Viasna alerts UN Special Rapporteurs to increased repression of peaceful protesters
Activists of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” have written to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. The urgent communication comes as a response to the recent boost in repression suffered by the participants in peaceful protests held as part of the parliamentary elections.
Several protesters have already received heavy fines, and one of them, Aliaksandr Krutkin, is serving 15 days of administrative detention for reposting a call to join a protest on November 15 in Minsk. At least 18 people are now awaiting trials for their participation in peaceful assemblies.
Viasna requests the UN experts to use their powers within the special procedures to pay particular attention to the human rights situation in Belarus, including repression against participants of peaceful assemblies during the elections.
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections protest post-election repression
