Miklós Haraszti: Human rights watchdogs in Belarus face huge problems

Expulsion of Alena Tankachova is an evidence of huge problems human rights activists continue to face, working in Belarus.

It is said in the statement of the UN Special Rapporteur, Miklós Haraszti, published at the website of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, BelaPAN informs.

“This obviously disproportionate measure was taken by the government as a response to the human rights activities of Tankachova in the country,” Mr. Haraszti noted. “These actions violate international commitments of Belarus in the sphere of human rights protection.”

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders Michel Forst joined the statement. He shares the apprehension of Mr. Haraszti as to the ongoing crackdown on human rights activists in Belarus, the report reads.

The both special rapporteurs have called upon the Belarusian authorities to take into consideration their repeated requests about an opportunity to visit Belarus.

We remind that in November 2014 the Internal Affairs Department of Pershamajski district of Minsk ordered Alena Tankachova, a Russian national, to leave Belarus within a month, and banned entry to Belarus for the next three years. The reason for that were facts of minor speeding by a car owned by Tankachova, recorded by video cameras. Attempts of the human rights activist to challenge this decision at court failed, and on February 21 she had to leave Belarus, where she had been living for 30 years.