Activists slam plans to drop international rights treaty

August 22, BPN. Belarusian human rights organizations have condemned the authorities’ intention to denounce the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Viasna Human Rights Center reports.

In a joint statement released on August 22, they called on officials in Minsk to give up these plans, comply with international obligations and ensure that citizens can use international human rights mechanisms, “taking measures to enhance such opportunities rather than exclude the existing ones.”

They suggested that international organizations should publicly condemn these plans and direct their actions at expanding citizens’ access to international human rights mechanisms.

The statement was signed by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Pravavaja Inicyjatyva, Barys Zvozskaŭ Human Rights House, Lawtrend, Human Constanta, Belarusian PEN and Viasna.

MPs are planning to debate Belarus’ withdrawal from the First Optional Protocol to ICCPR during the autumn session.

The protocol establishes a system through which the UN Human Rights Committee can receive and consider complaints from individuals arguing that their rights have been violated. Belarus has been party to the international treaty since 1992.