UNRIC Library Backgrounder: Belarus

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UN News Centre – Belarus
https://news.un.org/en/tags/belarus

Uphold safety, human rights on Belarus-Poland border, UN agencies urge
(UN News, 9 November 2021):
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/11/1105312

UN Entities

• United Nations in Belarus: https://un.by/en/
• United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
  • ReliefWeb – Belarus: https://reliefweb.int/country/blr
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) – Belarus: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/BYIndex.aspx
  • Belarus: Bachelet appoints Fact-Finding Mission experts (19 May 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27105
• Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/CountriesMandates/BY/Pages/SRBelarus.aspx
• International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
  • Update on fact-finding investigation into Ryanair flight FR4978 (16 June 2021): https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/Update-on-factfinding-investigation-into-Ryanair-flight-FR4978.aspx
  • ICAO Council to pursue fact finding investigation into Ryanair FR4978 (27 May 2021): https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/ICAO-Council-agrees-to-pursue-fact-finding-investigation-into-Belarus-incident.aspx
• International Labour Organization (ILO) – Belarus: https://www.ilo.org/moscow/countries/belarus/lang–en/index.htm
  • ILO calls on Belarus President to respect workers’ rights and freedoms amid protests
    (9 September 2020): https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_754965/lang–en/index.htm
•  International Organization for Migration (IOM) – Belarus: https://www.iom.int/countries/belarus
  • IOM Offers Safe and Dignified Return Assistance to Migrants Stranded in Belarus (15 December 2021): https://www.iom.int/news/iom-offers-safe-and-dignified-return-assistance-migrants-stranded-belarus
  • IOM and Partners Scaling Up Aid for Migrants and Refugees Stranded in Belarus (29 November 2021): https://www.iom.int/news/iom-and-partners-scaling-aid-migrants-and-refugees-stranded-belarus
  • IOM, UNHCR Provide Emergency Aid to Asylum-Seekers and Migrants at the Belarus-Poland Border, Call to Ensure Wellbeing of People and Prevent Loss of Life (12 November 2021): https://bit.ly/3Hg7wAJ
  • IOM and UNHCR Call for Immediate De-escalation at the Belarus-Poland Border (9 November 2021): https://www.iom.int/news/iom-and-unhcr-call-immediate-de-escalation-belarus-poland-border
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Belarus: https://www.by.undp.org
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – Belarus: https://www.unhcr.org/belarus.html and https://www.unhcr.org/by/
• World Health Organization (WHO) – Belarus: https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/belarus
• The World Bank in Belarus: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/belarus
• World Health Organization / Regional Office for Europe (WHO / Europe) – Belarus: https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/belarus
  • 60% of migrants who spoke to WHO/Europe on the Belarus-Lithuania border need some form of medical attention (12 November 2021): https://bit.ly/3Hjhd1a

Human Rights Council

• Human Rights Council: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urges government of Belarus to end ongoing human rights violations (4 December 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26566
• Human Rights Council adopts resolution on situation of human rights in Belarus
  (18 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26262
• Human Rights Council holds urgent debate on the situation of human rights in Belarus (18 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=26260
• Human rights council opens forty-fifth regular session, decides to hold an urgent debate on Belarus (14 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26233

Selected UN Documents

• A/HRC/RES/47/19: Situation of human rights in Belarus: resolution / adopted by the Human Rights Council on 13 July 2021: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/47/19
• A/HRC/47/49 (4 May 2021): Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Anaïs Marin: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/47/49
• A/HRC/RES/46/20: Situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath: Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 24 March 2021: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/46/20
• A/HRC/46/4 (15 February 2021): Situation of human rights in Belarus in the context of the 2020 presidential election: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/46/4
• A/HRC/RES/45/1: Situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath : resolution / adopted by the Human Rights Council on 18 September 2020: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/45/1
• S/2020/900 (14 September 2020): Letter dated 14 September 2020 from the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: https://undocs.org/S/2020/900
  Transmits summary of the Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council on the theme “Human rights in Belarus”, held on 4 Sept. 2020.
• A/74/995-S/2020/820 (21 August 2020): Letter dated 18 August 2020 from the representatives of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General: https://undocs.org/A/74/995
  Transmits joint declaration dated 13 Aug. 2020 on the situation in Belarus.
• A/HRC/RES/44/19: Situation of human rights in Belarus : resolution / adopted by the Human Rights Council on 17 July 2020: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/44/19
• A/HRC/44/55 (8 April 2020): Situation of human rights in Belarus: report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/44/55
  Submitted by Special Rapporteur Anaïs Marin pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 41/22. Covers the period 1 Apr. 2019 to 31 Mar. 2020.
• Further documents – click here
• UN Member States on the Record: Belarus
  https://library.un.org/unms?combine=belarus
  This site provides access to information about membership and statements of Member States at the United Nations.

Selected Statements and Speeches by UN Officials

• Comment by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on the Belarus-Poland border situation (10 November 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27791
• Belarus and Poland: Stop sacrificing migrant lives to political dispute  ̶  UN Special Rapporteurs (6 October 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27615
• Interactive Dialogue on the interim oral update of OHCHR on the situation of human rights in Belarus, 48th session of the Human Rights Council – Statement by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 24 September 2021: https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27527
• Comment by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Belarus (15 July 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27315
• Over the Past Year, More than 35,000 People Have Been Arbitrarily Detained in Belarus, Special Rapporteur on Belarus Tells Human Rights Council (5 July 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27266
• Belarus: Massive human rights violations unprecedented in scope and gravity, says UN expert (5 July 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27264
• Belarus: ‘Black hole’ for media freedoms after egregious attacks, say UN experts (7 June 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27146
• OHCHR Press briefing notes on Belarus (25 May 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=27110
• Deeply concerned about apparent forced landing of passenger aircraft over Belarus, journalist detained from flight, Secretary-General calls for full investigation (SG/SM/20738, 24 May 2021): https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20738.doc.htm
• Belarus must end pattern of police brutality and impunity: UN experts (1 April 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26970
• Belarus: Crackdown on human rights defenders deepens – expert (19 March 2021): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26922
• Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Belarus,
  46th session of the Human Rights Council, Statement by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 25 February 2021: https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26799
• Remarks by Ms. Anais Marin, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus at the side-event on Belarus HRC 46, 18 February 2021: https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26765
• Keynote Statement to the Arria Formula Meeting of the UN Security Council, Sp. Rapporteur on freedom of expression, 22 January 2021: https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26685
• Intersessional meeting of the Human Rights Council – The situation in Belarus: Statement by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 4 December 2020: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26564
• Belarus: UN experts call for probe into violence against protesters (19 November 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26520
• Belarus: UN experts decry threats against women human rights defenders (3 November 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26470
• UN human rights experts: Belarus must release opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava
  (25 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26296
• Statement of Mrs Anaïs Marin, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, at the 75th session of the General Assembly (26 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26426
• UN human rights experts: Belarus must release opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava (25 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26296
• Statement of Mrs Anaïs Marin, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, at the Urgent Debate on the situation of human rights in Belarus Human Rights Council 45th session (18 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26261
• 45th session of the Human Rights Council Urgent debate on the situation of human rights in Belarus: Statement by Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (18 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26259
• Statement of Mrs Anaïs Marin, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, at the Urgent Debate on the situation of human rights in Belarus Human Rights Council 45th session (18 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26261
• Calling on Belarus authorities to refrain from using force against protestors, Secretary-General says only inclusive dialogue can resolve crisis (SG/SM/20244, 11 September 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20244.doc.htm
• Statement of Mrs. Anais Marin, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, at the Arria Formula meeting at UN Security Council (Unofficial translation)
  (4 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26212
• Belarus: UN committee hails role of women in political process and protests (3 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26206
• Secretary-General Spotlights Peaceful Expression Rights amid Demonstrations in Belarus (SG/SM/20207, 14 August 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20207.doc.htm
• Belarus must stop attacking peaceful protesters, UN human rights experts say (13 August 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26164
• Bachelet condemns violent response of Belarus to post-electoral protests (12 August 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26162
• Belarus: International community must continue scrutinising human rights situation ahead of election, says UN expert (10 July 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26069
• UN experts demand end to crackdown on protesters in Belarus ahead of elections (1 July 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26023
• Belarus must stop crackdown to silence opposing views – UN experts (5 June 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25932

Non-UN Sources

•  Security Council Report
  • “Arria-formula meeting on human rights in Belarus”, 4 September 2020: https://www.whatsinblue.org/2020/09/arria-formula-meeting-on-human-rights-in-belarus.php

15 December 2021
not an official document – for information only
https://unric.org/en/unric-library-backgrounder-belarus/