detained after a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2020.

We call for the charges against them to be dropped, and their immediate release from detention.

As we mark the 75th anniversary this year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the High Commissioner has called for an end to arbitrary detention once and for all.