Kristina Rikhter, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Issues, attended the 54th session of the Human Rights Council, which discussed the report on the situation in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath.
During the hearing, it was emphasized that since the publication of the report, the situation in Belarus has only worsened. The UN also noted the changes to the citizenship law and the refusals to issue passports and other documents in light of the regime’s abandonment of its consular duties to Belarus’ citizens. The UN stressed that this puts Belarusians at risk of becoming stateless.
At the meeting, a call was also made for states to investigate cases under universal jurisdiction to ensure accountability for the perpetrators of human rights violations in Belarus.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office urges Belarusians residing in safe countries to seek justice through the national courts outside Belarus. The Office’s legal department can assist them in filing cases under universal jurisdiction and may be contacted at legal@tsikhanouskaya.org.
