UN EXPERT URGES GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER ALES BIALIATSKI

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From: UNNews <UNNews@un.org>
Date: 2 Aug 2013 11:00:01 -0400
Subject: UN EXPERT URGES GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
ALES BIALIATSKI
To: news11@ny-mail-p-lb-028.ptc.un.org

UN EXPERT URGES GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER ALES
BIALIATSKINew York, Aug 2 2013 11:00AMThe Government of Belarus must
"immediately and unconditionally" release human rights activist Ales
Bialiatski, a United Nations independent expert urged today, calling
on authorities to stop prosecuting rights defenders and journalists.

"Mr. Bialiatski is an internationally respected human rights defender;
his engagement for human rights is well-known and broadly applauded,"
<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13604&LangID=E">said
the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the
Republic of Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, adding that his detention is "a
symbol of the repression against human rights defenders."

Two years ago, Mr. Bialiatski, who is head of the Human Rights Center
Viasna, was detained in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on charges of
tax evasion. He was later sentenced to four and a half years
imprisonment with the confiscation of all his property, including
assets registered to other persons. This judgment was upheld on appeal
in 2012.

In addition to his work with Viasna, Mr. Bialiatski has been active is
setting up the Belarusian Human Rights House in Vilnius, Lithuania,
and became the Vice-President of the International Federation of Human
Rights.

"As many other human rights defenders in Belarus, Mr. Bialiatski could
not legally and without hindrance work, because of the refusal by
Belarusian authorities to register his NGO [non-governmental
organization]," the Special Rapporteur said, urging the Government to
acknowledge human rights organizations in the country, and start
cooperating with them to establish an independent national human
rights institution as pledged in the nation's commitments to the UN.

"The detention of Mr. Bialiatski is clearly a consequence of him
continuing his not only legitimate but also legal work under
international human rights law," Mr. Haraszti underlined, and called
upon the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release and
rehabilitate Mr. Bialiatski and those incarcerated in violation of
their human rights.

Mr. Haraszti had previously recommended this release in his June 2013
report to the UN Human Rights Council, following the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights' similar call in her 2011 report on
Belarus.

Earlier this year the Council had also called upon all States to
ensure that the promotion and the protection of human rights are not
criminalized, and human rights defenders are not prevented from
enjoying universal human rights owing to their work.

"I urge the Belarusian authorities to protect human rights defenders
and journalists from harassment, intimidation and violence as a result
of their activities, and conduct prompt, impartial and thorough
investigations, prosecution and punishment of any such acts," said Mr.
Haraszti, reiterating the recommendation made in his report, in line
with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Special rapporteurs are appointed by the Council to examine and report
back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The
positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they
paid for their work.
Aug 2 2013 11:00AM
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