UN expert backs universal jurisdiction for Belarus abusers

July 23, BPN. The UN special rapporteur on Belarus has said that its people have learned to use the limited space of freedom amid a crackdown on dissent by Alaksandr Łukašenka.

Anaïs Marin told the UN Human Rights Council that independent journalists in Belarus and abroad need all possible means of support from the international community to continue reporting on the situation.

She also called on countries hosting Belarusian exiles to assist them with legal and practical issues.

Marin said human rights violations in Belarus, especially torture, may amount to crimes against humanity and urged the international community to use extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction to hold perpetrators accountable.

As long as perpetrators of torture do not fear accountability, the risk is high that they will continue to commit these crimes, she said.