"Silent" amendments to laws: will opposition and civil society survive?
The House of Representatives and the Council of Republic voted for another "tightening of screws". Human rights defenders protest.
It became known on Wednesday that amendments to the laws on political parties and public associations had been introduced in Belarus. Moreover, everything was done secretly. The government presented them to the House of Representatives for consideration. The members of Parliament adopted, the Council of Republic verified, and the society knew nothing about it.
According to these amendments, receipt of finance from abroad by a public association will be considered a crime. Punishment for urging people to take part in a non-sanctioned mass event, and for organization thereof, will be much more brutal.
It also became known that amendments to the law on state security bodies had also been suggested. These amendments give unlimited powers to representatives of the said structures.
