A/HRC/RES/29/17 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 22 July 2015 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-ninth session Agenda item 4 Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 2 July 2015 29/17. Situation of human rights in Belarus The Human Rights Council, Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and other applicable human rights instruments, Recalling all resolutions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in Belarus, including Council resolution 26/25 of 27 June 2014, and deploring the inadequate response and lack of cooperation by the Government of Belarus to the requests made by the Council in those resolutions, including the denial of access to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus and other special procedures mandate holders to the country, Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18 June 2007, 1. Welcomes the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus;1 2. Expresses deep concern at the continuing violations of human rights in Belarus, which are of a systemic and systematic nature, as well as at the use of torture and ill-treatment in custody, the lack of response by the Government of Belarus to cases of enforced disappearance of political opponents, the impunity of perpetrators of human rights violations, the violations of labour rights amounting to forced labour, the significant gaps in anti-discrimination legislation, the pressure on defence lawyers and the lack of participation of opposition political parties in Parliament; 3. Calls upon the Government of Belarus to carry out a comprehensive review of relevant legislation, policies, strategies and practices to ensure that the provisions are clearly defined, consistent with international human rights law and with its human rights obligations and commitments, and not used to impede or unduly restrict the exercise of any human right, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful 1 A/HRC/29/43 and A/69/307. GE.15-12345(E) *1512345*