September 26, Pozirk. Anatol Bokun, a Belarusian opposition activist currently held at the Batavia immigration center in New York State, appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee two years ago.
In 2023, the Committee registered Bokun’s complaint about his politically motivated persecution in Belarus. While the complaint was accepted, it may take years before a decision is reached.
Bokun, a leader of the Biełaruśkalij strike committee, reported numerous violations of his civil and political rights, as well as instances of ill-treatment. Lawyer Vadzim Drazdoŭ, who assisted Bokun in drafting the complaint, shared a copy with Pozirk, along with the UN’s official response.
A resident of Salihorsk in the Minsk region, Bokun faced repeated politically motivated arrests and spent more than 100 days in jail between 2020 and 2021.
He also took part in negotiations with the management of the Norwegian company Yara, which eventually terminated its contract with Biełaruśkalij in response to reprisals against strike committee members. The strike followed the disputed 2020 presidential election, which triggered mass protests over alleged electoral fraud.
In early 2022, fearing further reprisals, the activist fled Belarus.
