United Nations Third Committee: Australian statement at the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus
Statement delivered by Mr/ Harry Aitken, Counsellor and Legal Adviser, Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations
26 October 2026
Thank you Chair. Australia thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report.
Australia remains deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Belarus.
The scale of repression is alarming. It includes political and transnational repression, forced exile, institutionalised discrimination, intimidation, targeted reprisals, and arbitrary and inhumane detention.
We are troubled by the targeting of women's rights advocates, LGBTQIA+ persons, independent voices and human rights defenders – deepening discrimination and creating punishments impeding access to already constricted civic spaces.
Belarus must end politically motivated prosecutions, repeal discriminatory laws, and release those detained for simply exercising their human rights. While Australia welcomes recent prisoner releases, these individual instances are not a substitute for systemic change.
Australia continues condemn of the Belarusian Government's complicity in the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine, including its involvement in the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children. We call on Belarus to immediately cease support for Russia's war.
Belarus must comply with its international human rights obligations, cooperate fully with UN human rights mechanisms, and ensure accountability for violations.
Australia stands with the Belarusian people and their aspirations for a free and democratic future.
Special Rapporteur, what practical steps can the international community take to secure meaningful improvements to the rights of women and girls in Belarus?