“Human rights define the red lines that humanity simply must not cross”: the 140th session of the UN Human Rights Committee

Despite Belarus’ denunciation of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, its obligations under the Covenant itself as an independent international treaty remain in force. Among these is the requirement to take efforts to implement the rights listed in the Covenant.

The proper implementation of human rights entails attention to how the Committee interprets specific provisions of the Covenant, detailing due standards in its General Comments and views issued on individual cases. Despite the inability to submit complaints to the Committee against the Belarusian state, we consider it important to monitor the Committee's activities, including for a deeper understanding of existing standards.

On March 4th, the 140th session of the UN Human Rights Committee opened. According to its Rules of procedure, the Committee holds three regular sessions per year.

Opening the 140th session, the representative of the Secretary-General, Chief of the Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Section in Human Rights Council, Wan-Hea Lee, highlighted the complexity of the times in which we operate: many systemic problems identified during the Covid-19 pandemic remain unresolved, and multiple brutal wars rage on. In addition, in 2024, more than 60 countries, representing almost half of the world's population, are undergoing electoral processes. In these conditions, it is important to refer to international human rights treaties as a roadmap to help navigate through difficult times. The provisions contained in them, as Van Hee Lee reminds us, define red lines that humanity simply should not cross.

The representative of the Secretary-General also pointed out some good news: for the first time in six years, another country has become a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights — South Sudan (the youngest internationally recognized state, currently in a transitional period).

During the 140th session, the Committee plans to review periodic reports on progress in implementing the provisions of the Covenant submitted by Guyana, Indonesia, Namibia, Serbia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Somalia, and Chile. The session concludes on March 28th.

Considering that a large number of complaints against the Republic of Belarus are under consideration by the Committee, we also expect new considerations relevant for the Belarusian context to emerge following the session.