Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Information received from Belarus on follow-up to the concluding observations on its combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports *

[Date received: 1 December 2025]

Follow-up information relating to paragraph 20 of the concluding observations (CERD/C/BLR/CO/24-25)

1.Currently, Belarus has established and is implementing a fairly effective and balanced set of legal, organizational and specific measures to ensure equality before the law for all and to prevent and suppress terrorism and extremist crimes and offences and the rehabilitation of Nazism.

2.The legislative approach to countering extremism and terrorism is based on the constitutional provisions under which Belarus must defend its independence and territorial integrity and the constitutional order and ensure lawfulness and law and order. The State must take all measures available to it to establish the internal and international order necessary for the full realization of the rights and freedoms of Belarusian citizens, as provided for in the Constitution.

3.The judicial procedure for recognizing materials and organizations as extremist, which excludes similar powers of other State bodies and officials, is an additional guarantee for the protection of human rights and freedoms and complies with international legal standards in the field of the administration of justice.

4.The legislation and the application thereof are in compliance with the requirements of international law.

5.According to article 22 of the Constitution, all persons are equal before the law and have the right to equal protection of their rights and lawful interests, without any discrimination.

6.The activities of civil society organizations, including those defending human rights, are regulated by Belarusian law, which allows them to carry out their activities freely without undue restrictions.

7.The Voluntary Associations Act is aimed at implementing the constitutional right of citizens to freedom of association and establishing the legal and organizational basis for the creation, operation, reorganization and liquidation of voluntary associations.

8.According to the provisions of the Act, the State must ensure the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of voluntary associations and unions and may provide information, guidance and other assistance.

9.State bodies and officials may not interfere in the activities of voluntary associations and unions, nor may voluntary associations and unions interfere in the activities of State bodies and officials, except in cases provided for by law.

10.At the same time, it is prohibited to establish or operate voluntary associations and unions with the aim of violently changing the constitutional order, spreading propaganda for war, provoking social, ethnic, religious or racial hostility, carrying out terrorist or other extremist activities or other acts prohibited by law, or allowing for such activities and acts to be carried out in the course of fulfilling legitimate purposes.

11.Unregistered voluntary associations are prohibited from operating in Belarus.

12.Activities by voluntary associations and unions that aim to promote the granting of benefits and privileges to Belarusian citizens by foreign States on the basis of political or religious views or ethnic background in violation of the law are prohibited.

13.In accordance with the requirements of articles 2 and 3 of the Foundations of Civil Society Act, civil society entities must carry out their activities in accordance with the Constitution, the Act and other legislative acts, as well as their own statutes. The law is the same for everyone and is not applied selectively.

14.The interaction between State bodies or organizations and civil society is based on the principles of legality, transparency, voluntariness, balancing the interests of the individual, society and the State, equality of citizens’ rights and the prohibition of discrimination.

15.In the State Party’s view, the Committee’s recommendations on the application of Belarusian legislation on countering extremism and terrorism are not based on facts and reliable data.

Follow-up information relating to paragraph 32 of the concluding observations

16.A comprehensive system for the legal and social protection of asylum-seekers has been established in Belarus.

17.National legislation, in accordance with international standards, provides that all foreign nationals or stateless persons applying for refugee status, subsidiary protection or asylum in Belarus must be given access to the procedures for the consideration of their applications for protection.

18.Either when crossing the State borders of Belarus or when already in the country, any foreigner may declare his or her intention to seek protection. On the basis of its consideration of each application, the Ministry of Internal Affairs adopts a decision, which may be challenged in the courts.

19.Belarus is committed to constructive cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), regional partners and other stakeholders to protect the rights and dignity of all those in need of international protection.

20.This year saw the continued implementation of measures under a protocol of intent on cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, the UNHCR office in Belarus, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in Belarus, the Belarusian Red Cross and the Belarusian Movement of Medical Workers to monitor access by foreign citizens and stateless persons to the procedure for granting refugee status, subsidiary protection or asylum. As part of the implementation of this protocol, the parties involved conduct monitoring visits throughout the country, including to raise awareness among law enforcement and border guard officials of the need to ensure that foreign nationals detained for unlawful stay in Belarus have access to the procedure for granting refugee status, subsidiary protection or asylum.

21.In 2025, the Refugee Coordination Forum, which includes representatives of relevant government bodies, local authorities, United Nations entities and Belarusian voluntary associations, held quarterly meetings to coordinate assistance to Ukrainian and third-country nationals arriving in Belarus from Ukraine.

22.To improve education, develop in-depth knowledge and discuss current issues and challenges, an annual “summer school” on the rights of refugees and stateless persons is held, attended by students from Belarusian higher education institutions and representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and international organizations.

23.In the current year, the Ministry, together with the local UNHCR office, has developed information booklets and stands to be placed in places frequented by persons seeking or already granted protection in Belarus.

24.Systematic work was carried out to disseminate information from UNHCR about the material (cash) assistance programme, which operates throughout Belarus, for persons seeking or granted protection.

25.The practice of procuratorial supervision indicates that there are no instances of excessive use of force against refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers by representatives of border and law enforcement agencies and other civil servants of Belarus. Employees of State bodies and other organizations of Belarus have repeatedly provided assistance to refugees and migrants who have suffered from unlawful actions on the territory of other States.

26.There continue to be reports of unjustified use of physical force and special law enforcement equipment by officials in Latvia, Poland and Lithuania against persons on the move, acts of cruelty and deliberate failure to provide them with medical assistance, including cases resulting in death. Preliminary investigations into criminal cases initiated in this connection are conducted by the Investigative Committee of Belarus.

27.For example, during the investigation of a criminal case initiated against officials of Latvia, information was obtained about 96 victims, with 30 fatalities.

28.In the criminal case concerning unlawful acts by officials of Poland, 236 persons were recognized as victims, with 22 fatalities.

29.In the criminal case against the officials of Lithuania, 36 victims were identified, with 12 fatalities.

30.Foreign nationals who have arrived in Belarus because of a well-founded fear of persecution in another country, including on the grounds of race, religion, nationality or ethnic origin, are entitled to refugee status, subsidiary protection or asylum.

31.In accordance with the Rights of the Child Act of 1993, special care and social protection are guaranteed for children with special developmental needs and children who are temporarily or permanently deprived of their family environment or who find themselves in other unfavourable conditions or emergencies. All children have equal rights, regardless of their origin, race, ethnicity or nationality. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, enjoy full and equal protection by the State.

32.Every child has the right to be protected from all forms of exploitation and abuse. The State must ensure the integrity of the child’s person and protect him or her from all forms of exploitation.

33.The State must take measures to prevent the illicit transfer and non-return of children from abroad and the abduction or sale of children for any purpose or in any form, in accordance with the national and international law.

34.According to article 20 of the Trafficking in Persons Act, social protection and rehabilitation of child victims of trafficking in persons are provided free of charge by means of temporary accommodation, including board and lodging (for children under 3 years of age in State healthcare organizations and for those aged 3 to 18 in social and educational centres or centres for the protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking in persons); legal, medical and psychological assistance; and the identification of the family of minors who are victims of trafficking in persons or their placement with a foster family, or if that is not possible, in a children’s home.

35.With regard to accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, Belarus continues to hold the view that becoming a Party to this fundamental universal treaty, which aims to eradicate statelessness, would serve the purpose of ensuring that national legislation complies with high international standards in this area and the principles developed under the United Nations.

36.In this context, work on the bill regarding the country’s accession to the Convention is ongoing, with consideration given to both external and internal threats to the national security of Belarus and the sanctions that have been imposed on the country, which affect its economic and political situation.

37.Belarusian legislation provides for the possibility of loss of citizenship in connection with the entry into legal force of a sentence confirming a person’s participation in extremist activities and causing serious harm to the interests of Belarus.

38.The measures provided for by law do not create a risk of statelessness for law-abiding Belarusian citizens, including members of ethnic minority communities living abroad.

39.The national legislation of Belarus does not contradict either international practice – a number of foreign countries have and apply similar legislation – or the provisions of the 1961 Convention, under which a State may deprive any person of nationality if he or she, inconsistent with his or her duty of loyalty to the State, has conducted himself or herself in a manner seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the State of nationality.

Follow-up information relating to paragraph 34 of the concluding observations

40.Scheduled and systematic further and advanced training for judges, including on the application of legislation and provisions of international agreements to which Belarus is Party, is carried out at the Belarusian State University Institute for Further and Advanced Training for Judges, Prosecutors and other Judicial Officers.

41.Training is delivered with the use of modern technologies and teaching materials, by highly qualified specialists from among the teaching staff of the Institute, the Belarusian State University law faculty and other educational institutions and scientific organizations, and by Constitutional Court and Supreme Court judges and employees of the Office of the Procurator General, the Ministry of Justice and other government bodies and organizations. Seminars and conferences, some of them international, are regularly organized for students of the Institute.

42.In accordance with the law, it is a lawyer’s duty to continuously improve his or her knowledge and professional development. Lawyers’ self-governing bodies are constantly working to organize and conduct educational and other activities to upgrade lawyers’ skills, including taking into account their needs in studying topics that are most relevant and in demand.

43.The Ministry of Internal Affairs is working to train personnel in the areas covered by the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. At the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, this subject is covered in the general higher education courses in law, forensic science and public administration and law, as part of the international public law field of study.

44.The professional development of border service personnel is also carried out on a regular basis, including through activities organized by international organizations.

45.In 2025, State Border Committee staff took part in a training seminar on international humanitarian law, migration and the specific nature of the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross on family reunification.