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HRC 53: Resolution on human rights situation in Belarus - 13 July 2023
The Human Rights Council this morning adopted a resolution on Belarus.
As for the situation of human rights in Belarus, the Council adopted by a vote of 20 in favour, 6 against and 21 abstentions a resolution in which it strongly urged the Belarusian authorities to fully respect all human rights in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law, and decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus for a period of one year.
In a resolution (A/HRC/53/L.20) on the Situation of human rights in Belarus, adopted by a vote of 20 in favour, 6 against and 21 abstentions, the Council strongly urges the Belarusian authorities to fully respect all human rights in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law; to consider re-acceding to the individual complaint procedure under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; demands in this respect the immediate and unconditional release of all persons unlawfully detained in Belarus, and also demands that the Belarusian authorities immediately cease the criminal or administrative repression of all individuals for exercising their fundamental freedoms and ensure equal protection of and by the law; calls upon the Belarusian authorities to revoke the decisions on the forced dissolution of civil society entities, and to create and maintain a safe enabling environment in which civil society can operate free from arbitrary surveillance and insecurity; decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus for a period of one year, and requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to monitor developments and to make recommendations, and to submit a report on the situation of human rights in Belarus to the Council at its fifty-sixth session and to the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session; urges the Belarusian authorities to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur and to extend full cooperation to thematic special procedures and to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; requests the Office of the High Commissioner to provide the Special Rapporteur with the assistance and resources necessary to enable her to fulfil her mandate in its entirety.
The results of the vote were as follows:
In favour (20): Argentina, Belgium, Benin, Chile, Costa Rica, Czechia, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mexico, Montenegro, Paraguay, Romania, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.
Against (6): Bolivia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Kazakhstan and Viet Nam.
Abstentions (21): Algeria, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Georgia, Honduras, India, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
Speakers:
- Mr. Václav Bálek, President of the Human Rights Council
- Representatives:
- Spain
- USA
- Lithuania
- UK
- Ukraine
- Belarus
- China
- Cuba
Vote of resolution
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