GENEVA - A group of UN experts* today called on authorities in Belarus to promptly and efficiently investigate the alleged ill-treatment of prisoners convicted on terrorism and extremism related charges.
In a letter to Belarusian authorities, the experts raised concerns about the alleged ill-treatment of three inmates, two women and one man, convicted and sentenced to lengthy imprisonment on terrorism and extremism charges.
"We call on Belarusian authorities to immediately launch a thorough and impartial investigation into the alleged ill-treatment of these prisoners and take all possible measures to safeguard their health and personal integrity, including considering granting them pardons or commutations of their sentences to non-custodial penalties," the experts said.
According to reports received, penitentiary administrations are denying proper medical care to these individuals and treating them inhumanely, exposing them to the risk of severe and potentially irreversible deterioration of health.
The experts noted that allegations of ill-treatment involving two of these prisoners had already been brought to the attention of the Government and expressed regret that nothing had yet been done to address them.
They also raised concerns that the imprisonment of one of these inmates could be related to her publications on socio-political issues in the country, in violation of her freedom of expression.
"The Belarusian counter-terrorism and anti-extremism legal framework remains a matter of persistent concern," the experts said. "We keep receiving allegations of people being convicted on terrorism and extremism charges and being added to official public lists of terrorists and extremists in retaliation for their exercise of civil and political rights, without any due process and effective remedies to challenge these decisions."
The experts noted that the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued several opinions on the misuse of anti-extremist legislation in Belarus. They reiterated their call on Belarusian authorities to bring their counter-terrorism and anti-extremism legal framework and law-enforcement practice in line with their obligations under international human rights law.
