UN Human Rights Council 57: UK Statement on Belarus
UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with group of Independent Experts on Belarus. Delivered at the 57th Human Rights Council in Geneva.
We are deeply concerned by brutal and systematic human rights violations in Belarus. 聽We condemn ongoing arbitrary arrests and聽widespread repression.
To mark the聽fourth聽anniversary of deeply flawed presidential elections in Belarus, we announced聽new sanctions on聽four commanding聽officers聽of聽penal colonies in response to聽ongoing聽human rights violations.聽
In addition,聽we聽announced 拢2.5 million聽support聽to Belarusian human rights聽defenders聽and civil society.
To the representatives of Belarus: while聽we聽welcome聽the recent release of聽some聽political prisoners,聽we聽urge you聽to immediately release the聽over 1,300聽political prisoners聽who remain聽detained without reason.聽
Many face isolation, mistreatment, and a lack of medical care.
Six聽political prisoners are reported to have died since 2021.