Human rights defender Siarhei Ustsinau not included in the civil commission on supervision over activities of the organs and institutions which execute punishments

According to the website protivpytok.org, the supervisory commissions act on the basis of the Ruling #1220 of the Soviet of Ministers of 12 September 2006.

According to this document, international, national and local civil associations have the right to exercise control over the activities of the organs and institutions which executed punishments and other measures of criminal responsibility. Nevertheless, the justice department of the Minsk Region Executive Committee refused to include a representative of the national civil association “Legal Initiative” Siarhei Ustsinau in such commission.

The criteria for the choice of members to the commission and for the refusal to include Mr. Ustsinau are not explained.

“The refusal to include me in the Minsk regional civil supervisory commission is groundless. Athwart Article 14 of the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee against Torture, which recommended to “grant access to independent governmental and non-government

organisations to all detention facilities in the country, including police lock-ups, pretrial detention centres, security service premises, administrative detention areas, detention units of medical and psychiatric institutions and prisons”, the Belarusian state does not admit representatives of human rights organizations to these the supervisory commissions,” stated Mr. Ustsinau.

Now he intends to appeal the refusal at court.