{"id":125438,"date":"2025-02-08T02:04:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T23:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/125438\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"ngos-attempted-coup-detat-in-2020-belarusian-ambassador","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/125438\/","title":{"rendered":"NGOs attempted a coup in 2020 \u2013 Belarusian ambassador claims"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

February 8, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Belarus has a vibrant civil society of about 1,500 nonprofits, including women’s organizations, said<\/a> \u0141arysa Bielskaja, permanent representative to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UN Human Rights Office on Thursday cited her remarks at a discussion of the government’s latest report on Belarus’ implementation of the convention on eliminating discrimination against women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing accusations of reprisals against civil society organizations, Bielskaja claimed, without presenting any evidence, that some NGOs attempted to stage a coup d’etat in Belarus in 2020 and were involved in anti-government activities. A court decision held these organizations and their members responsible for violating the law, she said. This should not be considered repression of civil society, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Certain extremist actions were taken by media workers,” she claimed echoing the government’s approach whereby any criticism of authorities is treated as extremism and terrorism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, Belarus adopted a new law on civil society requiring organizations to re-register, Bielskaja continued. Many non-governmental organizations had not completed the new registration procedure and had been shut down, she said. Citizens were entitled to renew the activities of the previous non-government organizations, she asserted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the debate, the Belarusian delegation called UN experts’ assessments of repression inappropriate. It claimed that protests were mostly not peaceful, with extremist actions taken even by media workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belskaja said that the artificially-created negative publicity for Belarus can hinder constructive and substantive discussions, undermining the very idea of human rights cooperation as support for state efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her report on the website of the Belarusian permanent mission in Geneva says that there were 1,466 public organizations in the country on October 1, 2024, with 18 new organizations registered last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the human rights organization Lawtrend, at least 1,896 nonprofits, such as associations, trade unions, foundations and NGOs, were shut down in Belarus between the 2020 presidential election and January 2025. At least 1,187 more nonprofits were in the process of forced dissolution at the end of January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some 15,000 domestic violence victims reach out for help yearly – official<\/h3>\n
February 7, Pozirk. About 15,000 domestic violence victims ask Belarusian social services for help every year, said \u0141arysa Belskaja, Belarus\u2019 permanent representative to the UN Office at Geneva. She told the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women …<\/div>\n \n