Barys Khamaida: Lukashenka Has No Legitimacy

There's a black hole in the country where the Constitution should be.

On April 12, the oldest Vitsebsk oppositionist, 70-year-old Barys Khamaida stood trial in Vitsebsk for congratulating Vitsebsk residents on the 100th anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic on March 23, vitebskby.com reports.

Police officers Inesa Karniukova and Vadzim Kankou testified in court. The former filmed a video, and the latter made a protocol for allegedly "unauthorized mass event." Judge Vadzim Aliakseyenka found Barys Khamaida guilty and sentenced him to a fine for one base fee.

Barys Khamaida said the following:

- In 1996 there was an anti-constitutional coup. After that, the legitimate Constitution of 1994 was suspended. All that's what happened next: different appointments for public office, for judges, prosecutors - all this is not legitimate. And until we return the legitimate Constitution of 1994, nothing positive will happen here. We must start with the return of this Constitution, then everything will fall into place. The judge considers my case, but he has no right to consider it. De facto, yes, but de jure not, because he was appointed by the same Lukashenka, and Lukashenka also has no legitimacy. One thing clings to the other.

We usually say: but we have the rights under the Constitution ... We do not have a Constitution, so there are no rights. We must return our Constitution, then we will have rights. Here everything is simple. In the meantime, there's a black hole in the country where the Constitution should be. All this time we are going round the circle, this is a lost time.

Khamaida said that he will not appeal the verdict, because he does not see the point since there are no legitimate courts. He will not pay the fine by himself, they will deduct it from his pension. And the oppositionist's pension is 234 rubles.