L.LINKEVIČIUS AND UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR DISCUSS HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN BELARUS
On 4 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius met with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus Miklós Haraszti, discussed the human rights situation in Belarus and activities of the Special Rapporteur.
“Lithuania supported the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur from the outset and is ready to cooperate with all international institutions, which deal with human rights problems in Belarus,” L.Linkevičius said.
The Special Rapporteur arrived in Vilnius for consultations with the Belarusian civil society. The Belarusian government does not recognize the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and does not cooperate with it; therefore, such consultation is the only opportunity to implement his functions and draft a report on the situation in Belarus to the United Nations Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.
On 28 September 2012, M.Haraszti was appointed as Special Rapporteur at the 21st session of the Human Rights Council. The establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur is by far the strongest UN Human Rights Council’s monitoring mechanism.
