UN appoints Special Rapporteur on Belarus

The UN Human Rights Council votes for appointment a Special Rapporteur on Belarus.

The proposal was supported by 22 countries; 5 counties voted against and 20 abstained.

The resolution on Belarus adopted at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on July 5 calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, hold a comprehensive and transparent investigation into all

reported cases of torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners, put an immediate end to administrative detentions of opposition and civil society representatives, journalists and human rights activists and not to restrict freedom movement, including travelling abroad, BelaPAN reports.

The document calls on official Minsk to fulfill all recommendations from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights's report on Belarus presented during the session.

The resolution urges the Belarusian government to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur and provide him with all necessary information and an opportunity to visit the country.