Hansard

Belarus: Human Rights

Volume 697: debated on Monday 14 January 2008

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Lord Patten

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking with the Government of Belarus regarding the freedom of assembly and expression of the views of Belarusian citizens. [HL1128]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(Lord Malloch-Brown)

Belarus' human rights record remains poor. The Belarus Government continue to threaten and detain those exercising their right of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and they harass and intimidate independent media, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society. These actions have created a climate of intimidation and fear. Despite strong appeals from the international community and its institutions, it is clear to us that the authorities have no intention of instituting reform and improve even the basic rights of its citizens.

The UK and the EU take every opportunity in the UN Human Rights Council and the third committee of the UN General Assembly to express our concerns about Belarus' human rights record. In November 2007, EU members co-authored a resolution on Belarus in the third committee of the UN General Assembly. The resolution reiterated deep concern at the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus, including Belarus' failure to co-operate with the UN human rights mechanisms; its failure to conduct free and fair elections, including the detention and arrest of political and civil society activists; and persistent reports of harassment and closure of NGOs, national minority groups, independent media outlets, religious groups, opposition political parties and independent trades unions as well as expressing its disappointment at the Government's failure to create conditions for the people of Belarus to freely express their will during the local elections in January 2007.

Our embassy in Minsk, with EU partners, continues to raise human rights concerns with the authorities. We maintain regular contacts with civil society organisations devoted to human and civil rights, and observe their public demonstrations as well as fund projects that focus on local grassroots democracy-building and youth participation in democracy activities.