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Individual V. State: Practice on Complaints with the United Nations Treaty Bodies with Regards to the Republic of Belarus

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Individual v. State:

Pracꢀce on complaints with the United Naꢀons treaty bodies with regards to the Republic of Belarus

Volume I

Collecꢀon of arꢀcles and documents

The present collecꢀon of arꢀcles and documents is published within the framework of “Internaꢀonal Law in Advocacy” program by Human Rights House Network with support from the Human Rights House in Vilnius and Civil Rights Defenders (Sweden)

2012

UDC 341.231.14 +342.7 (476) BBK 67.412.1 +67.400.7 (4Bel) I60

Edited by

Sergei Golubok

Candidate of Law, Aꢂorney of the St. Petersburg Bar Associaꢀon, member of the editorial board of the scienꢀfic journal “Internaꢀonal jusꢀce”

  • I60
  • “Individual v. State: Pracꢀce on complaints with the United Naꢀons treaty bodies

with regards to the Republic of Belarus”. – Vilnius, 2012. – 206 pages.

ISBNꢁ978-609-95300-1-7. The present collecꢀon of arꢀcles “Individual v. State: Pracꢀce on complaints with the
United Naꢀons treaty bodies with regards to the Republic of Belarus” is the first part of the two-volume book, that is the fourth publicaꢀon in the series about internaꢀonal law and naꢀonal legal system of the republic of Belarus, implemented by experts and alumni of the Human Rights Houses Network‘s program “Internaꢀonal Law in Advocacy” since 2007.
The first volume of this publicaꢀon contains original wriꢀngs about the contents and pracꢀcal aspects of internaꢀonal human rights law concepts directly related to the Insꢀtute of individual communicaꢀons, and about the role of an individual in the implementaꢀon of internaꢀonal legal obligaꢀons of the state.
The second volume, expected to be published in 2013, will include original analyꢀ- cal works on the admissibility of individual consideraꢀons and the Republic of Belarus’ compliance with the decisions (views) by treaty bodies. It will include all decisions made by the Commiꢂee in 2000-2012 with regards to the Republic of Belarus that were not included in the first volume.

UDC 341.231.14 +342.7 (476) BBK 67.412.1 +67.400.7 (4Bel)

The Human Rights Houses Foundaꢀon represents the Human Rights Houses Network, and holds intellectual property rights to this collecꢀon as published within the project “Bring Internaꢀonal Standards Home”

ISBNꢁ978-609-95300-1-7

© Group of authors, 2012
© Belarussian Human Rights House, 2012

CONTENTS

Liudmila Ulyashyna

Foreword .................................................................................................................... 7

Sergei Golubok

Cases against Belarus at the Human Rights Commiꢂee: What’s next?.................... 11

Liudmila Ulyashyna

Individual v. State: Submission, equality, conflict? Challenges and possibiliꢀes to Increase effecꢀve implementaꢀon of Internaꢀonal legal human rights obligaꢀons........................................................ 15

Natalia Matskevich

On certain legal issues considered by the Human Rights Commiꢂee with regards to Communicaꢀons by individuals, who claimed their rights secured by the ICCPR were violated in administraꢀve and criminal proceedings (through the example of cases against Republic of Belarus) ............... 40

Leonid Sudalenko

Specifics in consideraꢀon of cases involving the exercise by ciꢀzens of the Republic of Belarus of their right to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly .......................................................................... 62

Roman Kisliak

Individual communicaꢀons as a method to promote posiꢀve changes in the area of human rights (Inga Abramova v. Republic of Belarus) ....................... 93

Annexes

Annex 1. Staꢀsꢀcal review of individual communicaꢀons reported to the Human Rights Commiꢂee under the opꢀonal protocol to the Internaꢀonal Covenant on civil and Poliꢀcal Rights..................................... 102

Annex 2. List of cases with regards to the republic of Belarus considered by the Human Rights Commiꢂee........................................ 106

Annex 3.

Dynamics of cases on individual communicaꢀons against Belarus registered at the UN bodies, by year............................................. 108

4 • Individual v. State

Annex 4. Number of cases against Belarus registered and heard at the Human Rights Commiꢂee, by year ............................................. 109

Annex 5. Dynamics of individual communicaꢀons against Belarus heard on the merits by UN commiꢂees, by year .......................... 110

Annex 6. General Comment No. 31 [80] Nature of the General Legal Obligaꢀon Imposed on States Parꢀes to the Covenant................................. 111

Annex 7. General comment No. 33, Obligaꢀons of States parꢀes under the Opꢀonal Protocol to the Internaꢀonal Covenant on Civil and Poliꢀcal Rights .................................... 118

Annex 8.

Decision of the Сonsꢀtuꢀonal Court of the Russian Federaꢀon on the complaint of Andrei Anatolyevich Khoroshenko for violaꢀon of his consꢀtuꢀonal rights under Arꢀcle 403, paragraph 5, Arꢀcle 413, paragraph 4, and Arꢀcle 415, paragraphs 1 and 5, of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Russian Federaꢀon ..................................... 123

Annex 9. Views adopted by the Human Rights Commiꢂee on Communicaꢀon No. 2120/2011 Vladislav Kovalev, Lyubov Kovaleva and Tatyana Kozyar v. Belarus ..................................................... 135

Annex 10. Views adopted by the Human Rights Commiꢂee on Communicaꢀon No. 1784/2008 Vladimir Shumilin v. Belarus........................... 157

Annex 11. Views adopted by the Commiꢂee on the Eliminaꢀon of Discriminaꢀon against Women on Communicaꢀon No. 23/2009 Inga Abramova v. Belarus ....................................................................................... 168

Dedicated to Boris Zvozskov

FOREWORD

Everyone shall have the right in accordance

with the internaꢀonal instruments raꢀꢁed by the Republic of Belarus to appeal to internaꢀonal organizaꢀons to defend their rights and liberꢀes, provided all available domesꢀc remedies have been exhausted.

Arꢀcle 61 of the Consꢀtuꢀon of the Republic of Belarus
On 15 March 1994 the 12th Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus adopted the Consꢀtuꢀon of the Republic of Belarus that for the first ꢀme in the country’s history secured the right of an individual to file a complaint with internaꢀonal organizaꢀons against their own state.
That period was marked by historical changes of internaꢀonal importance: legal systems that used to be within or under the influence of the Soviet Union, were preparing to join regional and internaꢀonal human rights systems.
Resoluꢀon of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus of 10 January 1992 raꢀfied the Opꢀonal Protocol to the Internaꢀonal Covenant on Civil and Poliꢀcal Rights (1966) and recognized competence of the Human Rights Commiꢂee to receive and consider communicaꢀons from individuals subject to its jurisdicꢀon who claim to be vicꢀms of a violaꢀon by that State Party of any of the rights set forth in the Covenant.
That ꢀme was marked by acꢀve cooperaꢀon with the Council of Europe.
It began in 1989, when the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe established relaꢀons with the Supreme Council of the USSR, granꢀng it the “special guest” status. In January 1992, the decision of the Bureau of Assembly transferred that status to the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federaꢀon; in 1992 and 1993, Ukraine and Belarus obtained “guest quotas” in the Council of Europe. Over the next five years, the “guests” were accepted as full members of the European regional system of human rights defense, but Belarus never joined it: in 1997, the membership of Belarus as a guest member was suspended by a decision of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in connecꢀon with the changes in the legal system, that ran contrary to the underlying principles of the united European system.

8 • Individual v. State

The door of the European Court was closed for the populaꢀon under the jurisdicꢀon of the Republic of Belarus. Although the Council of Europe Infor- maꢀon Point opened in Minsk in June 2009, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe called on the PACE Bureau to restore the special guest status to Belarus, this process is hindered by a number of poliꢀcal and legal complexiꢀes.
Meanwhile, despite the fact that the legal system of the Republic of Belarus is immune to the direct control of the European Court of Human Rights; the country’s populaꢀon has the possibility to realize their hope for internaꢀonal legal review of the observance of their individual rights.
The system for the protecꢀon of human rights within the United Naꢀons
Charter and Treaty bodies is open to those who is subject to the jurisdicꢀon of the Republic of Belarus and complains about the non-fulfilment of obligaꢀons under the universal treaꢀes.
In 2000, the Human Rights Commiꢂee considered the first communica-
ꢀon from Belarus1, and since 2008, there has been exponenꢀal growth in the number of registered communicaꢀon (see Annexes 3, 4 and 5).2
Analysis of staꢀsꢀcal data on the registered individual communicaꢀons to the UN Human Rights Commiꢂee with regards to Belarus shows that while in the course of ten years (1997-2006) the Commiꢂee had registered for consideraꢀon 38 communicaꢀons, during the last six years (2007-2012) there were several ꢀmes as many and a total of 145 as of early 2013 (see Annex 1).
It is important to take note of the high “quality” of these communica-
ꢀons: according to 2012 data by OHCHR, of 48 completed cases with regards to Belarus only 8 were declared inadmissible. For comparison: 45 out of 77 individual communicaꢀons submiꢂed to the Human Rights Commiꢂee with regards to France were declared inadmissible (informaꢀon from the UN Human Rights Commiꢂee staꢀsꢀcal survey of individual complaints as of 23 April 2012)3.
The growth in the number of complaints filed with the body that monitors observance of the Internaꢀonal Covenant on Civil and Poliꢀcal Rights is related to several factors. Analysis of the complaints suggests that they are filed with regards to the violaꢀon of rights and liberꢀes that ensure the democraꢀc governance in the country, and namely: the freedom of speech, the right to elect and to be elected, the right of access to public service, and freedom of associaꢀons4. It is these rights that have been on the list of the

1

  • Vladimir Laptsevich
  • v

Republic of Belarus.Communication No. 780/1997. CCPR/
C/68/D/780/199, 13/04/2000. <http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/0/cc98a0722c3d4c62 c125690c003636a2?Opendocument> [2012-03-03]. Information was prepared and presented by human rights defender Raman Kisliak. <http:www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/SURVEYCCPR.xls> The analysis is made together with Vladimir Nepogodin, a student of the law faculty of the European Humanities University during his student practice under the mentorship of the

2

34

Foreword • 9

most vulnerable to those who would like to parꢀcipate in and influence the democraꢀc process in the country.
Another factor that could have had an impact on the quanꢀtaꢀve and qualitaꢀve growth of individual communicaꢀons from the Republic of Belarus, is that their authors or representaꢀves of vicꢀms of violaꢀons of civil and poliꢀcal rights and freedoms were in most cases parꢀcipants, experts and alumni of the “Internaꢀonal Law in Advocacy” program5 by Human Rights House Network. Since 2006, the program offers a systemaꢀc training of Belarusian lawyers and human rights defenders in internaꢀonal legal standards and their implementaꢀon.
The figures can serve as indicators of the importance of the training with regards to the process of effecꢀveness of applicaꢀon of internaꢀonal legal human rights protecꢀon mechanisms. Partners and organizers of the program are aimed at conꢀnuing to distribute informaꢀon about the possibiliꢀes of human rights protecꢀon at the naꢀonal and internaꢀonal levels, and to increase confidence of the legal community and civil society in general of the impact of this work.
The mechanism to make the process of implementaꢀon of internaꢀonal treaꢀes and consꢀtuꢀonal provisions more effecꢀve is being triggered by those who the rights and freedoms belong to, i.e. individuals.
The present two-volume collecꢀon of arꢀcles “Individual v. State: Pracꢀce on complaints with the United Naꢀons treaty bodies with regards to the Republic of Belarus” covers the role of an individual in the process of promoꢀon and protecꢀon of individual freedoms.
The work to prepare and publish this collecꢀon is part of the Human Rights
Houses Network‘s program “Internaꢀonal Law in Advocacy”. The two-volume collecꢀon is yet another publicaꢀon in the series related to internaꢀonal legal

author of the monograph in May 2009. See: Ulyashina, Lyudmila. "Universal human rights standards, and some issues of their implementation in the Republic of Belarus." Electronic edition: Bulletin of Human Rights. # 1 (2010).

5

The Human Rights House Network’s program "International Law in Advocacy" has been developed and is being implemented by partner organizations from several European countries, including the countries of the former Soviet Union. Program’s projects “De facto implementation of international obligations of the Republic of Belarus” and “Distance learning for human rights lawyers” promote efforts to fulfil the commitments undertaken within the framework of the United Nations, the Council of Europe and other international organizations, to provide support in the implementation of commitments in the field of human rights within the Commonwealth of Independent States. The projects set their sights onto furthering promotion, protection and observance of human rights under the rule of law, capacity building through training of lawyers, networking and raising awareness with regards to the direct application of human rights standards at the national level. <http://humanrightshouse.org/Projects/ILIA_RU/index.html> [2012-04-03].

10 • Individual v. State

mechanisms to protect human rights and their influence on the formaꢀon of naꢀonal legal systems6
The first volume of this publicaꢀon contains original wriꢀngs that reveal the contents and pracꢀcal aspects of internaꢀonal human rights law concepts directly related to the Insꢀtute of individual communicaꢀons (Sergei Golubok, Liudmila Ulyashyna). The book provides an analysis of legal issues resolved by the Human Rights Commiꢂee with regards to individual communicaꢀons against the Republic of Belarus pertaining to violaꢀon of criminal and administraꢀve proceedings (Natalia Matskevich) and cases of violaꢀon of the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assemblies (Leonid Sudalenko). An example of an individual communicaꢀon as a means of posiꢀve change driver inside the legal system is reviewed in the arꢀcle by Roman Kisliak. The book is finalized with the number of reference tables and materials, as well as texts of two decisions (views) of the Human Rights Commiꢂee

(Shumilin v. Belarus, Kovaleva et al v. Belarus) and views of the Commiꢂee

on the Eliminaꢀon of Discriminaꢀon against Women (Abramova v. Belarus).
The second volume that is expected to be published in 2013 will include original analyꢀcal works on the admissibility of individual consideraꢀons and the Republic of Belarus’ compliance with the decisions (views) by treaty bodies. The second volume will include all decisions made by the Commiꢂee in 2000-2012 with regards to the Republic of Belarus that were not included in the first volume.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the program team and those who worked on the book, as well as our colleagues, who conꢀnue their professional acꢀviꢀes for the promoꢀon and protecꢀon of human rights in Belarus.

Liudmila Ulyashyna,

Manager of the Human Rights Houses Network’s Program
“Internaꢀonal Law in Advocacy”

6

Freedom of expression, assembly and associations: international legal standards and laws of the Republic of Belarus. Minsk: Tesei, 2006. Examples of individual complaints to the Committee on Human Rights, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus, articles and essays of the “De facto implementation of international obligations of the Republic of Belarus” program/ / Regulations and practical handbook. Lawyers’ Companion, Vilnius: Human Rights House, 2008. <http:// prava-by.info/archives/1205> [2012-04-02]. Human rights: international law and national legislation: collected stories by V.V. Filippov, 2011.

Sergei Golubok1

CASES AGAINST BELARUS AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMITTEE: WHAT’S NEXT?

Belarus is a party to the First Opꢀonal Protocol to the Internaꢀonal Covenant on Civil and Poliꢀcal Rights2 that grants individuals the right to lodge complaints with the Human Rights Commiꢂee3 since 1992.
Over the past twenty years, the Commiꢂee has registered 142 complaints against the Republic of Belarus; final decisions were made on 46 of them, in the vast majority of cases those stated that there had been one or more violaꢀons of the Covenant4.
The arꢀcles published in this book analyse extensive pracꢀce of the Commiꢂee, elaborated on “Belarusian cases”.
A considerable part of Commiꢂee’s decisions against Belarus is related to violaꢀons of civil rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of associaꢀons (Arꢀcle 19, 21 and 22 of the Covenant), especially in connecꢀon with the obstrucꢀon of public events (rallies, pickets) and registraꢀon of independent non-profit organizaꢀons. This set of issues is joined by violaꢀon of various voꢀng rights of ciꢀzens (Arꢀcle 25 of the Covenant): “Belarusian cases” helped to significantly advance the pracꢀce of the Commiꢂee in this regard.
A whole series of interrelated violaꢀons of Arꢀcle 7 (prohibiꢀon of torture), Arꢀcle 9 (right to liberty and security), Arꢀcle 10 (humane condiꢀons of detenꢀon) and Arꢀcle 14 (right to a fair trial) of the Covenant, is being recorded by the Commiꢂee with regards to cases related to criminal procedures.
Many violaꢀons of the Covenant by Belarus as revealed by the Commiꢂee are systemic in their nature, that is not deriving from an “excessive act” on the ground, but from a fundamental mismatch between the internaꢀonal legal standards, naꢀonal laws and established pracꢀce. For example, the inability to appeal against the death sentence imposed by the Supreme Court in the first instance, inevitably entails a violaꢀon of Arꢀcle 14, paragraph 5, of the Covenant, and, hence, Arꢀcle 65 of it.

1

Candidate of Law, Attorney of the St. Petersburg Bar Association, member of the editorial board of the scientific journal “International justice”. Hereinafter referred to as the Covenant. Hereinafter referred to as the Committee. The data are based on the analysis of statistical information provided by the Office of the

2

34

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Views of the Committee of 29 October 2012 on communication No. 2120/2011, § 11.6-

5

12 • Individual v. State

It should be noted that many of the issues in the “Belarusian pracꢀce” of the Commiꢂee are either addressed insufficiently or not addressed at all. For example, there were hardly any issues raised with regards to the violaꢀon of Arꢀcle 7 in contexts other than the police violence (e.g., torture in psychiatric hospitals or in the army); civil proceedings are not being considered from the point of view of compliance with internaꢀonal legal standards under Arꢀcle 14,paragraph 1, of the Covenant; arguments with regards to discriminatory, in violaꢀon of Arꢀcle 26, treatment by the authoriꢀes, for example, on grounds of poliꢀcal opinion the applicant, are rarely corroborated in detail.
Complaints filed with the Commiꢂee against Belarus may for the ꢀme being be of only theoreꢀcal interest, since the authoriꢀes (of other state parꢀes to the Covenant, Belarus is perhaps only joined by Sri Lanka in this regard ) are not ashamed to officially consider Commiꢂee’s decisions to be opꢀonal6 and do not take any acꢀons to implement them at the naꢀonal level – either in terms of the restoraꢀon of applicants’ violated rights, that have found protecꢀon in Geneva, or in terms of general measures to recꢀfy the situaꢀon as a whole and to prevent similar violaꢀons of the Covenant in the future. This public disdain of Commiꢂee’s posiꢀon on the part of Belarus is most evident in the fact of the execuꢀon of applicants who filed a statement to the Commiꢂee that the death sentence imposed on them was in violaꢀon of the Covenant; and with regards to whom the Commiꢂee has requested interim measures of protecꢀon, and namely, Belarus was asked to refrain from execuꢀon of the alleged vicꢀm pending a decision by the Commiꢂee. Having once again faced with such a pracꢀce of the authoriꢀes of Belarus in 2012, Chairman of the Commiꢂee said: “The posiꢀon of the Human Rights Commiꢂee is clear – Belarus has commiꢂed a grave breach of its legal obligaꢀons… We deplore these flagrant violaꢀons of the human rights treaty obligaꢀons of Belarus”7.
While being a party to the Covenant and the First Opꢀonal Protocol thereto, Belarus cannot “ignore” decisions of the Commiꢂee –a body established by these internaꢀonal treaꢀes and working in compliance with them. Behaviour of Belarusian authoriꢀes resembles that of a driver, who deems it possible to use automobile roads, yet “takes no noꢀce” of the rules of the road.
The Consꢀtuꢀonal Court of the Russian Federaꢀon in its recent decision on the possible revision of the verdict on the case of a person with regards to whom the Commiꢂee subsequently decided there had been the violaꢀon of the Covenant8, commented on the legal nature of the Commiꢂee and decisions made by it, and came to the conclusion that because of universally

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    Журнал Белорусского государственного университета. Международные отношения Journal of the Belarusian State University. International Relations UDC 327(476:438) EVOLUTION OF BELARUSIAN-POLISH RELATIONS AT THE PRESENT STAGE: BALANCE OF INTERESTS V. G. SHADURSKI а aBelarusian State University, Nezavisimosti avenue, 4, Minsk, 220030, Republic of Belarus The present article is dedicated to the analysis of the Belarusian-Polish relations’ development during the post-USSR period. The conclusion is made that despite the geographical neighborhood of both countries, their cultural and historical proximity, cooperation between Minsk and Warsaw didn’t comply with the existing capacity. Political contradictions became the reason for that, which resulted in fluctuations in bilateral cooperation, local conflicts on the inter-state level. The author makes an attempt to identify the main reasons for a low level of efficiency in bilateral relations and to give an assessment of foreign factors impact on Minsk and Warsaw policies. Key words: Belarusian-Polish relations; Belarusian foreign policy; Belarusian and Polish diplomacy; historical policy. ЭВОЛЮЦИЯ БЕЛОРУССКО-ПОЛЬСКИХ ОТНОШЕНИЙ НА СОВРЕМЕННОМ ЭТАПЕ: ПОИСК БАЛАНСА ИНТЕРЕСОВ В. Г. ШАДУРСКИЙ 1) 1)Белорусский государственный университет, пр. Независимости, 4, 220030, г. Минск, Республика Беларусь В представленной публикации анализируется развитие белорусско-польских отношений на протяжении периода после распада СССР. Делается вывод о том, что, несмотря на географическое соседство двух стран, их культурную и историческую близость, сотрудничество Минска и Варшавы не соответствовало имеющемуся потенциалу. При- чиной тому являлись политические разногласия, следствием которых стали перепады в двухстороннем взаимодей- ствии, частые конфликты на межгосударственном уровне. Автор пытается выяснить основные причины невысокой эффективности двусторонних связей, дать оценку влияния внешних факторов на политику Минска и Варшавы.
  • WFWP Biennial Report International Service Projects Overseas Volunteer Activities 2017－2018

    WFWP Biennial Report International Service Projects Overseas Volunteer Activities 2017－2018

    WFWP Biennial Report International Service Projects Overseas Volunteer Activities 2017－2018 WOMEN’ S FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE WOMEN'S FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE, INTERNATIONAL UN ECOSOC/DPI/NGO General Consultative Status Department of International Service Projects / WFWP Japan National Headquarters Sansarra Higashiyama Suite 202, 3-1-11 Higashiyama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0043 JAPAN TEL:+81-3-5721-2579 FAX:+81-3-5721-2580 Email:[email protected] Website:https://wfwp.jp(Japanese) https://www.wfwp.org(English) UNDERSTANDING THE DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Five dimensions of Sustainable Development Goals（SDGs） POVERTY HUNGER HEALTH EDUCATION GENDER UNEQUALITY ENERGY SOCIAL WATER/ HYGIENE PARTNER- PEACE GROWTH/ SHIP EMPLOYMENT CLIMATE CHANGE SUSTAINABLE ENVIRON- Sustainable ECONOMIC INNOVATION MENTAL MARINE RESOURCES CITY LAND RESOURCES PRODUCTION/ CONSUMPTION By endorsing Agenda 2030 and its 17 goals, the world community has reaffirmed its commitment to Sustainable Development; to ensure sustained and inclusive economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection and to do so in partnership and peace. Sustainable Development is usually viewed through a lens of three core elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. But it’s important to remember that these are not just categories or boxes: they are connected and have aspects in common. To develop this approach a step further, two critical dimensions that will drive Agenda 2030 were adopted by member states: partnership and peace. Partnerships strengthen the capacities of all stakeholders to work together. Peace, justice and strong institutions are essential for improvements in the three core areas. Genuine sustainability sits at the center and it would be important to consider each of the SDGs through the lens of these five dimensions.
  • The Upper Dnieper River Basin Management Plan (Draft)

    The Upper Dnieper River Basin Management Plan (Draft)

    This project is funded Ministry of Natural Resources The project is implemented by the European Union and Environmental Protection by a Consortium of the Republic of Belarus led by Hulla & Co. Human Dynamics KG Environmental Protection of International River Basins THE UPPER DNIEPER RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN (DRAFT) Prepared by Central Research Institute for Complex Use of Water Resources, Belarus With assistance of Republican Center on Hydrometeorology, Control of Radioactive Pollution and Monitoring of Environment, Belarus And with Republican Center on Analytical Control in the field of Environmental Protection, Belarus February 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS.........................................................................................................................4 1.1 Outline of EU WFD aims and how this is addressed with the upper Dnieper RBMP ..........6 1.2 General description of the upper Dnieper RBMP..................................................................6 CHAPTER 2 CHARACTERISTIC OF DNIEPER RIVER BASIN ON THE BELARUS TERRITORY.................................................................................................................................10 2.1 Brief characteristics of the upper Dnieper river basin ecoregion (territory of Belarus) ......10 2.2 Surface waters......................................................................................................................10 2.2.1 General description .......................................................................................................10
  • The French Law of April 13 2016 Aimed at Strengthening the Fight Against the Prostitutional System and Providing Support For

    The French Law of April 13 2016 Aimed at Strengthening the Fight Against the Prostitutional System and Providing Support For

    The French law of April 13 2016 aimed at strengthening the fight against the prostitutional system and providing support for prostituted persons Principles, goals, measures and adoption of a historic law. 1 CAP international, March 2017 www.cap-international.org Authors: Grégoire Théry, Executive director of CAP international Claudine Legardinier, Journalist Graphic design: micheletmichel.com Translation: Caroline Degorce Contents Presentation of the law of April 13, 2016 > Introduction ................................................................................................................................................p.5 > Content of the law ....................................................................................................................................p.5 French law following the adoption of the new Act > The fight against procuring and pimping .......................................................................................p.8 > Prohibition of the purchase of sex acts .......................................................................................... p.9 > Protection, access to rights and exit policy for victims of prostitution, pimping and trafficking .......................................................................................................................p.10 The spirit of the law > Philosophical foundation ....................................................................................................................p.13 > Adoption of the parliamentary resolution of December
  • Belarus Epr Atlas Belarus 110

    Belarus Epr Atlas Belarus 110

    epr atlas 109 Belarus epr atlas belarus 110 Ethnicity in Belarus Power relations The demographic majority in Belarus are the Byelorussians, they operate as senior partners next to the largest minority, the Russians. The Russians are junior partners. Russians of Belarus represent an advantaged minority. The current regime of Alexander Lukashenka is decidedly pro-Russian in economic, political and cultural terms. The Russian and Belarusian languages are very similar. And most Belarusians hold a clear affinity to and identification for Russia and the Soviet Union in general. Many of the former differences between the Belarusian and Russian culture and languages were diminished during Soviet rule. A large part of the Belarusian population identi- fies with Russia (161). The Russian and Byelorussian languages have 161 [Eke Kuzio, 2000] equal legal status, but, in practice, Russian is the primary language used by the government (162). Russians have also a special status in 162 [U.S. State Department, 2005 - 2009] Belarus, because the country is dependent on Russia (trade, energy) (163). Therefore the Belarusian government adopted inclusive poli- 163 [Hancock, 2006] cies towards the Russian minority. The ruling party for example, is ethnically mixed and extremely pro-Russian (164). 164 [Eke Kuzio, 2000] The Polish minority was powerless until 2004, then they be- came discriminated. Starting in May 2005, there was increased governmental and societal discrimination against the ethnic Pol- ish population (165). The government interfered in the internal af- 165 [U.S. State Department, 2005 - 2009] fairs of the most important Polish NGO: The Union of Belarusian Poles held a congress to elect new leaders.
  • Emergency Response UNCCD to Drought and Desertification in Belarus

    Emergency Response UNCCD to Drought and Desertification in Belarus

    Emergency response UNCCD to drought and desertification in Belarus June 17, Belarus has widely observed the Desertification and Drought Day, a global event which commemorates the entering into force of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification back in 1996. Why land degradation and drought are important topics for Belarus? The warming and prolonged vegetative period caused by climate change bring new opportunities for agriculture, forestry and local people, but more it demonstrates the vulnerability of the land and the need for urgent actions to preserve land fertility. Where do you think these photos were taken? Photo Plytkevič: Arable lands in Gomel Region of Belarus affected by sands storms, April 2020 No, this is not African or Arabian Desert. This is the Republic of Belarus, a country in the center of Europe with a typical Сentral European climate and 40% forest-covered area. Belarusians gently name their country "blue -eyed " for a large number of lakes, more than 10,000. The impact of climate change has now reached Belarus which used to be safe and unharmed by desertification and drought. The average temperature in January 2020 was 1.1 degrees Celsius, which is 5.5 degrees Celsius above the climatic norm. This is the warmest January in the history of weather observations in the country. In the south of the country, Belarusian Polesye, is a unique According to the Institute of wetland landscape, a home of many endangered species of Nature Management of Belarusian birds and animals. Polesyan mires are transit corridor Academy of Sciences, due to offering a safe and food-rich stop for many migratory birds.
  • Download Book

    Download Book

    84 823 65 Special thanks to the Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies for assistance in getting access to archival data. The author also expresses sincere thanks to the International Consortium "EuroBelarus" and the Belarusian Association of Journalists for information support in preparing this book. Photos by ByMedia.Net and from family albums. Aliaksandr Tamkovich Contemporary History in Faces / Aliaksandr Tamkovich. — 2014. — ... pages. The book contains political essays about people who are well known in Belarus and abroad and who had the most direct relevance to the contemporary history of Belarus over the last 15 to 20 years. The author not only recalls some biographical data but also analyses the role of each of them in the development of Belarus. And there is another very important point. The articles collected in this book were written at different times, so today some changes can be introduced to dates, facts and opinions but the author did not do this INTENTIONALLY. People are not less interested in what we thought yesterday than in what we think today. Information and Op-Ed Publication 84 823 © Aliaksandr Tamkovich, 2014 AUTHOR’S PROLOGUE Probably, it is already known to many of those who talked to the author "on tape" but I will reiterate this idea. I have two encyclopedias on my bookshelves. One was published before 1995 when many people were not in the position yet to take their place in the contemporary history of Belarus. The other one was made recently. The fi rst book was very modest and the second book was printed on classy coated paper and richly decorated with photos.
  • The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area

    The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area

    The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area Background Paper 2010 ODIHR This paper was prepared by the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this paper is accurate and impartial. This paper updates The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area: Background Paper 2009. It is intended to provide a concise update to highlight changes in the status of the death penalty in OSCE participating States since the previous publication and to promote constructive discussion of this issue. It covers the period from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010. All comments or suggestions should be addressed to ODIHR’s Human Rights Department. Published by the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Aleje Ujazdowskie 19 00-557 Warsaw Poland www.osce.org/odihr © OSCE/ODIHR 2010 ISBN 978-92-9234-784-0 All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may be freely used and copied for educational and other non-commercial purposes, provided that any such repro- duction is accompanied by an acknowledgement of ODIHR as the source. Designed by Nona Reuter The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area Background Paper 2010 Table of Contents OVERVIEW vii THE STATUS OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE OSCE AREA 1 Abolitionist States 3 Partly Abolitionist States 4 De Facto Abolitionist States 4 Retentionist States 7 ANNEXES Annex 1: OSCE Commitments and Resolutions on the Death Penalty 18 Annex 2: Other International Standards and Provisions on the Death Penalty 22 Annex 3: Relevant Recommendations Made at the OSCE Human Dimension Meeting in 2009 35 Annex 4: Questionnaire on the Death Penalty 36 Annex 5: Status of Ratifications of Relevant Treaties 39 v Overview The worldwide trend towards the full abolition of the death penalty continued dur- ing the reporting period for this background paper, from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.
  • Zalesskaya V. Belarus, Comm. 1604/2007

    Zalesskaya V. Belarus, Comm. 1604/2007

    United Nations CCPR/C/101/D/1604/2007 International Covenant on Distr.: Restricted* Civil and Political Rights 28 April 2011 Original: English Human Rights Committee One hundredth and first session 14 March to 1 April 2011 Views Communication No. 1604/2007 Submitted by: Elena Zalesskaya (not represented by counsel) Alleged victims: The author State party: Belarus Date of communication: 8 February 2007 (initial submission) Document references: Special Rapporteur’s rule 97 decision, transmitted to the State party on 5 October 2007 (not issued in document form) Date of adoption of Views: 28 March 2011 * Made public by decision of the Human Rights Committee. GE. CCPR/C/101/D/1604/2007 Subject matter: Prosecution of the author for distributing newspapers and leaflets in the street Procedural issues: Degree of substantiation of claims Substantive issues: Freedom of expression, right to impart information, peaceful assembly, prohibition of discrimination Articles of the Covenant: Article 19, paragraphs 2 and 3; article 21; article 26. Articles of the Optional Protocol: 2 On 28 March 2011, the Human Rights Committee adopted the annexed text as the Committee’s Views under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol in respect of communication No. 1604/2007. [Annex] 2 CCPR/C/101/D/1604/2007 Annex Views of the Human Rights Committee under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights (one hundredth and first session) concerning Communication No. 1604/2007** Submitted by: Elena Zalesskaya (not represented by counsel) Alleged victims: The author State party: Belarus Date of communication: 8 February 2007 (initial submission) The Human Rights Committee, established under article 28 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Meeting on 28 March 2011 Having concluded its consideration of communication No.
  • Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights (In Accordance with Article 22 of the European Convention on Human Rights)

    Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights (In Accordance with Article 22 of the European Convention on Human Rights)

    Doc. 13027 20 September 2012 Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights (in accordance with Article 22 of the European Convention on Human Rights) List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex | [email protected] | Tel: +33 3 88 41 2000 | Fax: +33 3 88 41 2733 Doc. 13027 Contents Page List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina ...... 3 Jasminka DŽUMHUR ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Faris VEHABOVI Ć.......................................................................................................................................... 15 Dragomir VUKOJE.......................................................................................................................................... 19 Curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Croatia ................................................ 25 Vesna ALABURI Ć........................................................................................................................................... 33 Vesna CRNI Ć-GROTI Ć.................................................................................................................................. 37 Ksenija TURKOVI Ć .......................................................................................................................................