CCPR/C/139/D/3095/2018 United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Distr.: General 12 February 2024 Original: English Human Rights Committee Views adopted by the Committee under article 5 (4) of the Optional Protocol, concerning communication No. 3095/2018*, ** Communication submitted by: Pavel Katorzhevsky (represented by counsel, Leonid Sudalenko) Alleged victim: The author State party: Belarus Date of communication: 7 June 2017 (initial submission) Document references: Decision taken pursuant to rule 92 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, transmitted to the State party on 8 January 2018 (not issued in document form) Date of adoption of Views: 13 October 2023 Subject matter: Conviction for distribution of extremist materials for sharing an article criticizing authorities Procedural issue: Exhaustion of domestic remedies Substantive issues: Freedom of expression Articles of the Covenant: 2 (2) and (3) and 19 (2) and (3) Articles of the Optional Protocol: 2 and 5 (2) (b) 1.1 The author of the communication is Pavel Katorzhevsky, a Belarusian national born in 1995. He claims that the State party has violated his rights under article 2 (2) and (3), read in conjunction with article 19 (2) and (3), of the Covenant. The Optional Protocol entered into force for the State party on 30 December 1992. The author is represented by counsel. 1.2 The present communication was submitted for consideration before the State party’s denunciation of the Optional Protocol became effective on 8 February 2023. In accordance with article 12 (2) of the Optional Protocol and the Committee’s previous case law, the State * Adopted by the Committee at its 139th session (9 October–3 November 2023). ** The following members of the Committee participated in the examination of the communication: Tania María Abdo Rocholl, Farid Ahmadov, Wafaa Ashraf Moharram Bassim, Rodrigo A. Carazo, Yvonne Donders, Mahjoub El Haiba, Carlos Gómez Martínez, Laurence R. Helfer, Marcia V.J. Kran, Bacre Waly Ndiaye, Hernán Quezada Cabrera, José Manuel Santos Pais, Soh Changrok, Tijana Šurlan, Kobauyah Tchamdja Kpatcha, Teraya Koji, Hélène Tigroudja and Imeru Tamerat Yigezu. GE.24-01139 (E) 120224 120224

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