MINSK, 19 October (BelTA) - Belarus has always fulfilled all its international obligations in human rights, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic Sergei Rachkov told reporters on the sidelines of the tenth session of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation BelTA has learned.
Senators approved the bill "On the denunciation by the Republic of Belarus of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights". This bill has been submitted taking into account the law enforcement practice and the unauthorized expansion by the UN Human Rights Committee of its powers, which created additional unreasonable obligations for Belarus. The Belarusian side will continue to support international cooperation on human rights based on the principles of equality and non-interference in internal affairs.
"This decision to denounce the optional protocol and the preparation of the bill are connected with the analysis of the law enforcement practice of the document and the unauthorized interpretation by the UN Human Rights Committee of its powers. We believe that the committee has gone beyond the functional responsibilities described in the document," Sergei Rachkov noted. “Belarus has always fulfilled all its international obligations in the field of human rights. Every year we submit relevant documents to the UN Human Rights Council. We have always supported not only the ideas but also the very mechanism for submitting a universal report on human rights to the Human Rights Council. We have always prepared our report very carefully, though it is submitted on a voluntary basis. We have always taken heed to all the comments and recommendations made by the members of the UN Human Rights Council and adopted relevant documents to implement the recommendations with which Belarus agreed. We very carefully implemented all these recommendations."
"If we take an objective look at how Belarus acts in this area (many countries take note of this) we see that we very conscientiously fulfill all our international obligations, unlike the UN Human Rights Committee, which has gone beyond its powers, and is trying to interpret its powers in a politicized way. Belarus can no longer agree with this,” the senator said. “We have taken various steps to find a mutually acceptable solution, but we have not been heard. Belarus therefore decided to denounce this optional protocol. But we are in no way going to stop from participating in international cooperation on human rights."
