BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 3. On July 2, the Permanent Missions of Latvia and Lithuania to the United Nations Office at Geneva held a side event on the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus, Trend reports.
Held during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the event focused on the persecution of political prisoners, the repression of Belarusians in exile, violations of labor rights, and the dismantling of independent trade unions.
A powerful video message was delivered by Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who shared harrowing accounts of his experiences in prison and urged the international community to continue pushing for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
Participating in the discussion, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, stated that there has been no improvement in the country’s human rights climate. He emphasized that the crisis in Belarus is not limited to Europe and called for increased global attention and support, particularly through the strengthening of independent media to raise awareness and encourage international solidarity.
Panelists included Hanna Liubakova from the Atlantic Council, Viktoriya Rudzenskava of the Human Rights Center “Viasna,” and Maryia Zharilouskaya, a representative of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions. The discussion was moderated by Maksym Milta, head of the Ukraine division of The Reckoning Project.
Speakers shared testimonies about the severe persecution faced by political prisoners and their families. They emphasized the complete suppression of independent trade unions in Belarus and described how authorities are actively silencing those advocating for workers' rights. Belarus currently ranks as the fourth-highest country in the world for imprisoned journalists, with over 18,000 media outlets and social media accounts blocked.
Governments were urged to prioritize the release of political prisoners, particularly on humanitarian grounds. The importance of legal and medical assistance for affected families was underscored, and the international community was called upon to maintain support for Belarusians resisting oppression both within the country and in exile.
Ambassador Darius Staniulis, Lithuania’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, stressed the need for continued international focus on the alarming deterioration of human rights in Belarus. Latvia’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Ivars Pundurs, echoed the call for broader regional engagement and heightened awareness of the crisis.
The event was supported by a wide coalition of countries, including Ireland, Albania, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union Delegation, France, Finland, Germany, Croatia, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.