EU must stand firm on civil society and human rights in Belarus

There will be No Maidan in Minsk

(President Lukashenko, talking to the Belarusian Army leadership in Minsk on 23 February 201 1!

Brussels, 31 March 2014

"n #ontrast to 2012, $hi#h $as marked by the broadening o% san#tions, diplomati# %ri#tions and a tough &' approa#h, 2013 has seen a $arming o% relations bet$een the &' and Belarus, illustrated by a distin#t so%tening o% the language on both sides( )he #urrent mood in#ludes prospe#ts %or a relaun#h or deeper #ooperation in se*eral se#tors, namely trade and in*estment se#tors 2( "n this period o% potential impro*ement o% &'+Belarus relations, F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 belie*e that the &uropean 'nion must stand %irm on its demands #on#erning the immediate release and rehabilitation o% politi#al prisoners, the end o% harassment against #i*il so#iety, and the abolition o% the death penalty( More generally, the &' should reiterate that 2the de*elopment o% bilateral relations under the &astern Partnership is #onditional on progress to$ards respe#t by Belarus %or the prin#iples o% demo#ra#y, the rule o% la$ and human rights33( "ndeed, Belarus0 steps to impro*ing relations $ith the &' ha*e, %or the moment, not been a##ompanied $ith tangible impro*ement in the human rights situation( "n his April 2013 .eport , the '4 5pe#ial .apporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus #on#luded that there had only been 2s#ant progress in the implementation o% re#ommendations made by the -igh /ommissioner 6%or -uman .ights73 in 2012, despite initiati*es by Belarus authorities to establish a parliamentary $orking group on the death penalty and a national human rights institution in line $ith the Paris Prin#iples( )he report indi#ated that the
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President Lukashenko, talking to the Belarusian Army leadership in Minsk on February 23. RFE, Lukashenka Says Maidan Impossible In His Country, 24 February 2014, http://www.rferl.org/content/lukashenka-belarusmaidan-impossibe/25275131.html A high-level visit foreseen for the end of March 2014 will see Mr. Gunnar Wiegand (EEAS Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia) accompanied by Mr. Jean-Luc Demarty (DG Trade General Director) to discuss these prospects. Council conclusions on Belarus, 3191st Foreign Affairs Council Meeting, 15 October 2012, http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/132836.pdf Human Rights Council, Twenty-third session, Agenda item 4, Human rights situations that require the Councils attention, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, 18 April 2013, http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G13/133/10/PDF/G1313310.pdf?OpenElement
International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu

situation o% human rights remained 2pre#arious in general, gra*e in #ertain areas3 and $as 2#learly a%%e#ted by the domination o% the e8e#uti*e bran#h o*er the legislati*e and the 9udi#iary3( Although the Belarus authorities ha*e insinuated that a number o% '4 5pe#ial .apporteurs $ould be in*ited to the #ountry soon, the in*itation o% '4 5pe#ial .apporteur on the situation o% human rights in Belarus is still out o% :uestion ;(

EU must reiterate the absolute precondition of political prisoners release

)he en#losed F",-<-uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 note on the situation o% politi#al prisoners sho$s ho$ the ten politi#al prisoners in Belarus 9ails = su%%er parti#ularly harsh detention #onditions aimed at breaking them physi#ally and psy#hologi#ally( )he note also sho$s ho$ harassment and #ontrol #ontinue a%ter the prisoners0 liberation, through their #ontinued depri*ation o% many #i*il and politi#al rights, their pla#ement on 0$at#h lists0 allo$ing regular poli#e *isits, and e*en 0pre*enti*e super*ision0, $hi#h #arries more serious restri#tions and #an lead to arrest and imprisonment( )his system o% harassment does not only a%%e#t released politi#al prisoners> it represents a threat to any a#ti*e member o% the Belarus #i*il so#iety( F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 #all on the &' to integrate in its pre#ondition #on#erning the liberation and rehabilitation o% politi#al prisoners the need %or Belarus to take tangible measures addressing the systemi# aspe#t o% the repression, notably through the immediate end o% harassment o% politi#al prisoners a%ter their release, and the repeal o% arti#le 1?3+1 o% the /riminal /ode as $ell as restri#ti*e legislati*e amendments to a number o% Belarusian legislati*e a#ts (La$ on Publi# Asso#iations, the La$ on Politi#al Parties, the &le#toral /ode, the /ode o% Administrati*e @%%en#es, the /riminal /ode, the /riminal Pro#edure /ode o% Belarus, the La$ on Publi# Aatherings, the La$ on 5tate 5e#urity B 5ee .e#ommendations %or more details!(

EU should prioritise civil society support and revitalise the Dialogue on Modernisation
Civil society support and inclusion

Cith the #urrent $arming o% &'+Belarus relations, #i*il so#iety parti#ipation $ill #ertainly be#ome one o% the most #ontentious issues on $hi#h the &' must remain %irm( President Lukashenko sent an unambiguous message to the population on 23 February 201 , $hen he said be%ore the Belarusian Army leadership in Minsk that 2there $ill be no Maidan3 in Belarus D and #learly $arned that any attempt to atta#k Belarusian la$ en%or#ement o%%i#ers $ould be 2responded to instantly3( More generally, the regime #ontinues pre*enting the de*elopment o% a demo#rati# opposition, as illustrated by the obsta#les to opposition #andidates0 registration %or the 23 Mar#h 201 lo#al ele#tions E( As a result, EEF o% the #onstituen#ies in the lo#al ele#tions $ere un#ontested and in t$o distri#ts the ele#tions did not take pla#e?( .e#alling the &'Gs interest in $orking $ith lo#al authorities and strengthening lo#al sel%+go*ernment, their
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FIDH, Belarus still has no intention to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights , 11 February 2014, http://freeales.fidh.net/2014/02/belarus-no-intention-invite-un-special-rapporteur-human-rights/ Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Autukhovich, Ales Bialiatski, Mikalai Dziadok, Andrei Haidukou, Eduard Lobau, Vasil Parfiankou, Artsiom Prakapenka, Mikalai Statkevich, Yauhen Vaskovich. See details of their profiles and detention conditions in the above-mentioned Note. RFE, Lukashenka Says Maidan Impossible In His Country, 24 February 2014, http://www.rferl.org/content/lukashenka-belarusmaidan-impossibe/25275131.html
De facto, just a few days after this announcement, a demonstration in support of Ukraine met with police repression:FIDH, Brutal dispersal of protest event in support of Ukraine in Minsk, 2 March 2014, http://freeales.fidh.net/2014/03/brutal-dispersal-of-protest-event-in-support-ofukraine-in-minsk/ As identified by the 29 long-term observers of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" of Human Rights Centre 'Viasna' . Human Rights Centre 'Viasna', Report on the results of registration of campaign teams and candidates for deputies, 24 February 2014, http://spring96.org/en/news/69336 Human Rights Centre 'Viasna', Results of local elections: 88% districts uncontested, 24 March 2014, http://spring96.org/en/news/70106

International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu

la#k o% legitima#y and representati*eness is problemati# and should be addressed in the design o% &' support( )he &uropean 'nion0s #ommitment to support #i*il so#iety in Belarus is unquestionable, as illustrated by the si8+%old in#rease o% its support sin#e 2011 10( F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 en#ourage a #onsolidation o% this trend and the a##ompaniment o% %inan#ial support $ith all %le8ibility measures ne#essary to ensure #i*il so#iety organisations0 #apa#ity o% a#tion and the se#urity o% representati*es o% organisations B in#luding non+registered organisations + re#ei*ing %unds( )he &' $ill ho$e*er need to take spe#i%i# measures to address the multiple atta#ks against #i*il so#iety( )he #ase o% -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 is symboli# o% the arsenal o% repressi*e means the Belarus authorities use to #ontinuously harass #i*il so#iety> dissolution o% 4A@s, legal intimidation in#luding through ta8ation la$, harassment and arrest o% their sta%% members, impossibility %or 4A@s to re#ei*e %unds %rom abroad $ithout appro*al %rom the authorities, restri#tion on $ebsites, et# 11(

Revitalise the Dialogue on Modernisation

"n parallel, the &' should $ork on a re*ie$ and re$orking o% the 0,ialogue on Modernisation0 (,oM!( Laun#hed by &' /ommissioner %or 4eighbourhood 5te%an FHle $ith representati*es o% Belarusian #i*il so#iety and politi#al opposition in Mar#h 2012 12, the ,oM aimed at 2strengthening 6the &'0s7 engagement $ith the Belarusian people and #i*il so#iety and to supporting the demo#rati# aspirations o% the Belarusian people3( )$o years later, ho$e*er, parti#ipants in the ,oM regret the la#k o% strategi# *ision and genuine dialogue o% the pro#ess13( )he :uadripartite aspe#t o% the ,oM, $hi#h had the ambition o% gathering #i*il so#iety representati*es and o%%i#ials %rom both the &' and Belarus ne*er materialised( )he ,oM %a#ed di%%i#ulties %rom the onset, $ith #lear obstru#tion %rom the Belarus authorities pre*enting parti#ipants %rom #oming to Brussels %or the %irst meeting( "n addition to #i*il so#iety obstru#tion, Belarusian authorities ha*e so %ar re%used to o%%i#ially parti#ipate in the dialogue and ha*e sought to redire#t the %ormat to$ards a dis#ussion
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European Commission, ENP Package Belarus , MEMO/13/244, 20 March 2013, http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13244_en.htm Human Rights Center 'Viasna', an organisation founded in 1996 to help political prisoners following large-scale repression of demonstrations by President Lukashenko, was dissolved in November 2003 by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus. In Belarus, several human rights NGOs closed in 2003-2004 regularly encounter rejection of their registration applications, making them vulnerable to criminal penalties if they still continue their activities. Although the UN Human Rights Committee called on the authorities to re-register and compensate the organisation, whose right to freedom of association had been violated, the authorities have always ignored the demand. On contrary, harassment has stepped-up after the crackdown following the December 2010 elections. Viasna's office have been repeatedly searched by state security forces and Human Rights Center 'Viasna's Chairman Ales Bialiatski also Vice-President of FIDH was in February 2011 threatened by the Public Prosecutor's office that as Viasna was an unregistered organisation, the government would seek criminal proceedings against it if the group continued to operate. In August 2011, Ales Bialiatski was arrested and later condemned to four years and a half of prison under charges of tax evasion (concealment of profits on an especially large scale, Article 243, part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus). The indictment was made possible by financial records released by prosecutors in Lithuania and Poland. Ales Bialiatski has since then been submitted to various forms of pressure and special treatment aiming at breaking him physically and psychologically. In November 2012, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted a decision in which it found that the detention of Ales Bialiatski was arbitrary. While ignoring this decision, the Belarus authorities have engaged into a huge smear campaign in order to present Ales Bialiatski as a common law criminal. In Belarus, all foreign funding must be registered and approved by the authorities. Article 21 of the Law on Public Associations categorically prohibits Belarusian NGOs from holding an account in a bank or a financial institution located abroad, and any use of unauthorised foreign funds is criminalised. The law provides for administrative and criminal sanctions to punish NGOs and their management personnel who receive foreign funds without authorisation. In December 2013, the Prosecutor Generals Office of Belarus informed Viasna that its website had been introduced in August 2011 into the list of resources with restricted access on the grounds that actions on behalf of the human rights organisation Viasna, that do not comply with the established procedures of state registration, are contrary to the legislation of the Republic of Belarus. This new form of intimidation is based on Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code, which prohibits organising or participating in the activities of unregistered organisations an article considered by the Council of Europe Venice Commission as violating the provisions of international law. Launching European Dialogue on Modernisation with Belarus, Brussels, 29 March 2012, http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/belarus/press_corner/all_news/news/2012/29_03_2012_en.htm & Council conclusions on on Belarus, 3157th Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Brussels, 22 and 23 March 2012, http://consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/129229.pdf Position Paper on European Dialogue on Modernisation with Belarus by the Coordinative Council of the Belarusian National Platform, 18 March 2013, http://www.eap-csf.eu/en/news-events/news/position-paper-on-european-dialoge-on-modernisation-with-belarus/

International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu

among o%%i#ials only, against the *ery spirit and original intentions o% the ,oM( Although the Belarus opposition is not against the pro#ess o% the ,oM, it has de facto not parti#ipated, $hile the #i*il so#iety represented in the ,oM is too heterogeneous to ha*e a #oordinated approa#h( More generally, the ,oM has not ser*ed as a *ehi#le to rea#h the broader population( )here remains an immense la#k o% kno$ledge and understanding o% the realities o% the &' and the &astern Partnership among the Belarus population, $hi#h needs to be %illed1 ( F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 #all on the &' not to let the ,ialogue on Modernisation be#ome marginalised( @n the #ontrary, the &' should seek to use Belarus0 interest in seeking stronger relations $ith the Cest to push %or a re*italisation o% the pro#ess, $hi#h should be#ome a #entral element to ensure that the *oi#e o% the independent #i*il so#iety is heard beyond the %orum o% the ,oM( /on#rete #onne#tions in the %orm o% %ollo$+up me#hanisms to re#ommendations made in the ,oM should be linked $ith se#toral negotiations and ensure the *oi#e o% #i*il so#iety is #onsidered at the highest le*el( An immediate and ne#essary %irst step is %or the &' to demand the %ormal re#ognition by the Belarus authorities o% the legitima#y o% independent #i*il so#iety and that #on#rete measures be taken to stop the harassment o% 4A@s and enable their members to #arry on their a#ti*ities(

Negotiations should benefit the Belarus people, not the Belarus regime
Visa discussions

)he laun#h o% negotiations on *isa liberalisation $ith Belarus #arries the prospe#t o% the de*elopment o% a number o% #ultural and so#ial e8#hanges $hi#h #an be de#isi*e in getting &uropean and Belarus people #loser( )hese *isa liberalisation negotiations $ill be led in parallel $ith negotiations on readmission agreements1;( Ai*en the #urrent human rights situation in Belarus, $eaknesses in the rule o% la$, and non+ independen#e o% the 9udi#iary, su#h a readmission agreement $ould mean that migrants $ould be sent ba#k to a #ountry $here their rights $ould not al$ays be guaranteed 1=( F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 #all on the &' to ensure that no readmission agreement is signed $ith Belarus as long as serious guarantees %or the respe#t and %ul%ilment o% human rights in general and migrantsG rights in parti#ular are not o%%ered by the Belarus authorities( An impa#t assessment should be prepared to e*aluate these #onditions and measures should be proposed to address short#omings, re%orm the national legislation and lead to the adoption o% rele*ant international #on*entions( 5hould these short#omings be addressed, any %uture readmission agreement should entail %ull human rights guarantees (suspension #lause, monitoring me#hanism, and re#ourse me#hanism!( Deepening of econo ic ties

"n addition to announ#ing the laun#h o% *isa and readmission agreement negotiations, the 1ilnius 5ummit Final ,e#laration also en#ouraged %urther de*elopment o% se#toral dialogues 1D on issues su#h as e#onomi# #ooperation(

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86 percent of those surveyed in Belarus by the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies (BISS) has never heard of the Eastern Partnership. Maria Davydchyk, The EU should focus more on Belarusian society, DGAP, 7 August 2013, https://dgap.org/en/think-tank/publications/fivequestions/eu-should-focus-more-belarusian-society Council of the European Union, Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit - Eastern Partnership: the way ahead, Vilnius, 28-29 November 2013, http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/139765.pdf Belarus as well as EU Member States have for example not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Under the policy of 'constructive engagement', the bilateral allocations funded under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) have aimed at supporting cooperation in sectors of mutual interest and those benefitting most directly the citizens (border management, regional development, environment, energy efficiency, green economy, food security, etc), putting emphasis on civil society participation and at the same time maintaining technical level contact with the Belarusian administration, in particular at local level. Therefore sectoral dialogues on economic, energy, environment and customs issues have continued and reached various stages of advancement. European Commission, ENP Package Belarus, MEMO/13/244, 20 March 2013, http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-244_en.htm

International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu

Based on the %indings o% their re#ent report 1E, F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 are parti#ularly #on#erned by the %a#t that the Belarusian e#onomy is still marked by a #ontra#t system imposing short+ term #ontra#ts and inse#urity %or ?0F o% $orkers, by the absen#e o% independent trade unions 1?, and the e8isten#e o% %or#ed labour (0labour %or the good o% the Motherland0, 2*oluntary %or#ed3 labour and 0subbotniks0, et#(!( )his report illustrates the #lose #onne#tion bet$een the t$o spheres o% politi#al #ontrol and *iolation o% $orkers0 rights( Belarus authorities use the labour #ode and #orresponding presidential de#rees as repressi*e means against dissidents %or $hom the threat o% 9ob loss a#ts as a deterrent to their a#ti*ities( )he 5tate has #reated all the #onditions ne#essary to %or#e di%%erent groups o% people to per%orm labour and to make employed people as dependent as they possibly #an be on their $orkpla#e and their employers, $ho are in turn under the #ontrol o% the politi#al poli#e (IAB!, ideologi#al o%%i#ials, and simply presidential de#rees( "n ,e#ember 2013, the '4 /ommittee on &#onomi#, 5o#ial and /ultural rights (/&5/.! endorsed most o% the re#ommendations o% the report 20( F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 belie*e that the &' should use the prospe#ts o% any in#rease o% e#onomi# ties as le*erage to obtain #on#rete so#ial re%orms %rom Belarus, in #ooperation $ith the "nternational Labour @rganisation and by o%%ering #on#rete te#hni#al support( Iey priorities in#lude the end o% the 5tate0s monopoly on trade unionism, the re%orm o% the Labour /ode, as $ell as the /i*il Pro#edures /ode and the /riminal /ode, the need to implement the "L@ /ommittee on Freedom o% Asso#iation and /ommission o% "n:uiry0s re#ommendations(

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FIDH/Human Rights Centre 'Viasna' Report, Forced Labor and Pervasive Violations of Workers Rights in Belarus, December 2013, http://www.fidh.org/en/eastern-europe-central-asia/belarus/14364-forced-labor-and-the-pervasive-violation-of-workers-rights-in-belarus In 2007 several international and European unions filed a request with the EU to organize an investigation into violations of freedom of association and the right to organize, in accordance with International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions CO87 and CO98. After the EU determined that these violations of trade union rights were serious and gross and following the suggestion of the ILO, the EU Council of Ministers decided to withdraw General System of Preference benefits that the country was no more qualified for trade tariff benefits. FIDH, 'UN Committee: Belarus should abolish forced labour', 20 December 2013, http://www.fidh.org/en/eastern-europe-centralasia/belarus/14424-un-committee-belarus-should-abolish-forced-labour

International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu

ecommendations
F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 #all on the &' and its Member 5tates to> /onsider #i*il so#iety parti#ipation as a de#isi*e testing mark to assess Belarus0 $illingness to engage $ith the &' as $ell as a sine !ua non #ondition %or a long+term impro*ement o% the relations( Adopt a #ommon position o% the &' and its 2E Member 5tates $ith a time+bond ben#hmarked .oadmap on #i*il, politi#al as $ell as e#onomi# and so#ial rights, as %rame$ork o% any rene$ed positionning o% the &'( A rene$ed ,ialogue on Modernisation should be#ome the main Forum %or the %ollo$+up and monitoring o% implementation o% this .oad Map $hi#h should be dra%ted $ith the #lose in*ol*ement o% #i*il so#iety( F",- and -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 $ould like to insist on the %ollo$ing priority areas>

!ivil and political rights .eleasing $ithout %urther delay all indi*iduals #on*i#ted %or politi#al reasons, $ho are imprisoned or ser*ing other %orms o% punishmentJ "mmediately stopping the perse#ution, arbitrary arrest or harassment o% #itiKens %or politi#al reasonsJ &nsuring that all the #ountryGs #itiKens ha*e the right to en9oy %undamental rights, in#luding %reedom o% e8pression and assemblyJ and taking e%%e#ti*e steps to in*estigate any #ases o% arbitrary arrestsJ .epealing arti#le 1?3+1 o% the /riminal /ode, $hi#h penalises the organisation o%, and parti#ipation in, a#ti*ities o% non+registered publi# asso#iationsJ .epealing the set o% restri#ti*e legislati*e amendments to a number o% Belarusian legislati*e a#ts adopted in the end o% 2011 #on#erning the La$ on Publi# Asso#iations, the La$ on Politi#al Parties, the &le#toral /ode, the /ode o% Administrati*e @%%en#es, the /riminal /ode, the /riminal Pro#edure /ode o% Belarus, the La$ on Publi# Aatherings ($hi#h %urther restri#ts %reedom o% pea#e%ul assembly!, and the La$ on 5tate 5e#urity ($hi#h allo$s %or signi%i#ant e8pansion o% the po$ers o% the 5tate 5e#urity /ommittee, IAB!J .egistering the -uman .ights /entre 01iasna0 and all the pre*iously dissol*ed organisations $hi#h lead pa#i%i# a#ti*ities in the %rame$ork o% the rule o% la$J &nabling %reedom o% assembly in la$, through the simpli%i#ation o% the pro#edure o% noti%i#ation, suppression o% the obligation %or organisers to bare the #osts %or 2guaranteeing la$ and order and sa%ety %or #itiKens3 and suppressing the restri#tions on pla#e, time and pro#edure %or holding e*entsJ repealing all other la$ $hi#h limit %reedom o% e8pression and assembly, $ith a *ie$ to bringing domesti# la$ into #on%ormity $ith internationally re#ognised human rights standardsJ "ntrodu#ing a moratorium on the death penalty, rati%ying the 5e#ond @ptional Proto#ol to the "nternational /o*enant on /i*il and Politi#al .ights and taking steps to remo*e the death penalty %rom the penal systemJ )aking e%%e#ti*e steps to ensure the %reedom o% the independent media, both domesti# and %oreign onesJ

International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu

Promoting the role o% the 9udi#iary in Belarus and its a#ti*ity $ithout &8e#uti*e inter%eren#eJ implementing the re#ommendations o% the '4 5pe#ial .apporteur on the independen#e o% 9udges and la$yersJ ensuring appropriate publi#ity %or the 9udi#ial pro#essJ #on%orming $ith the @5/& -uman ,imension #ommitments in parti#ular in the %ield o% the .ule o% La$J

Economic and social rights Amending the Labour #ode, the #i*il Pro#edures #ode and the #riminal #ode, and all other rele*ant la$s, de#rees and regulations to ensure that all o% the dis#riminatory pro*isions are eliminated, in parti#ular those regarding the $ork #ontra#t system and the situation o% the most so#ially *ulnerable groups su#h as al#oholi#s and drug addi#ts, and persons in pre#arious situation su#h as those re#ently released %rom detention, the homeless and the 9obless, 2obligated persons3 and other groups $ho need rein%or#ed so#ial prote#tion and #are, rather than a dis#riminatory and by nature repressi*e arsenal, to su##ess%ully reintegrate so#ietyJ Auaranteeing %reedom o% asso#iation, by putting an end to state trade union monopolyG and by re#ognising $orkersG rights to independently %orm and 9oin organisations o% their #hoi#e( .e%rain %rom repressing and perse#uting labour a#ti*ists engaged in trade union a#ti*itiesJ Aranting the '4 5pe#ial .apporteur on the situation o% human rights in Belarus a##ess to the #ountry and pro*ide him $ith the ne#essary assistan#e to per%orm his duties, in#luding by allo$ing him to *isit all areas, publi# institutions and %a#ilities and to meet $ith independent #i*il so#iety organisations as he deems %itJ A##epting all pending re:uests %or *isits in*ol*ing '4 5pe#ial Pro#edures, in#luding those %or the 5pe#ial .apporteur on the rights to %reedom o% pea#e%ul assembly and o% asso#iation and %or the 5pe#ial .apporteur on the situation o% human rights de%endersJ "mplementing the re#ommendations issued by the "nternational Labour organisationGs #ommission o% "n:uiry on %reedom o% asso#iationJ "mplementing the re#ommendations issued by '4 treaty bodies, in parti#ular in the #on#luding obser*ations o% the /ommittee on &#onomi#, 5o#ial and /ultural .ights issued on 4o*ember 2013(

"n light o% the re#ommendations o% the &astern Partnership /i*il 5o#iety Forum #on#erning the
,ialogue on Modernisation21, organise a broad publi# #onsultation $ith the #i*il so#iety o% Belarus and the &' to e*aluate the ,ialogue on Modernisation, #lari%y its strategi# ob9e#ti*es, and lay the %oundations %or a rene$ed dialogue( )his rene$ed dialogue should be in#lusi*e, i(e( ensure the parti#ipation along $ith the &' and Belarus #i*il so#iety and stakeholders o% the &' and Belarus authorities( "t should be the main %orum to dis#uss in a #omprehensi*e manner the politi#al and so#ial perspe#ti*es o% the #ountry and the &' role in supporting modernisation( "n addition to this main %orum, the &' should insist on integrating the #i*il so#iety in all se#toral dis#ussions, $ith the ultimate aim o% bringing this *oi#e up to the highest le*el( Chile *isa liberalisation talks take pla#e, take all possible initiati*es to a##elerate #on#rete measures $hi#h #an bene%it people+to+people #onta#ts and %reedom o% mo*ement, in#luding unilateral measures aimed at %a#ilitation o% short+term *isas %or Belarus #itiKens( /ondition the potential %uture #on#lusion o% a readmission agreement to %ull respe#t by Belarus and the &' o% migrantsG rights and human rights in general, and the rati%i#ation and implementation o% rele*ant
21

Position Paper on European Dialogue on Modernisation with Belarus by the Coordinative Council of the Belarusian National Platform, 18 March 2013, http://www.eap-csf.eu/en/news-events/news/position-paper-on-european-dialoge-on-modernisation-with-belarus/

International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu

human rights #on*entions, in#luding the 'nited 4ations /on*ention on the Prote#tion o% the .ights o% All Migrant Corkers and Members o% )heir Families( )he &' should already $ork on an impa#t assessments to e*aluate the Belarus0 and &'0s #apa#ities to respe#t these rights( Any %uture readmission agreement should in#lude a sa%eguard and suspensi*e #lause as $ell as monitoring and re#ourse me#hanisms in #ase o% human rights *iolations( 5upport the rene$al o% the '4 5pe#ial .apporteur on Belarus mandate at the 2=th session o% the -uman .ights /oun#il(

International Federation for Human Rights Permanent Delegation to the European Union 11-15, rue de la Linire-1 ! "russels - #el $ %& & ! ' (( &% - Fa) %& & ! ' (( %% ***+fidh+org #*itter ,fidh-eu