Harry Pahanyaila: Makei uses combating cyber crime as shield

The Belarusian authorities have been trying to control the internet for a long time.

This statement was made by Harry Pahanyaila, the head of the legal department of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC). He talked to charter97.org about Belarusian foreign minister Uladzimir Makei's proposal on joint efforts of CIS member states in censoring the internet.  

“Crimes involving information technologies are very popular and have no geographical bounds. Countries try to take concerted actions and cooperate in these conditions. It is a normal process that will never be used for political purposes and fight against dissidents in democratic countries. Non-democratic countries, such as China, Belarus and others, use the internet to look for negative views on their policy and ideology. The authorities of these countries try to suppress the activity of opposition by all means and use laws on counter-extremism, cyber security or other tools,” the lawyer thinks.

He added the Belarusian authorities have been trying to control the internet for a long time, the fact recognised by human rights defenders and international organisations.

“We will see later how the drat agreement that was signed in Tashkent will be able to affect the more detailed examination of alternative views on the internet. We should not forget that Beltelecom company has monopoly on the internet in Belarus. The company is strictly controlled by the government and understands that it may be swatted like a fly if it doesn't answer interests of the security services. That's why the  ISP gives out all necessary information,” the human rights activists is confident.

He turned attention to the fact that the Belarusian authorities put “necessary” information into databases of citizens, including the information about the people the regime finds undesirable.

“I meant that a list of people restricted to leave Belarus was made. In simple words, computer data were falsified. It was done by the Interior Ministry, the KGB and the Operational and Analytical Centre under the Aegis of Lukashenka. We should not forget about particularities of fingerprinting procedures in Belarus and the fact that databases of mobile operators were given out to the security services,” Harry Pahanyaila said.

Belarus authorities try to use international treaties on cyber security in their interests to discredit citizens who are actively involved in political and civil activities.

It should be reminded that foreign ministers of 11 CIS member states met in Tashkent on April 5 to discuss the agenda for a meeting of CIS heads of states scheduled for May 31 in Minsk.  

Belarus was represented by foreign minister Uladzimir Makei at the meeting in Uzbekistan's capital.

One of the key documents approved by participants was a draft concept on combating cyber crimes involving information technologies.

It's worth noting that the concept may include both actions against cyber criminals and joint efforts to prevent attempts of “using information technologies for destabilisation of the regimes”.