On March 17, the UN Human Rights Council presented a report on the situation in Belarus with evidence of the regime's crimes against humanity. This is the most detailed and straightforward of all the UN’s reports on the situation in Belarus. It can pave the way for new cases under universal jurisdiction and international investigations across Europe.
Before the report presentation, the national leader of Belarus met with 27 EU ambassadors in Geneva, who represent their countries in the UN. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also met with representatives of the UN Human Rights Council member states, including the ambassadors of the US, Great Britain, Gambia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and other countries. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya urged them to support the extension of the UN special mandate for Belarus and the adoption of resolutions against the regime.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also called on the UN ambassadors to:
– recognize Belarus as a state under the de-facto temporarily military occupation of Russia;
– bring Lukashenka to the tribunal in view of the events in Ukraine;
– mount an immediate response to torture in Belarusian prisons and the conditions of detention of political prisoners;
– support Belarusian human rights defenders and the International Accountability Platform for Belarus that collects evidence of the regime’s crimes.
All the delegations in Switzerland:
- assured Ms. Tsikhanouskaya that they distinguish between Belarus and the Lukashenka regime;
- agreed to support civil society, the Anti-War Movement, and independent media in Belarus;
- pledged to address discrimination against Belarusians, including those who were forced to flee from Belarus and Ukraine;
- following Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s meetings, delegations also held a special discussion on Belarus with ex-political prisoner Natallia Hersche.
