BHC informed the UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of opinion and expression, the situation of human rights defenders and the situation of human rights in Belarus about the recognition of our resources as "extremist materials".
By the decision of the Court of the Zheleznodorozhny District of Gomel on June 7, 2024, which took place without prior notification and participation of representatives of the organization, the BHC's resources, including the Facebook page and the official website, were recognized as "extremist".
We have noticed that the recognition of BHC resources as extremist materials not only complicates the activities of the organization itself, but also jeopardizes the security of other online platforms and individuals interacting with these materials.
The vague and broad definitions provided in the anti-extremism legislation grant the authorities wide latitude to arbitrarily enforce these provisions as a means of political repression, prohibiting literally any actions with “extremist materials”. For example, subscribing to the BHC Facebook page, taking screenshots of our publications or sending them in personal or group chats may be considered a violation of the law and entail administrative responsibility. In our submission, we also noted that the retroactive application of these laws means that even links or posts made before the recognition of resources BHC as extremist materials can lead to prosecution.
We stressed that this decision violates international human rights standards reflected in the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders), as well as the right of everyone to freedom of expression, including freedom to seek, receive and disseminate all kinds of information and ideas, established by article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, are violated.
