Aleh Vouchak: Only Peaceful Protest Can Cancel Decree On "Parasites"

The only chance to get our demands over to the authorities is to go out for the March on 17 February.

Former prosecutor's office investigator, head of human rights organization Legal Assistance to Population Aleh Vouchak said that in his interview to Charter97.org.

– You are one of the initiators of the campaign to repeal the decree on "parasites". Tell us, how is the collection of signatures for the abolition of the anti-constitutional decree coming along?

– I believe that we could have collected far more signatures in support of the abolition of the decree. The problem was that there were not enough activists, especially in small towns and regions.

But there is still some time left. We send blanks by post. There is quite a lot of people. The activity of the Belarusian population has raised during these six weeks. Today I heard on the radio that activists collected 18 thousand signatures in Minsk. This is unprecedented. We have never collected so many signatures in such a short time. The people are in pugnacious spirits, they are preparing to defend their position in courts, regardless their financial status. The constitutional rights have been brazenly trampled. Many people are saying: "Why can't we be as good as Ukrainians? We also have the honor!"

I am sure that the people will fight to the utterance. On February 20, the tax authorities will start to initiate administrative proceedings against those who have not transferred the money and there will be the second wave of discontent. The regime is trying to whip up hysteria via the media. As if they might come, attach the property, take away the bed, the TV set.

But such statements are just the authorities’ bluff intended for the people to pay till 20 February. Despite the fact that some people are afraid of that, I believe that there is no sense to pay. No one can clearly explain how this tax has been calculated, what has happened to the 41 article of the Constitution. We wrote in all our complaints: what about the Constitution? According to this article, I can stay lying on the stove for two years, if I wish, and nobody has the right to come upon me. Thus, the people will fight. I’ve noticed that the Belarusians have become more competent over the six weeks. They’ve learned how to assert their rights, they have already begun to add something themselves, they suggest how it would be better. I would like to note this and to pay a compliment to the Belarusian society. The people are very serious about this campaign.

– Your colleague Henadz Fiadynich said that "we have to increase pressure on the authorities." What share will tomorrow's March of disgruntled Belarusians have in it?

– After all this "correspondence" with the authorities, people have not received answers to two basic questions. Firstly: the so-called decree is a direct violation of the Constitution. Secondly: according to what criteria this "tax" has been calculated. Therefore, people have one way out left – a peaceful protest. We must show that there aren’t dozens or hundreds of us. Peaceful protests are a normal practice in democratic countries. When the government does not hear you, then this is the last chance to reach it. People go outside and fight for their constitutional rights.

We remind that on February 17, at 18-00, the March of disgruntled Belarusians to demand the abolition of the decree on "parasites" will begin on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk.