Homel human rights defender seeks compensation over failure to implement UN HR Committee decisions

Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka filed a lawsuit to the Tsentralny District Court of Homel against the Ministry of Finance demanding compensation for moral damages due to the failure of the authorities to implement the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Committee. He estimates the moral damage at the amount of the salary of a Member of Parliament within four years of office.

During the parliamentary elections of 2004, the human rights activist was not registered as a candidate, although he had collected the required number of signatures for his nomination. The district election commission and the CEC decided that the rights defender incorrectly indicated his place of employment. After the Supreme Court sided with the Central Election Commission, Leanid Sudalenka submitted a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee.

In 2010, the Committee concluded that Belarus violated the author's right to take part in the government of his country through running in the elections. The Committee also decided that discrimination on political grounds was used in this case. The Committee ordered Belarus to provide the author with an effective remedy, and to consider any future application for his nomination as a candidate for Parliament with full implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Leanid Sudalenka believes that it is time to demand that the State implemented of the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee, which admits certain violations of the rights of Belarusian citizens.

“Belarusian officials believe that the decisions of the UN Committee are non-binding, but it is not true. It is difficult to predict how the court will treat the suit. In any case, sooner or later, all these decisions against Belarusian citizens will be implemented, so someone has to start work today,” says the human rights defender.