UNO concerned about Belarusians' rightlessness

The report has been prepared to the 20th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which is to start on June 18. The document covers the time period from December 19, 2012 till March 23, 2012, notes Radio Liberty.

It is stated in the report that the authorities responded with mass harassment of the political opposition, the human rights groups and the independent media to the "mostly peaceful" demonstration of December 19, 2010. The Commissioner gives an example of pressure on the media - journalist Iryna Khalip's case. The report also mentions harassment of human rights defenders in Belarus, including repressions against the unregistered human rights center "Vyasna" and its leader Ales Byalyatski.

The death penalty problem is mentioned separately in the report. It is stated that the latest death sentences were executed despite the official request of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to wait until the convicts' appeals were considered.

The UN rapporteur gives a number of recommendations to the Belarusian government. In particular, it is recommended "to release the imprisoned members of the opposition, activists and journalists, who committed no violent actions either during the events of December 19, 2010 and afterwards immediately and unconditionally; to conduct an unbiased and trustworthy investigation of the circumstances of the above mentioned people's arrests and detentions and to take urgent measures for their rehabilitation".