UN experts say Belarus justice system used to target Lukashenko opponents
The experts say courts, police, security services, prosecutors, and prison authorities work together to silence critics.
United Nations experts have found that Belarusian state institutions have worked together to repress government critics through arrests, imprisonment, and surveillance since 2020.
In a report to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council this week, the independent experts said courts, police, security services, prosecutors, and prison authorities had worked together to silence real or perceived opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994.
The experts said they found “systematic” violations of international human rights obligations from arrest through to detention, conviction, and post-release supervision.
The experts said Belarus violated multiple international treaties. They reiterated earlier findings that some abuses committed since May 2020 could amount to crimes against humanity, including persecution and imprisonment.