Businessman Ihar Lednik: Running in “elections” is complicity in crime

Opposition should carry out a campaign to oust the dictator instead running in the “elections”.

Activist and businessman Ihar Lednik appealed to the Central Election Commission asking to cancel the registration of the initiative group of the dictator. The activist thinks the conclusion of the Special Commission of the Supreme Council of the 13th convocation on the legal evaluation of violations of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Belarus by Aliaksandr Lukashenka can serve as a legal ground.

“We have the conclusion of the special commission of the Supreme Council of the 13th convocation, saying that a constitutional coup took place in 1996. The conclusion was to be made public on 19 September 1999, but Hanchar disappeared on September 16. The opposition does not use the conclusion,” Lednik told Radio Svaboda.

This is not the first appeal to government bodies calling on the resignation of Lukashenka. Human rights defender Harry Pahaniayla appealed to the “house of representatives” and the Council of Ministers during the 2010 campaign, asking to launch the procedure of ousting Lukashenka provided for by part 2 of article 88 of the Constitution (on removing the president from office), charge him with violating article 357 of the Criminal Code (a plot or other actions committed with the aim of seizing state power) and organise an investigation.

According to Lednik, the situation of the legitimacy of Aliaksandr Lukashenka is aggravated by the difficult international situation – the war in Ukraine. It also impedes the steps in the direction of Belarus's European integration. Nevertheless, the businessman is going to appeal to prosecutors and “MPs”.

“We can then raise a question about liability of the MPs, who, in fact, work for the person who wants to illegally remain in power until the end of his life rather than for people. This is criminal liability. This will be another campaign, not the elections,” the activist says.

Lednik speaks negatively about the decision of opposition members to run in the presidential elections:

“I think this is complicity in crime. This is not the elections, this is another stage of the illegal re-election. Political leaders know about the special commission's conclusion, but they don't use it. They show all voters that Lukashenka is a law-abiding citizen who has the right to run in the elections. But it is not so. They, in fact, violate electoral rights of citizens. Their participation in the elections show that Lukashenka has the right to run in the elections.”

According to Lednik, former members of the Supreme Council of the 13th convocation must follow the conclusion of the commission if they want to adhere to the rule of law.