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Forced dispersals of peaceful assemblies by the police are a gross violation of human rights

2011 2011-07-04T15:24:07+0300 1970-01-01T03:00:00+0300 en https://spring96.org/files/images/sources/viasnalogo.jpg The Human Rights Center “Viasna” The Human Rights Center “Viasna”
The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

Statement by the Human Rights Center Viasna

At the time of the peaceful assemblies in Minsk and other Belarusian cities on 22, 29 June 29 and 3 July officers of the Ministry of Interior used physical violence and police gear against peaceful protesters. Mass detentions were conducted: occasional passers-by were detained together with protesters. As a result, hundreds of citizens were drawn to administrative responsibility (including arrest) on false charges of disorderly conduct, the use foul language in public places. The Human Rights Centre Viasna registered numerous cases of illegal use of physical force against detainees, facts of the lawless interference with professional activities of journalists on the part of law-enforcement officers and cases of detention of human rights defenders who monitored the aforementioned events.

In this regard, the Human Rights Centre Viasna states its protest and says the following:

The protests, which took place in Minsk and other Belarusian cities on 22, 29 June and on 3 July were purely peaceful in nature, didn’t violate public order and didn’t pose threats to public and national security, human rights and freedoms of others.

Citizens of Belarus have the right to assemble peacefully in the streets of their cities for expression of their views, including protest against the government.

Freedom of peaceful assembly is guaranteed to citizens of Belarus by the country's constitution and international norms of human rights including Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by the Republic of Belarus.

Peaceful assemblies are under the protection of international human rights law, even if such meetings are unauthorized by the authorities.

Detention of citizens on trumped up and false charges of disorderly conduct, and their trials at courts is nothing but arbitrary and illegal arrests and detentions.

All responsibility for the above-mentioned illegal actions aimed at violating the human rights, falls directly on the Belarusian authorities, the administration and officers of the Interior Ministry and the judges of district and municipal courts who have a direct relation to arbitrary detention and arrest of participants of peaceful assemblies.

Beating detainees by law-enforcement officers in the special transport is groundless and disproportionate use of violence during arrests is nothing more than torture. It is worth recalling that freedom from torture is absolute.

In this regard, the Human Rights Center Viasna once again urges the Belarusian authorities to:

immediately release all people who were detained and/or arrested for participating in peaceful assemblies of citizens;

fulfill their international obligations on human rights, including freedom of peaceful assembly;

ensure the implementation of freedom of peaceful assembly;

immediately cease the practice of humiliating beatings and arrests of their participants;

bring in line with international norms of legislation on the organization and conduct of mass actions, in particular, set out in the guidelines OSCE Representative on Freedom of peaceful assembly;

conduct an immediate investigation into all facts of abuse by  law-enforcement officers;

bring those responsible to statutory liability.

Human Rights Center Viasna

4 July 2011, Minsk

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