A/HRC/26/44 I. Introduction 1. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus was established by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 20/13. Miklós Haraszti assumed his functions on 1 November 2012, and his mandate was extended for one year (A/HRC/RES/23/15). In the present report, the Special Rapporteur describes the prevailing situation of human rights in Belarus since he presented his first report (A/HRC/23/52) to the twenty-third session of the Human Rights Council in June 2013. 2. The general situation of human rights in Belarus has not improved. The widespread disrespect for human rights that has evolved since 1991 into a regime of violations with a structural and endemic character (A/HRC/20/8) remains intact. The Special Rapporteur is concerned about the lack of progress made to improve legislation, institutions and practice, which the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur identified as being at the core of the both systematic and systemic denial of human rights (A/HRC/23/52). In his previous report, the Special Rapporteur had noted some welcome preparatory steps regarding the establishment of a national human rights institution and a parliamentary working group on the death penalty, work in the area of human trafficking and efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. While work does continue in the two latter areas, no progress has been made in the creation of institutions that protect human rights. 3. The country remains the only State in Europe with a Parliament without opposition (A/68/276, para. 14). The judiciary continues to be fully dependent on the President, who names and can remove all judges and the Prosecutor-General. The lack of independence of the courts and law enforcement agencies remain coupled with intimidation against lawyers, who are forced to join the bar association that is directly supervised by the Government. 4. Capital punishment continues to be used in Belarus with no guarantee of due process. Since June 2013, the court of Belarus has sentenced four people to death. Reportedly, no executions have been carried out. 5. Due to new cases, the overall number of persons incarcerated in retaliation for their political activities has practically not diminished. Among them, a former presidential candidate and leaders of major human rights and youth organizations remain behind bars. A few political prisoners were released, but only upon completion of their prison terms, with no effort to review their cases. Despite frequent behind-the-door and public requests by international organizations and various Governments, the President has not used his power to issue an amnesty, which he can do even in the absence of a request for pardon. This strict position towards incarcerated public figures seems to reflect a determination to maintain tight restrictions on public life. 6. The economy is 70–80 per cent State-controlled, which leads to the widespread denial of labour rights with a severe suppression of the right of independent labour unions to organize. 7. The rights to freedom of opinion and expression, association, peaceful assembly and cultural rights continue to be severely restricted in law and practice, as a means to control all spheres of public life. The broadcasting system is State-owned, making media freedom impossible. 8. A highly dissuasive, permission-based regime is still the main tool to deny civil rights. It is particularly applied to limit access to information and the freedoms of expression and opinion, information, association and peaceful assembly – all key for full and inclusive participation in public life. 3