UN Chief Urges Belarus To Uphold Human Rights

Earlier in the day, the OSCE's Dunja Mijatovic urged Belarus not to harass journalists.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka today to uphold human rights after a post-election crackdown on the opposition drew new international sanctions.

Ban's spokesman Farhan Haq said the secretary-general was "concerned about reports of harassment and continued detention of journalists, civil society activists, and opposition candidates."

Earlier in the day, the OSCE's Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, called on the Belarusian government to stop harassing independent journalists and media outlets.

Western nations condemned the crackdown in Belarus that saw hundreds of opposition supporters arrested following Lukashenka's election victory in December.

compiled from agency reports