World · Malaysia Bureau
UN warns Belarus weaponising courts against political opponents
United Nations human rights experts have accused Belarus of systematically using its judicial system to suppress dissent and silence critics of President Alexander Lukashenko's government. The allegations come as Minsk continues to resist international scrutiny of its rights record.
LSN Malaysia ·
A team of UN human rights specialists has documented what they characterise as a coordinated campaign to prosecute political opponents and civil society activists through the Belarusian court system, according to a report released following an investigation into the country's judicial practices.
The experts found evidence suggesting that prosecutions of government critics have been pursued selectively and with apparent political motivation, rather than based on the impartial application of law. Cases examined by the UN team indicated patterns of charges that appeared designed to marginalise dissenting voices rather than address genuine criminal conduct.
Belarusian authorities have previously rejected similar findings from international human rights bodies, maintaining that all judicial proceedings follow established legal procedures. The government has also declined to cooperate fully with UN fact-finding missions, limiting access to court proceedings and restricting interviews with officials and detainees.
The findings add to mounting international concern about civil liberties in Belarus, particularly following anti-government protests in recent years. Human rights organisations have similarly documented what they describe as widespread arbitrary detention and torture allegations, claims the Lukashenko administration has dismissed as politically motivated.