BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

02 Dec 2005

Belarus passes law to curb attempts at upheaval

Source: Reuters

By Andrei Makhovsky

MINSK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Parliament in Belarus, whose president is accused in the West of violating human rights, overwhelmingly approved legislation on Friday intended to curb attempts at popular upheaval like Ukraine's "Orange Revolution".

President Alexander Lukashenko, who intends to stand for re-election next year in the ex-Soviet state, has vowed to cut short any mass demonstrations he says are inspired from abroad.

Members approved by a vote of 97 to four a law providing for tough penalties for anyone convicted of inciting demonstrations, joining illegal organisations or spreading information deemed harmful to national interests.

Belarus's security service, still known by its Soviet-era KGB acronym, said it drew up the bill based on upheavals which helped unseat governments in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.

"This is a wholly appropriate way to deal with the situation as it is unfolding around Belarus," KGB head Stepan Sukhorenko told reporters.

"Opponents of those in power are entitled to their opinions, but must express them within limits which do not harm our country."

The bill, which must be signed into law by the president, sets penalties of up to three years in prison for a variety of offences.

Lukashenko is accused by Western countries of crushing dissent, closing down independent media outlets, hounding non-government organisations and rigging elections.

In power since 1994, he is seeking re-election on the basis of a constitutional change backed in a referendum denounced in the West as fraudulent.

With ratings of more than 70 percent in opinion polls, he is genuinely popular, particularly outside major cities.

The United Sates and European Union have barred entry to top Belarussian officials and threatened tougher sanctions if next year's election is found to be neither free nor fair.

One of the members opposed to the bill in a parliament where the opposition holds no seats, said she saw no need for the legislation given Lukashenko's popularity.

"I don't understand why these proposals are deemed so urgently necessary. It seems to me the authorities have nothing to fear. They already enjoy very high ratings," Olga Abramova told the chamber.

"I don't think we will see a wave of political trials. But it's possible we will see people becomimg hostages of sorts."

Source:

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02605242.htm