Belarusian special militia troops, OMON. Photo:ITAR-TASS, PAP
The World Daily | News Desk JUNE 21st 2021
“We are seeing a serious deterioration in the human rights situation in the world,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. She spoke about torturing people in Belarus and silencing the opposition in Russia, and about the crisis caused by the pandemic.
During the speech opening the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet stated that Belarus continued to restrict freedom of speech, the right to association and peaceful protest. “We received numerous reports of arrests and torture,” she noted. “We are still investigating the situation in Belarus, but I regret to inform you that the government of this country has decided to end the presence of our senior human rights adviser in Minsk, although his position was an opportunity for better cooperation,” she added.
While discussing the human rights situation in individual countries, the High Commissioner noted, inter alia, against Russia, where in June the court recognized the Foundation for Fighting Corruption (FBK) associated with the imprisoned anti-Kremlin oppositionist Alexei Navalny as an extremist organization. “I call on Russia to respect the law and political freedoms. (...) In addition, I call on the authorities to end the arbitrary practice of labeling ordinary people, journalists or NGOs as ‘extremist’, calling them ‘foreign agents’ and ‘undesirable organizations’,” said Bachelet.
Increase in inequality during a pandemic
She stressed that extreme poverty, inequality and injustice had increased in the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that civil society and democratic institutions were further curbed. “These challenges require the cooperation of all states and actions in many fields that focus on the fundamental values of the United Nations – development, peace and security and human rights,” said Bachelet.
