On October 12 it was reported that the government introduced, the House of Representatives adopted and the Council of the Republic approved a number of amendments to laws on public associations, political parties as well as to the Criminal Code. Amendments to the law of the state security agencies were also introduced.
Representatives of international human rights organisations «Amnesty International», ARTICLE 19, Civil Rights Defenders, Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights House Foundation, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders appealed to the Council of the Republic – the upper chamber of Belarusian parliament with insistent request not to endorse the recent changes in legislation, which contradict freedom of assembly and freedom of association and severely limit the activities of Belarusian civil society groups, especially those dealing with human rights or related issues.
“We are very concerned about the inevitable repercussions of these proposed legislative changes for the work of Belarusian NGOs, which would come under even more intense government scrutiny. The new proposed legislation also further limits freedom of association and assembly, “- said in the appeal to the Council of the Republic.
“Amendments meet the interests of society at the present stage”
According to the response of the official Minsk, the bill does not contradict the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus nether it violates international standards of human rights or the interests of society at the present stage.
The reply also indicated that the adjustment of the laws “On Public Associations” and “On political parties”, according to which public associations and unions cannot store money, precious metals and other valuables in banks and non-bank financial institutions in foreign countries, is supposed to ensure equal conditions of all public associations and unions, as well as to prevent the use of freedom of association to the detriment of national sovereignty.
“These bill are aimed at strengthening public order and national security, as well as protection the rights and freedoms of citizens. They do not distort the essence of the constitutional rights and freedoms, do not lead to the loss of their real meaning, and are adopted only in cases prescribed by law, meet the public and state interests, correspond with rights and freedoms of the individual “- said in the reply of the Council.
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