Human Rights Situation in the Republic of Belarus
Over the past 15 years authorities of the Republic of Belarus have violated basic human rights, gradually and systematically curtailing the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, as well as the right to fair trial, and the right to be a human rights defender.
Whilst being one of the founding members of the United Nations, Belarus is the only country in Europe which is not a member state to any regional organisations, even though it is surrounded by four member States of the Council of Europe: Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Latvia, Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
Over the years Belarus has demonstrated systematic unwillingness to cooperate with the United Nations human rights mechanisms. This persistent non-cooperation led to the establishment of the Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in the Republic of Belarus in June 2012 (Human Rights Council resolution 20/13).