Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Experiments to study child brain tumours and muscle ageing heading to space [March 2023]

The press release issued by the UK Space Agency on 24 March 2023.

Scientists will use the International Space Station to carry out experiments seeking to improve understanding of currently incurable child brain tumours and the muscle ageing process, thanks to UK Space Agency funding.

Due to be ready for launch in 2025, the experiments will be supervised by astronauts on board for up to six months before returning to Earth for the results to be analysed.

D(MG)2, led by the Institute of Cancer Research, received £1.2 million to look at diffuse midline glioma; the second most common type of “primary high grade” brain tumour in children that has, so far, been impossible to cure due to the amount of different cell types it contains.

MicroAge II, led by the University of Liverpool, was awarded £1.4 million funding for the second part of its project investigating how the microgravity environment makes astronauts’ muscles weaken in space, in an accelerated way to how muscles get weaker as we age on Earth.

Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, George Freeman, said:

Space is the ultimate laboratory testbed with British scientists and astronauts harnessing the International Space Station for cutting edge research in nutrition, energy and biomedicine.

This £2.6m project funding will help UK scientists research how to prevent brain tumours in children, and understand the biomedical processes of ageing: research with huge benefits for mankind and health systems around the world.

Another example of the way UK strengths in different sectors from space to life science and cleantech drive technology leadership.

Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:

This ground-breaking research highlights the power of space to push through barriers, revolutionise science and enhance our lives.

Through a combination of national funding and our vital role in the European Space Agency, we’re ensuring UK scientists have access to the unique environment of the ISS for their research, which will benefit us all.

Announced during Brain Tumour Awareness Month, the ISS experiment for D(MG)2 will use microgravity to get a clearer picture of how diffuse midline glioma cells react with each other, so that potential new avenues for developing novel treatments can be identified.

Professor of Childhood Cancer Biology at The Institute of Cancer Research, Chris Jones, said:

Unfortunately, survival rates for patients with diffuse midline glioma have not changed substantially since Neil Armstrong’s daughter died of the disease in the early sixties. The last 15 years, however, have revolutionised our understanding of the biological complexity of these tumours, with exciting new therapies entering clinical trial at last.

Experiments such as D(MG)2 aboard the International Space Station will improve our understanding of how cancer cells interact with each other within three-dimensional structures, and hopefully lead to new ideas for disrupting tumour growth that we can take forward back in the lab.

The ISS experiment for MicroAge II will use a lab-grown human muscle to observe the effects of microgravity and test whether mitochondria play an important role in muscle loss in space and determine whether applying tension can slow the degeneration process, which could help scientists to rapidly develop therapies to reduce muscle loss as we age.

The UK Space Agency supported MicroAge I, which flew to the ISS in December 2021 to test lab-grown muscle constructs, each the size of a grain of rice.

University of Liverpool’s Professor Malcolm Jackson said:

We are delighted to receive this generous funding from the UK Space Agency to develop our studies of the effects of microgravity on loss of skeletal muscle as a model from which we can further understand muscle loss during ageing.

We will use newly developed techniques to study the role of changes in mitochondria, tiny structures that are responsible for supplying energy to cells, in driving the loss of muscle mass that occurs in microgravity.

The role that a loss of tension on muscle plays in these mitochondrial changes will be examined using innovative hardware that we are developing with Kayser Space Ltd which modifies the amount of tension that the muscle experiences in microgravity.

This will be used to test whether altered tension on muscle regulates the muscle loss in microgravity and to inform us on the process during muscle loss during ageing on Earth.

Equipment for the experiments is built by microgravity hardware specialists, Kayser Space, based in Oxfordshire.

Managing Director of Kayser Space Ltd, David Zolesi, said:

We are thrilled to be involved in these two new UK Space Agency funded programmes and to support scientists investigating these cutting-edge research fields.

Our role, as experts in the design and supply of instruments and systems used in outer space and especially in crewed spaceflight, is to provide public and private research groups with the tools to conduct their research and obtain great results for the benefit and well-being of all humankind.

March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New use of thermal imaging could reduce diabetic foot amputations [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 24 March 2023.

The Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) has funded the National Physical Laboratory’s development of an innovative new thermal imaging technology.
Background

People with diabetes are at risk of developing foot ulcers. If left untreated, these ulcers can lead to infection and even amputation. Before a foot ulcer develops, the temperature of the skin increases near the site of ulceration. Current temperature measurement techniques only measure a single area of skin at a time, making them slow and subjective, often limiting them to the sole of the foot, where just 40% of ulcers occur.

The knowledge asset solution

A team at the UK’s national metrology institute, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), have developed a new thermal imaging technology that can accurately capture the entire surface temperature of the foot in seconds, reducing the risk of thousands of potential ulcers being missed by clinicians each year, with the potential for further use in other medical applications.

Who will this help?

Patients: The technology could prevent 170 amputations a week in England alone, improve patient quality of life and reduce mortality rates.

Clinicians: The technology saves time, captures more of the skin area and identifies at risk patients sooner.

NHS: Early detection decreases the need for amputations, which costs the NHS around £1.1 billion a year (2017)

Funding awarded

NPL were awarded £248,502 by the Knowledge Asset Grant Fund (KAGF) in 2021 to help grow and develop their new thermal imaging company, Celsius Health. They were awarded a further £210,880 in January 2023 to help commercialise their knowledge asset and to bring the technology closer to patients.

Outcome

NPL has developed revolutionary new technology for the healthcare sector and a prototype that meets UK product legislation (Conformity Assessed). A new medical tech company has also been established that will support the wider healthcare sector.

Quote from Celsius Health

Christian Saville, from Celsius Health, said the following about the support from GOTT:

As a world leading National Metrology Institute (NMI), NPL is constantly developing new technology. GOTT has helped us realise different ways of making the most impact from our discoveries – in this case via spinout.

Next steps

The Celsius Health team are seeking to raise venture capital for Celsius Health and secure medical regulatory approval. This will allow for the technology to be sold and used in the treatment of diabetes with further possible applications where inflammation, infection and blood flow are key indicators of disease.
March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : British Ambassador Jill Morris CMG officially starts her tour as British Ambassador to Turkiye [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2023.

Jill Morris, presented her credentials to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 22 March 2023 and officially started her tour as British Ambassador to Turkey. She is the UK’s first female Ambassador to Turkiye.

British Ambassador Jill Morris CMG paid a visit to Anıtkabir on her first full day in office. She was accompanied by Embassy Staff.

Jill Morris laid a wreath at the mausoleum and observed a minute’s silence before signing the Anıtkabir Memorial Book. She wrote the following lines:

I am deeply honoured and proud to represent the UK in Turkiye, laying a wreath at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and paying my heartfelt tribute and respect to the father of modern Turkiye. The UK and Turkiye have strong, deep rooted relations, including as allies in NATO. I look forward to strengthening further our partnership as we celebrate the centenary of the Turkish Republic in 2023.

March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and EU to formally adopt the Windsor Framework [March 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 March 2023.

The UK and EU to meet to formally agree the Windsor Framework at the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, chaired by Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly and Vice President of the EU Commission, Maroš Šefčovič.
- James Cleverly and Maroš Šefčovič to co-chair two meetings to formally adopt the Windsor Framework and discuss ongoing UK-EU cooperation on trade, energy and security.
- Today’s meetings follow the successful vote in the House of Commons on the Stormont Brake.
- The Windsor Framework is the best deal for Northern Ireland, which ensures the smooth flow of internal UK trade, safeguards NI’s place in the Union and addresses the democratic deficit.
Today (Friday 24 March) the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, and Vice President to the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, will formally sign off the Windsor Framework at the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee in London.

The meeting follows the successful vote in the House of Commons, where MPs overwhelmingly supported legislation on the Stormont Brake. The Brake introduces a powerful democratic safeguard that will give Northern Ireland institutions, once restored, a powerful role in the decision on whether significant new goods rules should apply in Northern Ireland.

The EU also formally agreed to the key elements of the Windsor Framework during a Council of the EU on Tuesday.

The Joint Committee demonstrates the UK’s commitment to the Windsor Framework as the best deal for Northern Ireland. The fundamentally new arrangements fix the practical problems of the Protocol and secure a new way forward for a prosperous, stable future for Northern Ireland.

Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

By formally approving the Windsor Framework, we are delivering on our commitment to provide stability and certainty for Northern Ireland.

The Framework is the best deal for Northern Ireland, safeguarding its place in the Union and protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

I look forward to further effective cooperation with the EU on key issues, such as security and energy.

Once the Joint Committee formally adopts the Windsor Framework the UK government will look to begin implementing the framework.

The Joint Committee will be followed by a Partnership Council, also chaired by Cleverly and Šefčovič, which oversees the implementation, application and interpretation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Partnership Council will cover wider UK-EU cooperation, including on issues such as the UK’s access to EU science and research programmes, energy, trade and security.

The UK will continue to work with the EU in a range of areas including research collaboration, but also strengthening sanctions against Russia as well as energy security, and illegal migration.

Cleverly and Šefčovič will also welcome an agreement reached between the UK, Ireland and the European Commission on PEACE PLUS, the new cross border and shared management programme that will promote peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. The UK government will today lay a financing treaty in parliament that will allow parliamentary scrutiny before its entry into force.

PEACE PLUS will support vital ongoing work to promote peace and reconciliation and contribute to the cross-border economic and territorial development of the programme area.
March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Cyclone Freddy – UK provides life-saving support to Malawi [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 March 2023.

The UK is providing additional support to the government of Malawi, following devastating floods caused by Cyclone Freddy.

The UK is providing an emergency package of assistance comprising: a team of emergency medical personnel, a team with international search and rescue expertise (ISAR), specialist boats, and urgently needed emergency relief items such as shelter materials and water filters.

This is in addition to the immediate support the UK provided to the Malawi Government at the Emergency Operations Centre in Blantyre when the cyclone hit. This included food assistance, staff and vehicles to help Government and the UN launch emergency operations.

The UK ISAR team will be supporting Malawian counterparts; the team is bringing lightweight, nimble boats and a drone team to help in the search for survivors of the floods. These boats will be gifted to the Malawian Government for future emergency use when the UK ISAR team departs.

The Emergency Medical Team (EMT) will support hospitals in southern Malawi to treat the victims of Cyclone Freddy. They will also join with an existing cholera-focussed UK EMT to help reduce the risk of the ongoing cholera outbreak getting worse, following the floods.

Shelter and water filters will provide emergency shelter to approximately 3,000 people and allow up to 12,750 of those affected by floods, to access clean water and protect themselves from disease.

The UK International Search and Rescue advance party arrived in Malawi on Friday, 17 March. An additional Emergency Medical Team arrived in Blantyre on 18 March. The main UK International Search and Rescue team arrived through Kamuzu International Airport.

Acting British High Commissioner to Malawi, Sophia Willitts-King, said:

The UK is saddened by the tragic loss of life caused by Cyclone Freddy due to the extreme rainfall and unprecedented flooding in Southern Malawi. We stand side by side with Malawi in responding to this crisis.

The UK’s rapid support will help Malawi with its search and rescue efforts. The additional medical capacity will help Malawi’s hospitals save lives. We are providing temporary shelter to give families protection from the weather.

We are also investing in equipment that will help people access clean water and sanitation facilities. This support is vital to prevent the spread of deadly diseases, including cholera.

Cyclone Freddy made landfall in Mozambique on 11 March and Malawi on 12 March. The flooding has already displaced 19,000 people. Malawi was hit particularly hard with what would have previously been judged as a 1-in-20 a year weather event.

While the wider picture remains unclear due to lack of access, landslides on the hillsides around Blantyre and severe flooding throughout Southern Malawi has resulted in over 326 deaths, 832 injured, and 282 missing, with the displacement of over 40,702 homes (approximately 183,159 people), as of 17 March. The flood waters are predicted to peak at the beginning of next week.

The UK ISAR deployed through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, following a request for assistance from Malawi. The team is on permanent standby to mobilise and assist when requested by disaster-affected countries. It always deploys as an official UK government team once a request has been made for assistance.

The UK ISAR is self-sufficient and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days. This is to ensure no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources, following a sudden onset disaster.

The UK ISAR was established in 1993 and has 30 years of experience deploying internationally to such disasters historically. The team is made up of 14 fire and rescue services.

March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Genetic Technology Act key tool for UK food security [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 March 2023.

New legislation unlocks key technologies to improve UK food security, reduce pesticide use, and enhance climate-resilience in our crops.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act passed into law today (Thursday 23 March), a major step in unlocking growth and innovation in new technologies, reinforcing food security in the face of climate change and ensuring England becomes a world-leader in agri-food innovation.

The Act will set in motion changes to allow farmers to grow crops which are drought and disease resistant, reduce use of fertilisers and pesticides, and help breed animals that are protected from catching harmful diseases. Precision breeding involves using technologies such as gene editing to adapt the genetic code of organisms – creating beneficial traits in plants that through traditional, breeding would take decades to achieve. This enables scientists to safely create foods that are more flexible, adaptable and plentiful for years to come.

Under the provisions of this Act, a new science-based and streamlined regulatory system will be introduced to facilitate greater research and innovation in precision breeding – with stricter regulations remaining in place for genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Food Minister Mark Spencer said:

The Genetic Technology Act is fantastic news for British consumers and farmers. Precision Breeding technologies are the future of food production not just at home, but around the world, and this Act will put our nation at the forefront of this revolution.

Some 40% of crops globally are lost every year to floods, pests and other external events, and this new law will unlock our agri-biotech industry to support resilient food production for decades to come.

Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser Gideon Henderson said:

This is an important time for agricultural science. The ability to use gene editing to make precise, targeted changes to the genetic code of organisms, in a way that can mimic traditional breeding, enables development of new crop varieties that are more resistant to pests, healthier to eat, and more resilient to drought and heat as climate changes.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act covers precision-bred plants and animals developed through techniques such as gene editing. This is different to genetic modification (GM), which produces crops containing genetic changes that could not have occurred through traditional breeding or occur naturally.

The Act ensures that before we see any changes to market, the Food Standards Agency will consult on new food and feed legislation and produce a new proportionate risk assessment for precision bred food and feed. England joins countries such as Argentina, the US, Australia and Japan that have already enacted similar legislation, driving innovation on a global scale and helping fight the greatest challenges facing the world.

While there is great potential for increasing innovation, the government recognises that there is a need to safeguard animal welfare in the new regulatory framework. That is why we are taking a step-by-step approach, enabling use of precision breeding technologies with plants first followed by animals later.

March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Bilateral Meeting between UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama [March 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 March 2023.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama at Downing Street today [Thursday 23 March], as part of a wider visit by the Albanian leader to London.

The leaders set out their shared ambition to broaden and deepen the UK-Albania relationship, co-operating on addressing global and regional threats and strengthening our bilateral partnership. They noted significant opportunities to grow trade, investment and technology links, and Prime Minister Sunak again welcomed the significant contribution of the long-standing Albanian community in the UK to British life.

As NATO allies, fellow members of the UN Security Council and close partners, the leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to working together to protect the security of our citizens, defend democracy and promote human rights, including through a robust international response to aggression by Russia. This will include assisting Albanian cyber defence to protect against online threats.

Prime Minister Sunak and Prime Minister Rama committed to deepen work under the Joint Communique and Taskforce agreed in December, to take forward our shared priority on tackling illegal migration and criminal people-smuggling gangs.

They discussed increased operational cooperation, including joint upstream communications to deter people from travelling in the first place, and further agreements on data sharing and passports. The leaders welcomed progress to date, with around 800 illegal migrants returning to Albania since December, action on organised crime and new UK guidance designating Albania a safe country.

On criminal justice cooperation, the leaders welcomed ongoing joint work on extraditions, prosecutions and forensics capabilities, and the removal of hundreds of prisoners under existing agreements. They agreed that a joint UK-Albanian team will conduct an assessment of Albania’s prison capacity – to be concluded by the end of April – with a view to returning all eligible Albanian nationals in the UK prison system.

Finally, the Prime Ministers welcomed progress on business and university cooperation, including the launch of the new British Chamber of Commerce in Albania, a doubling of the market risk appetite for UK Export Finance support for Albania to £4 billion to facilitate investment, and the deepening of links between UK and Albanian universities.

March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New UK law to boost seafarer pay [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 23 March 2023.

The new law is designed to protect those working on vessels operating an international service from being paid less than the National Minimum Wage.
- act designed to boost the pay of seafarers with close ties to the UK receives Royal Assent, as government continues to crack down on unfair practices
- part of the 9-point plan to change and improve working conditions following P&O Ferries’ disgraceful sacking of nearly 800 staff last year
- at the recent UK-France summit, both governments agreed to continue working together to improve conditions for seafarers
Thousands of seafarers regularly entering UK waters should enjoy better pay protections, as the government continues to boost rights and working conditions while preventing firms from using legal loopholes to pay low wages.

The Seafarers’ Wages Act received Royal Assent today (23 March 2023) and is now law.

As a key strand of the government’s 9-point plan for seafarers, the new law is designed to protect those working on vessels operating an international service from being paid less than the National Minimum Wage.

The law change will also require authorities to charge operators of vessels who do not provide evidence they’re paying their seafarers the equivalent to National Minimum Wage and to refuse harbour access to those who continue to fail to comply.

Last year, P&O Ferries shamelessly sacked nearly 800 staff without notice or consultation. The UK government has acted swiftly to progress its 9-point plan in response to this disgraceful behaviour and remains committed to seafarers as a priority, both domestically and internationally.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

Our maritime sector is world-leading. That’s down to the thousands of hardworking seafarers working tirelessly to maintain supply chains and transport passengers safely across our waters.

These workers deserve a fair wage and I’m therefore delighted to see our Seafarers’ Wages Act become law, helping improve pay and protect seafarers from exploitation.

The government continues to engage with the UK’s near European neighbours to protect seafarers’ welfare and pay, and explore the creation of minimum wage equivalent corridors in our respective territorial waters.

Earlier this month, during the UK-France summit in Paris, the Transport Secretary met his French counterpart Clément Beaune, with both nations pledging to continue working together to improve conditions for those working in the Channel and to protect them from exploitation.

The government is also taking action against rogue employers using controversial ‘fire and rehire’ practices, consulting on plans for a Statutory Code of Practice.
March 24, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : We must work to address the fundamental political issues behind the Syrian conflict – UK Statement at the Security Council [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 March 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council briefing on Syria.

I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Mr Talahma for their briefing and for the work of their teams

Thank you President, and thanks to the briefers for their updates and statements.

President, 12 years ago, the Syrian people peacefully took to the streets to demand freedom, political reform, and a government that respects and upholds human rights. The Assad regime met those demands with a brutal assault against them.

The earthquake last month added further tragedy to this crisis. We continue to direct our support to the Syrian people, providing $4.6 billion in humanitarian assistance since 2011. In the wake of the earthquake, we announced an additional $52 million across Syria and Turkiye to fund food, medical supplies and shelter. These resources must reach the over 4.1 million people in North-West Syria in the most effective and efficient means possible, including through predictable cross-border access. We welcome the UN’s efforts to deliver this and scale up.

But let us not make the mistake of thinking the conflict is over. Even since the earthquake hostilities have resumed, with numerous examples of Regime force attacks harming civilians. And the billion dollar narco-industry of Captagon stemming from Syria presents a new and destabilizing risk to the region.

So, as the Secretary-General said on the anniversary of the conflict, the support and solidarity provided in the aftermath of the earthquake must be channeled into renewed energy on the political track. We need to address the fundamental issues behind the conflict.

An inclusive and accountable end to the conflict is urgently needed. Security Council resolution 2254 is the framework to deliver the sustainable and lasting peace that the people of Syria deserve. We welcome all efforts to make progress on this track, including the important efforts of Special Envoy Pedersen and Member States in the region this week. I urge all colleagues in this chamber to play their role in delivering peace for the Syrian people.

President, next week, we will hear from the Secretary-General about the plight of the families who are still searching for their loved ones and his call to consider establishing a mechanism for the missing. This is an issue that affects all Syrians, on all sides of this conflict. We hope that the United Nations can come together to give them some answers.

Thank you.

March 23, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Human rights in Belarus – invocation of OSCE Moscow Mechanism [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 March 2023.

Canadian Ambassador Jocelyn Kinnear gives a statement on behalf of 37 OSCE participating States on invoking the Moscow Mechanism for deteriorating human rights in Belarus.

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following delegations: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

We have read with great concern the report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights presented on 22 March 2023, once again documenting the dire and continuous deterioration of the human rights situation in Belarus. The 1975 Helsinki Final Act recognizes respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as one of its ten guiding principles, integrating human rights in a regional security framework and placing their protection on the same par as politico-military and economic issues. As such, the protection and promotion of human rights in Belarus continues to be of our direct and legitimate concern as a vital basis for the overall security in the OSCE region.

The report of the Moscow Mechanism Mission released on 5 November 2020 concluded that there were systematic human rights violations and abuses committed with impunity and on a massive scale by Belarusian authorities before, during and following the fraudulent 9 August 2020 presidential election. The Moscow Mechanism report made a number of recommendations, including the calling of new, genuine presidential elections based on international standards, putting an end to violence against the people of Belarus, ensuring accountability for victims of abuses, the release of those unjustly detained, engagement and dialogue with representatives of political opposition and civil society, and establishing an OSCE/ODIHR observation mission.

In the two years that have passed since the publication of that report, the Belarusian authorities have failed to address the serious allegations of violations and abuses identified in it and have wholly disregarded its recommendations. Moreover, the Belarusian authorities have taken further actions that both deepen and expand our concerns about Belarus’ fulfilment of OSCE human dimension commitments, including through the continued enabling of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

We have repeatedly raised our concerns in the Permanent Council and other OSCE fora, including under the OSCE Vienna Mechanism, but the Belarusian Delegation’s replies have continuously ignored our legitimate concerns. These include, but are not limited to:
- detention of nearly 1,500 political prisoners, with numbers continuing to rise;
- intimidation, harassment, arbitrary or unlawful arrest, detention, and imprisonment of human rights defenders, members of the political opposition, journalists and other media actors, lawyers, labour activists, persons belonging to national minorities, and civil society groups;
- labelling of thousands of citizens and organisations as extremist and the shutdown of nearly all independent non-governmental organisations;
- insufficient access to legal and medical assistance for those arrested and/or detained;
- lack of due process and respect for the right to a fair trial as provided for under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This includes retroactive application of law, and instituting special criminal proceedings (in absentia) against persons who are outside Belarus;
- torture, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of persons in custody, including sexual and gender-based violence;
- excessive use of force against peaceful protesters, including those protesting Belarus’s support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;
- eradication of independent labour unions;
- efforts to silence independent media and enact severe restrictions on access to information, including through internet surveillance, and censorship;
- systematically tightened legislation limiting political freedoms and imposition of sentences which contravene rule of law standards and are intended to deter and punish dissent;
- extension of the death penalty to vaguely defined “attempts to carry out acts of terrorism and murders of government officials or public figures”; and
- impunity for the human rights violations and abuses described above.
The above policies and actions of the Belarusian authorities continue to give rise to a particularly serious threat to the fulfilment of OSCE human dimension commitments, including those on participating States meeting their obligations under international law. To underscore our concerns about the continued deterioration of the internal human rights situation in Belarus and to explore more recent development of serious abuses linked to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, we invoke paragraph 12 of the 1991 Document of the Moscow meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the (then) CSCE in order to establish a fact-finding mission of experts to examine the human dimension issues identified above, with a particular emphasis on developments since the conclusion of the 5 November 2020 Moscow Mechanism report, especially the circumstances surrounding the growing number of persons detained for politically motivated reasons, as well as recent legislative amendments to inter alia the Criminal Code and the Law on Countering Extremism.

With a view to contributing to current and any future efforts to promote accountability for human rights violations in Belarus, including by civil society and the United Nations, we encourage the mission of experts to establish the facts and report on them, and to advise the Republic of Belarus, the OSCE, and the international community, on possible solutions to the issues raised.

We remind Belarusian authorities that, in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Moscow Document, an expert mission, one member of which may be chosen by the Republic of Belarus, should be able to give an objective and unbiased report and recommendations on these issues.

We urge the Belarusian authorities to cooperate fully and facilitate the work of the mission of experts, as per paragraph 6 of the OSCE’s Moscow Document.

Thank you, Mr Chairman.
March 23, 2023