2nd October 2019
This submission is in reference to Equality Now’s Report: Roadblocks To Justice: How The Law Is Failing Survivors Of Sexual Violence In Eurasia, which contains a survey of the laws on sexual violence in the 15 countries of the former Soviet Union and an analysis of gaps in the law and examples of practice allowing for impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence crimes. As noted in this submission, the definitions of rape and sexual violence related crimes in Belarus do not conform to international human rights standards. In addition, perpetrators of sexual violence often go unpunished because of discriminatory investigation and prosecution procedures that are applied in practice.
Submitted by: Equality Now