Adrian Severin: “For priority, human rights always need political reforms”

31.03.2005.

When taking the floor at the UN democracy caucus today, Adrian Severin, the special UN rapporteur for human rights in Belarus, said after he has been working on the situation with the human rights in Belarus for a year he has negative impressions.
The 20th century, said A.Severin, was a century of democracy fighting various “isms”, but the fights is still on in the 21st century. The political elites of certain countries even do not try to observe democracy. When responding to objective criticism from various sides, representatives of Belarus say that Belarus is a democratic country which continues to work toward improving its democratic system. But these words are paltering.
Mr. Severin also said that the human rights are strongly connected with the political system in the country. A non-democratic country will not develop human rights, and the other way round. “For priority, human rights always need political reforms”.
Also, Mr. Severin supported the current UN institution of special rapporteurs on particular countries actively resisted by Russia and China.