A/HRC/RES/45/1
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
21 September 2020
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Forty-fifth session
14 September–7 October 2020
Agenda item 1
Organizational and procedural matters
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
on 18 September 2020
45/1.
Situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020
presidential election and in its aftermath
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the
provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on
Human Rights and other applicable human rights instruments,
Having held an urgent debate at its current session to discuss the situation of human
rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath,
Recalling all resolutions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights, the General
Assembly and the Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in Belarus,
including Council resolution 44/19 of 17 July 2020,
Recalling also the statement made by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights on 12 August 2020, the statement made by the Office of the Secretary-General
on 13 August 2020 and the joint statements made by the special procedure mandate holders
since the presidential election held in Belarus on 9 August 2020,
1.
Expresses deep concern about the overall situation of human rights in Belarus
and its deterioration in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election held on 9 August 2020
and in its aftermath;
2.
Regrets that the Government of Belarus has not fulfilled its obligations with
regard to the right of every citizen to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections
which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing
the free expression of the will of the electors, in accordance with, inter alia, its obligations
under article 25 (b) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and also
regrets the failure of Belarus to implement previous recommendations of the Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe on holding credible elections that meet international standards and its noncooperation in issuing a timely invitation, which precluded the deployment of a mission by
that Office to observe the recent presidential election;
3.
Expresses serious concern at credible allegations that human rights violations
were committed in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath,
including numerous acts of torture; enforced disappearance; abduction and arbitrary
expulsion; arbitrary detention, including of minors; sexual and gender-based violence;
GE.20-12228(E)