Brussels, 19/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - Belarus has called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to monitor violations of human rights in the European Union, saying that it favours the creation of a special mechanism, according to the Belarusian State agency Belta. According to Belarusian diplomats, cases of bad treatment have apparently been identified in 11 member states (Germany, Austria, Spain, Belgium, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, France and Sweden).
Two main opposition parties - the united civic union and the Belarusian national front - have called for the boycott of the legislative elections on 23 September, calling them a sham and withdrawing their candidates, while several political prisoners are still imprisoned. On 18 September, several Belarusian and foreign journalists were arrested while they were covering a protest organised by the opposition. (CG/transl.fl)