A/HRC/20/8 the defence and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including those who may be critical of Government actions and policies. 28. All above-mentioned amendments were introduced in an expedited manner – in two readings during one sitting – and were not available to the public in advance.8 These amendments appear to contradict the spirit of international human rights law, inter alia, articles 19, 21, 22 and 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and articles 5, 8 and 13 of 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 (Declaration on Human Rights Defenders). III. Situation since 19 December 2010 A. Sequence of events 29. On 19 December 2010, a presidential election was held, for which 10 candidates stood for election to the post. The election was monitored by a number of international observers, including the OSCE election observation mission and the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Discrepancies were found between their conclusions: the CIS observers concluded that the presidential election had been held in an orderly and transparent manner; 9 the OSCE mission, while acknowledging certain improvements in the electoral process, noted a lack of independence and impartiality in election administration, a restrictive media environment, a lack of transparency at key stages of the electoral process and a legislative framework for elections that fell short of providing a basis for genuinely democratic elections. 10 30. According to the Central Electoral Commission of Belarus, Mr Lukashenka received 79.65 per cent of votes. Before the official results were announced, supporters of opposition presidential candidates and non-partisan opponents of the incumbent President gathered in downtown Minsk to voice their protest over what they believed to be an unfair election, denouncing massive irregularities and falsifications. According to official information, the rally started in the Oktyabrskaya Square in Minsk at 6.50 p.m., and by 9.20 p.m. had moved towards Independence Square. 11 31. According to credible witness accounts, the first violent incident happened at around 7.p.m. in the evening of 19 December, when one of the opposition candidates, Uladzimir Niakliaieu, and his supporters peacefully marching towards Independence Square were stopped and attacked, allegedly by law enforcement agents.12 In the meantime, the demonstration at Independence Square was reportedly peaceful until a small isolated group started breaking the windows of a nearby government building; according to official accounts, this took place between 10.00 and 10.30 p.m.13 The identity of these persons remains unclear; the Government claims that they were opposition supporters, while the opposition alleges that they were provocateurs sent by the Government. Law enforcement 8 9 10 11 12 13 Article 19, 20 October 2011; see www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/2787/en/new-legislativeamendments-limiting-freedom-of-assembly-and-association-and-imposing-new-restrictions-on-civilsociety-groups-in-belarus. Comments of Belarus on the concluding observations of the Committee against Torture, 28 December 2011. See OSCE Rapporteur‟s report on Belarus (available from www.osce.org/odihr/78705), June 2011. CAT/C/BLR/CO/4/Add.1. Naviny, 20 May 2011; see http://naviny.by/rubrics/society/2011/05/20/ic_articles_116_173496/. CAT/C/BLR/CO/4/Add.1. 9