A/HRC/20/8 I. Introduction A. Mandate 1. On 17 June 2011, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 17/24, in which it expressed its deep concern at the overall human rights situation in Belarus and its severe deterioration since the presidential election of 19 December 2010, including credible allegations of torture, arbitrary detention and increasing harassment of opposition leaders, representatives of civil society, human rights defenders, lawyers, independent media, students and those defending them. 2. In resolution 17/24, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor the human rights situation in Belarus and to present to the Council, in an interactive dialogue to be held at its eighteenth session, an oral report thereon, including on alleged human rights violations committed in Belarus following the presidential election of 19 December 2010. The High Commissioner presented an oral report to the Council at its eighteenth session. The Council also requested the High Commissioner to present to the Council, in an interactive dialogue to be held at its twentieth session, a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in Belarus. B. Cooperation of the Government 3. In its resolution 17/24, the Human Rights Council called upon the Government of Belarus to cooperate fully with all mechanisms of the Council, the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) and human rights treaty bodies, to permit access to visit the country and to provide all necessary information. Accordingly, OHCHR addressed three notes verbales (on 18 July and 15 December 2011, and 17 February 2012) to the Government of Belarus, requesting that it allow access to an OHCHR team to the country. OHCHR did not receive any written reply to its requests. During the interactive dialogue at the eighteenth session of the Council, the Ambassador of Belarus Mikhail Khvostov pointed out that his Government did not recognize resolution 17/24 and therefore refused to cooperate with OHCHR on it. This position was reiterated at subsequent bilateral meetings between OHCHR and representatives of Belarus. 4. On 30 August 2011, the High Commissioner received a letter, signed 19 August, from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, in which he invited her to visit Belarus. The High Commissioner expressed her appreciation for the invitation and informed the Government that the possibility of such a visit might be considered only after the completion of the mandate of the Council. She pointed out that the invitation could not be regarded as a substitute for a technical mission by OHCHR to Belarus for the purpose of fulfilling the mandate of the Council under resolution 17/24. 5. Since December 2010, the Government of Belarus has communicated on a regular basis its views and information pertaining to resolution 17/24. The most recent comments were received from the Government in a note verbale of the Permanent Mission of Belarus dated 20 February 2012,, and were taken into consideration in the preparation of the present report. OHCHR also acknowledges the availability of the Ambassador of Belarus for meetings with the High Commissioner in January and August 2011, and with OHCHR staff in the course of 2011. 6. Belarus was reviewed at the eighth session of the universal periodic review mechanism, in May 2010. The Government accepted most of the recommendations therefrom, and cooperated with OHCHR in the implementation of some of them. Cooperation, was however, mainly limited to areas pertaining to trafficking. In February 4