Valiantsin Stefanovich: Minsk selectively invites rapporteurs

On Thursday it was announced that Belarus has sent an invitation to the UN Human Rights Council Rapporteurs. Human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich said that this is not the first time that our government invites UN experts, but the approach to the process is very selective.

He expressed this opinion in an interview with Euroradio.

Valiantsin Stefanovich: “It [the State] has demonstrated a differentiated approach to the invitation of UN thematic rapporteurs. For example, there also the Special Rapporteur for Women’s Rights... But the thematic rapporteurs on freedom of peaceful assembly, illegal detentions, on the independence of the judiciary are still not invited. Belarus continues to demonstrate a selective approach to cooperation with UN agencies.”

Nevertheless, Valiantsin Stefanovich expressed hope that one day human rights defenders would welcome rapporteurs on political and civil rights in Belarus.