STATEMENT
Human Rights Council 50th Session.
Item 4 - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus
Statement delivered by Ms Jannicke Graatrud, Minister, Deputy Permanent Representative
Check against delivery
29 June 2022
Thank you, Madame President,
Madame High Commissioner,
Almost two years on from the flawed presidential election in August 2020, the repression in Belarus continues.
The number of political prisoners in the country keeps rising. Human rights defenders, civil society activists and independent journalists are forced to leave Belarus to avoid arrest.
We deeply regret that the Belarusian regime continues down the path of repression. Norway again calls on the authorities to end their violations of the Belarusian people's fundamental freedoms and to release all those who have been detained for political reasons. We repeat our call for the authorities to engage in an open and inclusive dialogue with the democratic opposition.
While cracking down on domestic dissent, the Belarusian regime is also fueling regional instability. We condemn the regime's facilitation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
There must be no impunity. We support the international community's efforts to ensure accountability for the serious human rights violations committed by the Belarusian regime. Both the OHCHR examination of the human rights situation in Belarus and the International Accountability Platform for Belarus are vital in this regard. We commend the work by the Special Rapporteur and support an extension of her mandate.
We will continue to support the Belarusian people in their fight for freedom, democracy and human rights. I would like to ask the Special Rapporteur how we best can engage Belarusian human rights defenders, journalists and activists in exile in this effort.
Thank you.