A/RES/61/175
(g) About persistent reports of harassment and closure of non-governmental
organizations, national minority organizations, independent media outlets, religious
groups, opposition political parties, independent trade unions and independent youth
and student organizations, and the harassment and prosecution of individuals,
including students engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights, the
rule of law and democracy;
2.
Urges the Government of Belarus:
(a) To bring the electoral process and legislative framework into line with
international standards, especially those of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, demonstrate such commitment through the upcoming local
elections in January 2007 and rectify the shortcomings of the electoral process,
identified by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in its report
of 7 June 2006, including, inter alia, election laws and practices that restrict
campaigning opportunities for de facto opposition candidates, arbitrary application
of electoral laws, including on registration of candidates, obstruction of the right of
access to the media, biased presentation of the issues by the State media and
falsification of vote counts;
(b) To cease politically motivated prosecution, harassment and intimidation
of political opponents, pro-democracy activists and human rights defenders,
students, independent media, religious organizations, educational institutions and
civil society actors; and to cease the harassment of students and to create the
conditions whereby they can continue their studies in Belarus;
(c) To respect the rights to freedom of speech, assembly and association and
to release immediately all political prisoners and other individuals detained for
exercising those rights;
(d) To suspend from their duties officials implicated in any case of enforced
disappearance, summary execution and torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment, pending investigation of those cases, and to
ensure that all necessary measures are taken to investigate fully and impartially such
cases and to bring the alleged perpetrators to justice before an independent tribunal,
and, if found guilty, to ensure that they are punished in accordance with the
international human rights obligations of Belarus;
(e) To investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the
mistreatment and detention of domestic and foreign journalists in connection with
the election of 19 March 2006 and post-election demonstrations;
(f) To uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief, including the ability
to maintain communications with individuals and communities in matters of religion
and belief at the national and international levels;
(g) To investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the
mistreatment, arbitrary arrest and incarceration of civic and political activists
leading up to and following the presidential election of March 2006 and to release
immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners;
(h) To carry out all other steps called for by the Commission on Human
Rights in its resolution 2005/13;12
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