A/HRC/29/43 101. The Special Rapporteur reaffirms that Belarus must comply with its international obligations concerning freedom of association and create conditions to guarantee that human rights defenders may do their work in a safe and secure environment. L. Elections 102. In the light of the forthcoming presidential elections due in 2015, it is particularly worrying that the rights to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections are not guaranteed in Belarus (A/68/276, para. 115). 103. Amendment to electoral laws to ban election boycotts were passed by the Council of the Republic on 15 November 2013.67 The Special Rapporteur calls for the repeal of this amendment and for a reform focusing on ensuring transparency and public participation, and key preconditions for free and fair elections in the Electoral Code, in particular:  A guarantee of independence of election commissions, including through their pluralistic composition  Transparent vote counting, including a detailed procedure for full and open observation by election commission members and other stakeholders 104. The Special Rapporteur also highlights the fact that respect for the freedoms of assembly, association and expression and the rule of law are the cornerstone of free and full participation in democratic societies and the precondition for free and fair elections. M. Trade unions 105. Belarus has for many years been advised to bring its legislative framework on trade unions and strikes into line with the obligation to ensure the freedom of activity of trade unions and the rights to strike, to organize and to collective bargaining. 68 In the annual Global Rights Index released on 19 May 2014 by the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC), which rates working conditions in countries according to 97 indicators, Belarus ranked among the 24 “worst countries in the world to work in”, in category 5 (“No guarantee of rights”).69 106. As in the case of associations, the registration and formation of trade unions is impeded. Without registration, trade union activities are banned and the trade union itself faces dissolution. At the 103rd session of the International Labour Organization (ILO), in June 2014, the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards, in an observation on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), noted “with deep regret” that, despite numerous requests by the ILO supervisory bodies, there had been no tangible measures taken in this regard, and urged the Government to address the issue of registration of trade unions in practice. It also took note of further allegations of anti-union discrimination and interference in public sector enterprises (Granit and the Babruysk plant of tractor parts and units) and requested information on allegations of violations of ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98, including the denial of the right to hold pickets and demonstrations, the deregistration of a primary trade union affiliated to the Radio and 67 68 69 18 Belta, “OSCE/ODIHR not happy with Belarus’ plans to ban election boycotts”, 15 November 2013. See E/C.12/1/Add.7/Rev.1, para. 22; E/C.12/BLR/CO/4-6, para. 17; and ILO, 369th Report of the Committee on Freedom of Association (GB.318/INS/5/2), para. 26. ITUC, “New ITUC Global Rights Index – The world’s worst countries for workers”, 19 May 2014.