BRIEFING NOTES: (1) Myanmar Political Detainees (2) Belarus: Trial Of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Jeremy Laurence

Location: Geneva

Date: 6 January 2023

Subject:

1. Myanmar political detainees
2. Belarus: Trial of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski

Myanmar

The release of political prisoners in Myanmar is not only a relief to those unfairly detained, but also their families. Importantly, however, we take this opportunity to call for the release of the thousands of others who remain in detention for opposing military rule. Even as news emerged about the amnesty to mark the country's independence day, we continued to receive reports of people being detained for opposing military rule, many of whom have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Such detentions are not only intended to silence the junta’s critics, but are also designed to instil fear.

As we mark the 75th anniversary this year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the High Commissioner has called for an end to arbitrary detention once and for all. This week he called on governments and all detaining authorities globally to put the milestone Declaration into action by granting an amnesty, pardon or by simply releasing all those detained for exercising their rights.

The pathway out of Myanmar’s crisis is not by locking people up – it is by allowing them to freely, fully, and effectively participate in political life.

Belarus

On the same matter of arbitrary detention, we are gravely concerned by the trial of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski which started in Belarus on Thursday. Bialiatski faces up to 12 years in jail. Two other representatives of his Viasna Human Rights Center are also facing prison sentences. We have serious concerns about the conduct of their trial.

The trio are among hundreds detained after a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2020.

We call for the charges against them to be dropped, and their immediate release from detention.

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