UN report says Belarus rights abuses may amount to crime against humanity

UN report says Belarus rights abuses may amount to crime against humanity

U.N. rights specialists accused Belarus of systematic abuses, together with the repression of protesters and dissidents that might quantity to crimes towards humanity, in a report printed on Friday.

The paper issued by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights coated a interval within the run-up to the disputed presidential election on Aug. 9, 2020, and a crackdown on demonstrators and critics within the months that adopted.

President Alexander Lukashenko, a staunch Russian ally who secured his sixth time period in workplace within the vote, has dismissed accusations of violations and accused overseas powers of backing the protests.

The Belarusian overseas ministry didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Friday.

“There are sufficient grounds to believe that systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations have been and are being committed in Belarus,” the report mentioned.

“Some of the violations may also amount to crimes against humanity,” it added.

Violations included the safety companies’ “widespread unnecessary and disproportionate use of force,” torture, arbitrary arrests and impunity, the report mentioned.

The abuses “appear to have been part of a campaign of violence and repression” towards these important of the federal government, the report added.

“We do regret that the government of Belarus has been unwilling to recognise the mandate, to positively engage with our examination and to grant access to the country,” Elizabeth Throssell, spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, informed reporters.

Lukashenko has dominated the previous Soviet nation with an iron hand since 1994.

Hundreds have been detained and overwhelmed throughout demonstrations after Lukashenko was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential vote, a end result which the opposition and Western nations mentioned was fraudulent.

Source: www.anews.com.tr