Harry Pahaniaila: Authorities Fail To Create Semblance Of "Liberalization"

The policy remains the same in the country.

Belarusian Helsinki Committee Lawyer Harry Pahaniaila has commented on the possible changes in the Criminal Code to Radio Racyja. As known, the draft amendments to the Criminal Code were published. The document was prepared by the Council of Ministers and submitted to the "parliament" for consideration.

It became known that it is planned to decriminalize activities on behalf of an unregistered organization. The norm will be transferred from the Criminal Code to the administrative one.

– This criminal article was recognized as anti-constitutional by human rights activists from the very beginning. And it was adopted in 2005, just before the "presidential elections." We now welcome the decriminalization of this article, but even the transfer of the responsibility to administrative jurisdiction is inadmissible. Because it is the restriction of the constitutional rights of citizens all the same, and not the realization of the right to freedom of association. This is only a transfer from one jurisdiction to another, – the lawyer believes.

– At that, strict sanctions for activities on behalf of an unregistered organization remain...

– Yes, there are huge fines, and this is in no way better than criminal responsibility. In a word, the authorities decided to create the semblance of "liberalization", but in fact everything remains the same. The authorities do not abandon the repressive mechanisms of governing the society through such restrictions, so we continue to criticize this situation and will insist on the complete abolition of this Criminal Article. In a word, the policy remains the same in the country. Only the color has changed.