Belarus is paving the way for even more brutal repression of the opposition / Article

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has signed a decree stipulating that in the event of his violent death, the presidency will fall into the hands of the Belarusian Security Council. At the same time, changes have been made to the law, which allows security personnel to shoot protesters with combat ammunition without receiving any punishment.

If the President is robbed of his life as a result of an act of terrorism, an attack, external aggression or other violence, the powers of the head of state are taken over by the Security Council of Belarus, headed by the Prime Minister. A state of war or emergency is also being established in the country. This is provided for in the decree signed by Alexander Lukashenko on May 9 on the protection of the constitutional system and sovereignty.

The example of Nazarbayev

A couple of weeks earlier, Lukashenko said that an assassination attempt on him and his family had been thwarted. And behind it stood opposition supporters and the United States.

‘The decree covers only one case. If not, God forbid that will happen. First of all, so that you, those sitting here, and the millions of Belarusians who are not here but support the current policy do not worry about their fate.

We each have children and grandchildren. And our friends must understand that this will not destabilize the country, “Lukashenko said.

According to analysts of the political process, in fact, it is not just what will happen if Lukashenko is killed. The decree could be Lukashenko’s first step in extending the Security Council’s mandate, as is the case, for example, in Kazakhstan, where former President Nursultan Nazarbayev has resigned after his presidency. retained the post of Head of the Security Council. Namely, Lukashenko is likely to resort to the so-called transfer of power, which is also being urged by Russia.

No longer feel so stable

“Lukashenko works under conditions of tension, under conditions of psychological tension. We see that he no longer feels so stable in his position, ”says Beāte Livdanska, a researcher at the Center for Eastern European Policy Studies.

“Therefore, this could be an attempt to build a succession, a succession of his power, because there have been rumors for some time that if Lukashenko resigns, the Security Council would very likely be where he would land. And even if he were no longer president, he would probably play a leading role in this council. And thus would continue to influence the processes in the country. “

Giving unlimited power to the power structures and people on whom life itself now depends to a large extent is a dangerous decision for Lukashenko’s personal security. The Security Council consists mainly of the heads of the army and security services.

It is currently believed that they are Lukashenko’s trustworthy people, but that may change. Independent political scientists also stress that the decree is not in line with the Belarusian constitution.

Additional protection for Lukashenko’s henchmen

“It is not clear what the functions of the Security Council are, which are the things that the Council can legally and legally initiate. If the decree replacing the President enters into force, will the Security Council be the one to determine how violent or non-violent this death has been, will it be the one acting on the basis of the decree, or will some members of the Council say that the Belarusian constitution is more important than this? decree. This can lead to conflict and chaos, ”says Livdanska.

In recent days, Lukashenko has also passed a series of laws strengthening his ranks. He has expanded the range of persons entitled to additional state protection. It is guaranteed for judges and law enforcement officers who will take action against demonstrators and critics of the regime.

Additional protection will be available to soldiers and members of the Presidential Security Service, as well as other persons at risk from work, including officials, members of election commissions, members of the media. These people even have the opportunity to change their appearance.

Wider powers for the militia

By making changes to the law on guaranteeing the national security of Belarus, Lukashenko has given more power to the militia. Demonstrators will be allowed to shoot with combat weapons, and security forces will not be held liable for damage caused by the use of physical force. Militia will also have the right to ban photography and filming.

Researchers of public processes believe that the changes in the law will allow Lukashenko’s loyal officials and officials to comply with any command of the leadership with even greater confidence.

In the fight to maintain power, the Lukashenko regime can use almost any means against opponents, and guaranteed anonymity will allow protesters to go unpunished. Repression against the opposition in Belarus is expected to become even more brutal.

CONTEXT:

Protests against the regime of Belarus’s authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus have been steady since last August’s presidential election. Former President Lukashenko has been declared the winner, but the opposition accuses the regime of widespread falsification of the election results and demands his resignation. The opposition considers Svyatlan Cihanouska to be the real winner of the election.

At the height of the protests, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Belarus. Protests continue, but on a much smaller scale, many opposition supporters have been imprisoned or fled abroad.

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