Delivered by: Mr Fredrik Nivaeus, Minister Counselor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN in Geneva
Mr. President,
We appreciate the update of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Belarus.
Sweden stands in full solidarity with the people of Belarus in their desire to exercise their human rights.
The non-democratically elected Belarusian government intensifies the systematic repression of its people. Further harsh verdicts have been handed down against human rights defenders and others. The leadership is threatening to revoke the citizenship for persons in the opposition, which would be violation of the right to nationality. A new draft law proposes to remove the right of individuals to complain to the UN Human Rights Committee.
There are now over 1 300 political prisoners in Belarus. All arbitrarily detained must be immediately and unconditionally released. We continue to call on the Belarusian leadership to initiate a genuine dialogue with the Belarusian opposition.
The legislative changes widening the use of the death penalty are deplorable.
We continue to urge the Belarusian authorities to fulfil their obligations under international human rights law. Those responsible for violations and abuses must be held to account. We condemn the Belarussian leadership’s involvement in the aggression against Ukraine.
Thank you.