A/HRC/29/43 preventing domestic violence.77 In its national report prepared for the second cycle of the universal periodic review, Belarus reported that a definition of domestic violence had been introduced into the Law on Basic Actions for the Prevention of Crime adopted on 4 January 2015. The Special Rapporteur calls for the prompt adoption of the draft law on domestic violence, which will provide for the rights of victims to assistance, protection and remedies. 2. Persons with disabilities 120. Efforts have been made for persons with disabilities, in particular with regard to the accessibility of public infrastructure. Persons with disabilities continue to face physical and regulatory barriers, and challenges with regard to access to education and employment, including reasonable accommodation in the workplace, as well as stereotyping. 121. The Special Rapporteur takes note of the draft presidential decree on signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as reported in the national report prepared for the second cycle of the universal periodic review, and encourages Belarus to ratify the Convention and the Optional Protocol thereto. 3. Roma 122. As raised by the Special Rapporteur in previous reports (see A/HRC/26/44, para. 125), discrimination faced by the Roma is widespread, including in the fields of employment and education. Human rights defenders report having received complaints from the Roma community with regard to cases of unreasonable and arbitrary detention by law enforcement bodies.78 4. LGBTI persons 123. Although same-sex relationships are not illegal in Belarus, homophobic discourse is widespread, including in the media. There is no law to protect sexual minorities from discrimination, and homophobic violence is not considered a hate-based crime, even though cases of harassment, discrimination and attacks against LGBTI persons are frequent (A/69/307, para. 84). In May 2014, a young man was attacked while leaving a gay club in Minsk. As a result of the assault, he spent a month in a coma and suffered irreversible injuries. The court convicted the assailant for involuntary homicide to two years and eight months and refused to consider any circumstances of hate crime based on sexual orientation, even though witnesses testified to the homophobic intent of the perpetrator. 79 124. The Special Rapporteur remains concerned about the particular challenges facing LGBTI defenders, who suffer double discrimination and are frequent targets of violence and abuse, including by law enforcement authorities (A/69/307, para. 84). 5. Persons living with HIV/AIDS 125. The Special Rapporteur takes note of information on efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, including on the fact that antiretroviral therapy is provided through State funds 80 and that harm reduction programmes have been introduced, including opiate substitution therapy.81 He also draws attention, however, to the need to prohibit discrimination and to repeal or 77 78 79 80 81 See UN-Women, Government commitments (www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violenceagainst-women/take-action/commit/government-commitments). Viasna, “Human rights defenders receive more reports on ongoing harassment of Roma”, 26 February 2015. Civic Belarus, “Belarusian Court refuses to admit homophobia”, 15 January 2015. UNAIDS, “Ending the AIDS epidemic in Belarus: joint commitments and joint efforts”, 10 February 2015. UNAIDS, “Opoid substitution therapy and HIV prevention in Belarus”, 11 December 2014. 21