Harry Pahaniaila: It Is Necessary to Squeeze the Regime by All Possible Diplomatic, Economic, and Political Means

The usurper will end up badly.

Searches of journalists, activists, and human rights defenders were carried out en masse all over Belarus in the morning. Charter97.org asked the head of the legal committee of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Harry Pahaniaila to comment on the situation:

– I only know what I read in the morning. I tried to call my acquaintances from Viasna and BAJ, but I never got in touch with anyone. I know that now people have gone through these procedures, and some of the people are already free; that is, they have not been arrested, not detained.

– What should be the international reaction to searches of human rights defenders and journalists?

– In general, I think there are enough of all kinds of resolutions about Belarus. Decisive action is needed because the situation is extremely dangerous for our citizens. The regime is literally going berserk in front of our eyes every hour. It is clear that the authorities are preparing for the spring and are launching preemptive, primitive strikes against the most active organizations, including human rights organizations.

In this situation, which we are not just observing, but in which we live, the regime victims need solidarity and help of all kinds, from everyone who can provide it including material assistance and other types, because this is what solidarity is. This solidarity that comes not only from the citizens of Belarus, but also from our foreign diasporas, governments of states, institutions of the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States of America. However, this is not enough.

The regime needs to be squeezed by all possible diplomatic, economic, political, and other means that today are in the arsenal of both the governments of specific states and territorial communities, such as the Council of Europe, the European Union, the UN, in particular the Human Rights Committee. But I will say again that the resolutions, in this case, condemning the regime or, in essence, written in support of the regime's victims, are clearly not enough today.

– What do you think, is Lukashenka out of his mind and does cut off all possible options for himself, except for the fate of Gaddafi and Ceausescu?

– Regarding Lukashenka's mental illness, it has already been officially discussed since the early 2000s. I am not a psychiatrist, and I cannot say clearly and definitely whether he really has those diagnoses that, for example, were established for him by psychiatrists, including Dmitry Shchigelsky, who is now in the United States. The fact that he clearly behaves inappropriately and rationally in many cases.

He will end badly. How exactly, history can hardly repeat itself. You named Gaddafi and Ceausescu, but the Belarusian people are less bloodthirsty than the Libyan people or the same temperamental Romanians. Nevertheless, his fate is unenviable.

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