RECOMMENDATIONS

The Belarusian president and government should take the following steps to improve the human rights situation in the country:

· Reestablish the independence of the judiciary to ensure effective judicial protection of human rights and freedoms-in accordance with international standards-against arbitrary decisions and actions of the executive and legislative powers;

· Immediately end measures aimed at establishing a complete state monopoly on information. In particular, cease using the state monopoly on print and distribution services to marginalize the independent media. Also, Decree No. 218 on the import and export of information should be rescinded and its provisions removed from the draft law on the mass media. Similarly, the draft law should set out an appeals process for journalists whose accreditation has been revoked;

· In addition, Ministry of Communications plans to restrict the use of private telephones should be halted; confiscations of written, taped and video materials should be ceased; and independent journalists should be granted sufficient access to government information;

· Cease all forms of government-initiated or -supported harassment of independent media and individual journalists. In particular, cease politically motivated rent hikes; physical and verbal attacks on journalists; and end restrictions on the use of publishing houses;

· Restore the accreditation of television journalists Pavel Sheremet and Aleksandr Stupnikov, as well the latter's residence permit;

· Reestablish Radio 2, Radio 101.2, and independent Belarusian television stations;

· Cease performing politically motivated audits of NGOs and discontinue other forms of harassment of NGOs, such as raising their rents unreasonably or forcing them to move out of their offices;

· Establish sufficient guarantees to exclude political criteria from playing a role in the admission and dismissal of lawyers from bar associations;

· Rescind the arbitrary provisions in Presidential Decree No. 5 restricting public demonstrations;

· Ensure that demonstrations can be organized and carried out in accordance with international law and human rights standards, and without unnecessary police intervention;

· Ensure that in cases of police interventions law enforcement agencies employ only those measures that are strictly needed to restore public order, and that police do not arbitrarily arrest or beat demonstration participants and non-participants;

· Cease the harassment and intimidation of deputies of the Thirteenth Supreme Soviet and political opponents of the government, including at work places, universities and schools; and

· Ensure that Aleksandr Bondarev receives a fair trial.

The Russian government should:

· Encourage the Belarusian government to implement the above recommendations, using its good offices and its exceptional relationship with Belarus;

· Following references to human rights and press freedoms in the Charter of the Union of Russia and Belarus, continuously seek guarantees from the Belarusian authorities for respect for human rights;

· Within the context of the Charter of the Union of Russia and Belarus, establish an independent human rights commission to investigate violations of human rights in Belarus; and

· Support the European Union, the OSCE and the Council of Europe in their efforts to restore the rule of law and respect for human rights in Belarus.

The European Union should:

· Continue to give high priority to its efforts directed at restoring the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and respect for human rights in Belarus, and to closely monitor and react to continuing human rights violations; and

· Increase support for civil society in Belarus through financial and technical assistance, especially by encouraging the organization of seminars on human rights and the rule of law for NGOs, judges and lawyers; and by organizing seminars to promote media freedoms and discourage censorship that would include government officials, representatives of both the state-owned and independent media, and human rights NGOs.

The United States Government should:

· Continue to give high priority to its efforts directed at restoring the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and respect for human rights in Belarus, and to closely monitor and react to continuing human rights violations.

The Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to:

· Offer to organize training sessions on human rights and the rule of law for Belarusian judges and lawyers.

The Council of Europe should:

· Persist in its demands that the Belarusian authorities improve their human rights record, restore democracy and reestablish a functioning separation of powers as a precondition to restoring Special Guest Status to the country; and

· Support and stimulate the development of the civil society in Belarus by providing technical assistance and organizing seminars on human rights and the rule of law for NGOs, judges, lawyers and law enforcement officers in Belarus.