A/HRC/4/16 page 5 6. On 27 September 2006, the Special Rapporteur addressed the second session of the Human Rights Council where he gave an update on the situation of basic freedoms and human rights in Belarus, as well as its conclusions and recommendations. His report was criticized by certain countries for a lack of impartiality and objectivity and for being politicized. Others regretted the lack of cooperation of the Government of Belarus with the Special Rapporteur and commended his work. 7. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur gathered information from diverse sources such as NGOs (the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International League for Human Rights, the Human Rights Institute, the East European Democratic Centre and others), regional organizations (OSCE Council of Europe), United Nations bodies (United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Country Team in Minsk), specialized agencies (International Labour Organization (ILO)) and the media. 8. In addition to the 11 communications sent by various special procedures to the Government of Belarus since January 2006 mentioned by the Special Rapporteur in his presentation before the Human Rights Council, three others have been issued: • On 16 August 2006, concern was expressed by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus that the sentences imposed on four human rights defenders might have been in connection with their activities in defence of human rights, in particular their participation in election-monitoring activities in Belarus; • On 23 August 2006, concern was expressed by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression at the sentencing of Alyaksandr Kazulin, leader of the Belarusian Socialist Democratic Party and former presidential candidate, to 5½ years’ imprisonment for “hooliganism” and “organization of group activities that breach public order or active participation in similar activities”. A reply from the Government was received on 8 December; • On 23 November 2006, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus expressed concern at the detention of seven activists who worked to promote the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) persons in Belarus, and at the cancellation of the International LGBT Conference they had organized. III. THE APPLICABLE HUMAN RIGHTS LEGAL FRAMEWORK 9. Belarus is a Member of the United Nations and has ratified the Charter, which contains provisions relating to human rights, as well as six of the seven major human rights treaties (see E/CN.4/2006/36). The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict entered into force for Belarus on 28 February 2006.