Belarus criticizes UN Human Rights Council: ‘Not part of the solution'

The allegedly clear-view of human rights imposed by a certain group of countries on the international community is a cause of conflict, does not serve the aims of cooperation, and is divisive, Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yuri Ambrazevich said as he delivered a statement at the High-level segment of the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council on 1 March 2023. Yuri Ambrazevich recalled that the UN Human Rights Council was created to ensure international cooperation aimed at improving the practice of applying the concept of human rights in nation states.

«The HRC, as a statuary body of the General Assembly, by definition, cannot violate the raison d'être of the United Nations. The UN Charter states that the purpose of the organization is to develop friendly relations among nations on the basis of respect for the principle of equal rights and sovereign equality of states. Does the current Human Rights Council serve this noble purpose? The objective answer is ‘no'.

After all, the current discussion in the HRC clearly demonstrates not just a lack of cooperation, but antagonism between points of view regarding the degree of achievement of the documents that enshrined the concept of human rights in international politics,» the diplomat said. He agreed that in a discussion of equal participants there can be opposing views. Yet, in the absence of consensus, the position of one is still acknowledged as the only correct one, contrary to the will of the clear dissenting opinion of the minority.