Summary

This report is based on facts gathered by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in Minsk. It provides an analysis of the human rights situation in Belarus in the spring of 1997.

The author comes to the alarming conclusion that citizens in the Republic of Belarus are entirely deprived of their rights and that human rights are egregiously abused by the government. In his view, it is time to make urgent demands to find ways to restore legality and democracy in Belarus.

The report is intended for specialists in human rights, law-enforcement officials, deputies of the Supreme Soviet, representatives of political parties, political scientists and legal scholars (including those abroad) and also for citizens who are concerned about the future of Belarus.

Table Of Contents

• Introduction
• The Legal Basis for the Ruling Regime: the Illegitimate Constitution
• The Legal Status of the Individual in Belarus
• The Superficial Proclamation of Rights
• The Violation of Human Rights Through Presidential Decree
• The Courts as Agencies of Persecution of Opponents of the Regime
• The Restoration of Legality and Democracy as the Only Solution to the Legal Crisis
• Appendices (Statements Made in Defense of Human Rights)