OSCE reports human rights violations during and after Belarus presidential election News
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OSCE reports human rights violations during and after Belarus presidential election

A report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) alleged Thursday human rights violations during and after the August 9 Belarus presidential election of Aleksander Lukashenko.

The allegations of human rights abuses “were found to be massive and systematic and proven beyond doubt.” The report alleges well-documented cases of ill-treatment and torture by security forces against political dissidents. It also alleges possible election fraud. Local organizations, citizens, as well as international observers believe that the presidential election fell short of “basic international requirements for genuine elections.”

The report makes several recommendations including canceling the presidential election results, ceasing all violence, releasing political prisoners, and those related to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

The 17 OSCE participating states invoked the Moscow Mechanism in September and appointed rapporteur Wolfgang Benedek after reports of widespread human rights violations. Benedek is a professor of international law at the University of Graz. The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) provided administrative and logistical support to the rapporteur.

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