Lukashenko leverages parental fears to silence opposition
Opponents of Alexander Lukashenko's regime may face losing their children. With the start of the new year, a new law has come into effect, expanding the list of situations and cases in which families can have their children taken away. Observers believe the real goal is to coerce Lukashenko's opponents into silence during the January presidential elections.
Lukashenko's regime is broadening the criteria for removing children from families in situations deemed "socially dangerous." The Prime Minister of Belarus, Raman Halouchanka, signed new regulations, which became effective on January 1.
Now, authorities can take a child if their parents have been convicted under "political" articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
Opponents of Alexander Lukashenko's regime in Belarus may lose their children for various reasons. The regulations specify:
- "Spreading extremist materials," which in practice means sharing, commenting, or liking any content from independent media or social media profiles associated with the Belarusian opposition. The TV channel Belsat has been on the list of "extremist materials" since 2020, and recently, the Instagram account of Alina Kouszyk, the new editor-in-chief of Belsat, was also added.
- "Involving a minor in antisocial behaviour," meaning taking a child to an illegal assembly, which was widespread in August 2020.
- "Petty hooliganism," such as chanting anti-regime slogans.
Lukashenko wants to force silence during January's presidential elections
As a result of the presidential elections in Belarus in 2020, which were manipulated by the government, local courts issued detentions and fines for tens of thousands of citizens. The amendment of the existing regulations poses a real threat of children being taken away for many of these families. The scale of this phenomenon may prompt a significant number of families to consider emigrating to avoid such drastic consequences.
In an interview with Belsat, political scientist Alina Charysawa, an expert in the analysis and strategy department of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's office, assesses that the regime's goal is not to remove as many children from Belarusians as possible, but to force them into silence during the January presidential elections to "impose self-censorship."
"Interest in politics was compared to social wrongdoing. Such measures are deliberately taken before the so-called elections to heighten pressure on society, so no one dares oppose the regime. Those with families who fear for their children feel the greatest pressure," emphasized Charysawa.
"No child should suffer because their parents dream of freedom. Yet, thousands of children in Belarus are separated from their parents due to political repression," wrote Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus, on the platform X.
Source: Belsat/WP
