Lukashenko`s Image to Be Kept Clean :: Charter'97 :: News

The upper chamber of the Belarusian “parliament” unanimously approved a bill providing for criminal liability for “discredit of the state”. Now that the document was passed, President Alexander Lukashenko will sign it, Russian newspaper “Kommersant” reported.

The bill introduces a new article to the Belarusian criminal code, the one about the criminal responsibility for discredit of the state. Under the amendment, any citizen who deliberately gives false information to a foreign state or organization about political, economic, military or international position of Belarus may be sentenced to up to two years in prison. Those who belong to a party or any other NGO, which was closed by the authority or not registered by the Justice Ministry, will face a term or a hefty fine. The authorities do not hide it that the bill is timed for the next year presidential elections. Stepan Sukhorenko, deputy head of the country’s KGB, claims that the amendments aim to prevent a possible revolutionary change of power, given the experience of other CIS states: “We are facing a well-developed industry of the training of militants and revolutionists,” he said.

Belarusian opposition and human rights activists were outraged at the bill and accused the authorities of intimidating the citizens. “Those people at the top are aware that the people won’t bear it anymore and will stand for their rights. First, they [the authorities] shut down newspapers, now they are trying to stick the mouth with a plaster. Personally, I won’t pay any heed to these amendments.”

The Soviet criminal code as of 1960 provided for criminal liability for criticism, discredit and contempt of state authorities. Article 70 on the Anti-Soviet Agitation and Propaganda, for example, envisaged a prison term of 5 to 25 years. The article on parricide stipulated for a prison term or capital punishment. Another former Soviet state, Turkmenistan, has similar norms now. An article on “attempt at President” provides for a 5-year prison term for slander, libel or contempt of the president.