Interactive Dialogue with Anaïs Marin, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus

Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America

As Delivered by Anna Melamud

Human Rights Council – 50th Session

Thank you, Madame Vice President

We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s report.

The United States is deeply concerned by continued and intensifying internal repression in Belarus against the pro-democracy movement and those who oppose Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war in Ukraine. Lukashenko and the regime are attempting to silence opposition voices by imposing lengthy, unprecedented sentences on political prisoners, and is now threatening the death penalty against pro-democracy and anti-war activists convicted on fabricated charges of “attempted acts of terrorism.”

We condemn the regime’s orchestrated sentencing of political prisoner Viachaslau Maleichuk to 22 years in a high-security penal colony on fabricated “terrorism” charges. We call for his immediate release and the release of the more than 1,200 other political prisoners.

We greatly appreciate the Special Rapporteur, the OHCHR examination, and the International Accountability Platform for Belarus and their collective efforts to document human rights abuses and promote accountability. We strongly urge continued international cooperation with them, as well as the renewal of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate and immediate, unimpeded access to Belarus.

What specific tools can the international community use to push the Lukashenka regime to change course?

I thank you.

###