A relatively new practice in Belarusian justice is holding trials in absentia of politicians, human rights activists, journalists, and activists who have fled the country as part of “special proceedings.”
One of the victims of this practice is multiple Olympic medalist, European and world swimming champion Alexandra Gerasimenya, who was sentenced by the Minsk City Court to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay property damages in her absence. In this regard, the human rights organization Respect - Protect - Fulfill (RPF) filed a complaint with the Human Rights Committee. We talked with RPF head Nikita Matyushchenkov about the Human Rights Committee, its essence and principles of work, the complaint filed, as well as the fairness of the practice of trial in absentia itself from the point of view of Belarus’ international obligations in the field of human rights.
One of the victims of this practice is multiple Olympic medalist, European and world swimming champion Alexandra Gerasimenya, who was sentenced by the Minsk City Court to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay property damages in her absence. In this regard, the human rights organization Respect - Protect - Fulfill (RPF) filed a complaint with the Human Rights Committee. We talked with RPF head Nikita Matyushchenkov about the Human Rights Committee, its essence and principles of work, the complaint filed, as well as the fairness of the practice of trial in absentia itself from the point of view of Belarus’ international obligations in the field of human rights.
