29 March 2024, Friday, 16:40
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Harry Pahaniaila: MPs scare people

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Harry Pahaniaila: MPs scare people

Belarusian judges are not guided by law, but only perform orders orders “from above”.

Harry Pahaniaila, the head of the legal department of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC), spoke to charter97.org about amendments on consideration of the “house of representatives” to introduce administrative responsibility for spreading information about making explosives on the internet.

“The matter is that the world doesn't stand still, it always moves. Lawmakers have to response to new challenges. The world is concerned about frequent terrorist attacks in the last decade. Extremism is one of important themes today. Our legislation wants to prevent and block these facts and phenomena. In this regard, we don't see anything bad,” the lawyer says.

He stresses that implementation of the law in practice is more important than the fact of its adoption.

“Belarusian lawmakers, as a rule, have good intentions and try to amend our laws so that they meet international standards. Our laws 90% meet these standards. They contain many norms of international laws in human rights area, but the implementation of laws in practice is a different thing,” the human rights activist thinks.

The expert is confident that administration of law in Belarus has many flaws.

“The first one is that our judges depend on the executive branch. They are not guided by law, but just perform orders. A law can be applied on any occasion, to any person, often without objective grounds. We see how courts work. They even pronounce a mute person guilty for chanting slogans. Belarusian lawmakers drive citizens into a narrow stall. A step aside is regarded as violation of law that must be punished. It sows discontent and fear among citizens and creates a system of a police state where force stands above law,” Harry Pahaniaila said.

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