CMDS Fellow and UN Rights Expert Miklós Haraszti Warns of Worsening Situation for Political Prisoners in Belarus ahead of Elections

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, who is also CMDS's Resident Fellow, raised alarm at the deterioration of the plight of several political prisoners ahead of the October presidential elections, and reiterated his calls to the immediate and unconditional release of all those imprisoned for the exercise of their political and other rights. 

“In this election year, the authorities have both kept critical-minded political personalities in prison and severely hardened their situation, instead of giving a reassuring signal to society on creating an environment for free and fair elections,” the human rights expert said. “This is disheartening for all who hoped that four years after the massive reprisals during the last presidential elections of December 2010, the Government finally would be ready to release all political prisoners, as well as secure equitable chances for all competitors by rehabilitating the civil and political rights of the previously incarcerated,” he stated.

Mr. Haraszti was referring to the events in 2010 which prompted the United Nations Human Right Council to establish the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. At the time, seven of the nine presidential candidates were arrested and incarcerated along with hundreds who protested against the non-transparent voting procedures.

“This year, the authorities chose in several cases to extend prison sentences of already incarcerated political opponents or impose harsher prison conditions, on differently formulated but similar grounds,” he noted. “Imposing harsher regimes or extending prison sentences based on claims of violations of internal prison regulations are deliberately used to put pressure on political prisoners. 

“I urge the Belarus authorities not only to release, but also to fully rehabilitate political opponents who have been imprisoned,” the Special Rapporteur said, while stressing the importance of rehabilitation and full reinstatement of civil rights, especially in view of this year’s presidential election.

As pointed out in his reports to the Human Rights Council, former political prisoners as individuals having a criminal record, cannot run for or occupy public office. They continue facing preventive supervision procedures and have to regularly report to the authorities; they cannot change or leave their place of residence without permission from the police.

Mr. Haraszti also expressed his concern at the lack of independence of the judiciary from the executive, which is inconsistent with an environment necessary for the exercise of human rights, and is an enabling factor in perpetuating the use of arbitrary detention against political opponents. “A broad and comprehensive reform is needed to ensure the principle of independence and impartiality of the judiciary,” he reiterated.

You can read more about Mr. Haraszti's report here: 

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16067&L...