The resolution was supported by 20 members of the Council, with 6 votes against and 21 abstentions. The draft was submitted by the EU delegation to stress “continued lack of cooperation by the Government of Belarus with the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, who provides an important source of information and independent expertise on the human rights situation in Belarus.” The document expresses “continued concern at the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus, especially the undue restrictions and prohibitively burdensome processes relating to the exercise of freedoms of peaceful assembly, association and expression.”
FIDH and its member organisation, Human Rights Centre « Viasna », carried out targeted advocacy in Brussels before key EU stakeholders for the extension of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate until Belarus shows willingness to cooperate and to implement reforms that would prevent mass violations that formed the basis for its creation.