Human rights violations in Belarus require an international investigation

Recommendation 2201 (2021)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 21 April 2021 (12th sitting) (see Doc. 15256, report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Ms Alexandra Louis). Text adopted by the Assembly on 21 April 2021 (12th sitting).

1. Referring to its Resolution 2372 (2021) “Human rights violations in Belarus require an international investigation”, the Parliamentary Assembly invites the Committee of Ministers to:

1.1 invite Belarus to accede to the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (ETS No. 126);

1.2 examine the scope of application of universal jurisdiction with a view to its use by Council of Europe member States to combat impunity for perpetrators of serious human rights violations;

1.3 make the expertise of the Council of Europe available to the co-ordination platform launched within the European Parliament, particularly in the sphere of combating torture and protecting the freedom of expression, association and the media;

1.4 demand, in its dealings with Belarus, the immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to the campaign of repression against protesters and their families and make any technical co-operation and any movement towards the possible accession of Belarus to the Council of Europe subject to these requirements;

1.5 explore ways for the Council of Europe to serve as a mediation platform for the dialogue between the authorities and the opposition.