Belarus virtually criminalized human rights advocacy, NGOs say

September 5, BPN. The Belarusian authorities’ effort to shut down all independent human rights organizations has led to “a de facto criminalization” of human rights advocacy, 19 human rights groups said in a joint statement, anticipating a guilty verdict in the trial of Viasna Human Rights Center activists Marfa Rabkova and Andrej Čapiuk.

“The reprisals against Viasna and its members are part of a broader crackdown on civil society in Belarus,” the joint statement reads. “In 2021 alone, the authorities shut down more than 275 human rights and other independent organizations, leaving not a single one legally operating human rights NGO in the country.”

In addition, according to the statement, amendments to the Criminal Code adopted in December 2021 reintroduced heavy punishment for “acting on behalf of unregistered or liquidated organizations.”

“The rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, enshrined in international human rights instruments, including in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by Belarus, have been severely and continuously violated by the authorities in recent years, which has had a chilling effect on civil society in the country,” international human rights activists said.

The signatories condemned the persecution of Rabkova and Čapiuk, as well as of other human rights defenders: Aleś Bialacki, Valancin Stefanovič, Uładzimir Łabkovič, Leanid Sudalenka and Taćciana Lisica. They called for their immediate and unconditional release.

The statement was signed by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, the Barys Zvozskaŭ Human Rights House, Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, Сenter for Civil Liberties, Civil Rights Defenders, FIDH, Front Line Defenders, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Human Rights House Foundation, Human Rights Watch, International Partnership for Human Rights, Libereco, Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Östgruppen, People in Need, Right Livelihood, and World Organization Against Torture.