On December 2 the House of Representatives passed amendments to the Criminal and Procedural 
criminal codes intensifying responsibility “for actions directed against person and public security”.
 The bill was put to the parliament on behalf of the President and marked as “urgent”.

 One of the amendments provides that organization of activity or participation in activity of organizations
 and foundations, regarding which there was a decision came into force about abeyance of their 
activity or liquidation, will be punished with a fine or entail up to six months of arrest or up to two years
 of imprisonment. Amnesty will be given to those who will voluntarily stop their participation in such an
 organization and report it to appropriate government bodies. They will be exempt from criminal liability
 if there is no other corpus delicti in their actions. 

 Arrest of up to six months or imprisonment of up to three years can be entailed for training or another
 way of preparation of people for participation in mass disorders as well as for financial support of 
such actions.

 Arrest of up to six month or imprisonment of up to two years areprovided for training or another way 
of preparation of people for participation in group actions, which sharply break public order, as 
well as for financial or another material support of such actions in the absence of indications of a 
graver crime. Responsibility for public appeals to take state power or to change violent the constitutional 
order is intensified and entails arrest of up to six months or imprisonment  of up to three years.

 Appeals addressed to foreign countries, foreign or international organizations to act to the prejudice 
of the external security of Belarus, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as distribution of materials, 
which contain such appeals, entail arrest from six months to three years. If these appeals will be spread 
via Mass Media the punishment increases  to imprisonment from two to five years.

 The Criminal code is also amplified with a new article - “Discredit of the Republic of Belarus”. It means 
“to give deliberately a foreign state, foreign or international organization false information about 
political, economic, social, military or international situation of the Republic ofBelarus, legal state of citizens
 of the Republic of Belarus or its government bodies”. All of these will entail arrest of up to six months
 or imprisonment of up to two years.

 Thus, threatening with imprisonment the authorities try to suppress any unapproved protest actions 
and the most important – possibility not to carry out but even to attempt to organize a mass protest
 meeting against possible (according to forecasts of political opponents of A.Lukashenko) falsification
of voting during the elections of 2006 that could develop into a so-called revolution. And most likely that
 because of new rules of political game a wishful result will  be attained by the authorities.

 Moreover, it is possible to say that censorship is introduced regarding analysis  of situation in the 
country.  Now, for instance, leaders of parties in opposition, while talking to foreign journalists, have
 to be more careful  with their public statements. 

 “True information” is the one about how well things are going on in Belarus.

 Belarusians, who want to change the situation in the country, have only the right for  “kitchen”
 conversations  about Maydan and quiet criminal thoughts, if, of course, they don’t believe
 that it is possible to change  the situation with the help of polling-booths.

Amendments to the Criminal and Procedural criminal codes are urgent and extraordinary, 
so it is possible to say that in Belarus there is going to be an informal emergency situation. 

Now to come into the force the amendments to the criminal legislation ust be approved by the 
Council of the Republic and signed by the resident. But this is just a technical procedure 
without any intrigue as  A.Lukashenko put this bill to the Parliament himself with a mark of “urgent”.