UN Rights Chief Chides Belarus' Response To Protests

The UN human rights chief on Friday said she is concerned at the use of force and violations by Belarus security forces and alarmed at allegations of torture and degrading treatment in custody, with up to 2,000 complaints since the contested August election.

Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, called on Belarus to "release all protesters illegally detained."

"I regret to report that since the council's urgent debate on Belarus in September, there has been no improvement in the human rights situation in the country," she said.

"On the contrary, recent weeks have seen continued deterioration, particularly with respect to the right of peaceful assembly."

On Friday, the Human Rights Council heard an oral update from Bachelet on Belarus' human rights in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election in August and its aftermath.

She spoke of reports of more than 27,000 people having been arrested since Aug. 9.

In the last month, hundreds of people continued to be arrested each week during the demonstrations, with reportedly around 1,000 people on Nov. 8 and 700 on Nov. 15, while allegations of injuries during dispersals and ill-treatment during arrests continued to emerge.

"Senior citizens reportedly have also been arrested during the pensioners' peaceful weekly marches - four days ago, on 30 November, almost 20 persons were arrested during their march."

The penalties imposed on protestors appear to be growing more severe. Until recently, most of the arrested protesters faced administrative charges and were imposed fines or sentenced to detention for up to 15 days.

Bachelet said increasing numbers of demonstrators are being charged under various articles of the Criminal Code in recent weeks, which sometimes entail heavy prison sentences.

"Moreover, masked men, without insignia or identification, have frequently taken part in the dispersal of protests, alongside riot police.

"Unmarked vehicles are reportedly often used to transport people who have been seized or arrested. This heightens a climate of fear and an atmosphere of lawlessness and impunity."

Yuri Ambrazevich, the Belarus ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the situation of human rights in Belarus did not require special attention by the Human Rights Council.

"Unfortunately, not all the protests were peaceful, and in response, law enforcement agencies use detentions and special means," he said.

The Belarus envoy also questioned the treatment of protesters in German and Portland in the United States, where he said police use methods "that smack of the Middle Ages."​​​​​​​ -