President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has signed laws on preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism and amending laws on countering extremism. Both documents, which were previously adopted by deputies and approved by the Council of the Republic, have been registered in the National Register of Legal Acts of the Republic of Belarus, indicating their signing by the head of state, according to BELTA.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has signed laws on preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism and amending laws on countering extremism. Both documents, which were previously adopted by deputies and approved by the Council of the Republic, have been registered in the National Register of Legal Acts of the Republic of Belarus, indicating their signing by the head of state, according to BELTA.
In Belarus, special attention has always been paid to preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism. Increased responsibility for the dissemination of Nazism and its manifestations has been considered within the framework of the draft law "On Amending Laws on Strengthening the Fight against the Propaganda of Nazism". The draft law introduces amendments to the Law on Countering Extremism, the Code of Administrative Offences, and the Criminal Code, which came into force on February 1, 2020.
At the same time, a decision has been made to regulate issues of preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism within the framework of a separate special law. The necessity of such regulation is due to the particular significance of the issue under consideration for our country.
The Republic of Belarus suffered colossal damage from the actions of Nazi Germany and its accomplices during the Second World War, who adhered to the ideology of national socialism, a key tenet of which is racial, national, and religious intolerance.
Despite this, currently, far-right ideas have gained a certain spread in Belarus, facts of distortion of past events are recorded, and pseudo-historical articles are published on the internet, justifying Nazi criminals and their accomplices, which pose a potential threat to the national security of the Republic of Belarus.
The Law "On Preventing the Rehabilitation of Nazism" comprehensively regulates issues of countering these negative manifestations. It incorporates and develops provisions previously contained in the Law "On Countering Extremism".
Furthermore, to ensure proper criminal law protection of relations associated with countering extremism and rehabilitating Nazism as one of the manifestations of extremism, relevant amendments and additions have been made to the Criminal Code.
Thus, a separate provision on criminal liability for the rehabilitation of Nazism has been introduced. Propaganda, public display, production, and distribution of Nazi symbols and attributes have been criminalized. Individuals who commit such acts repeatedly will be subject to criminal liability.
Criminal liability has been introduced for participation in an extremist formation.
In light of modern challenges and threats, the provisions on criminal liability for calls to actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus, and for financing extremist activities, have been clarified.
The Criminal Code has been supplemented with new articles establishing liability for aiding extremist activities, for undergoing training or other preparation to participate in such activities, and for failure to comply with a decision to recognize an organization or individual entrepreneur's activities as extremist.
Thus, with the adoption of the law "On Preventing the Rehabilitation of Nazism" and the introduction of corresponding amendments to other legislative acts, Belarus has established a comprehensive set of measures to counter attempts to rehabilitate Nazism.
In general, the aforementioned law is aimed at establishing comprehensive legal and organizational foundations for activities to prevent the rehabilitation of Nazism.
To this end, the document prohibits the rehabilitation of Nazism or assistance to it in any form. In this context, the rehabilitation of Nazism is understood as public actions consisting of justifying the ideology and practices of Nazism, approving or denying crimes committed by Nazis, and glorifying Nazi criminals and their accomplices.
At the same time, definitions of the terms "Nazi criminals" and "accomplices of Nazi criminals" have been provided.
The content of the term "Nazi symbols and attributes," which was already present in the legislation, has been expanded. It will also apply to the symbols and attributes of organizations that collaborated with organizations recognized as Nazi.
The circle of subjects for countering the rehabilitation of Nazism has been established. It includes internal affairs bodies, state security bodies, and other law enforcement agencies, justice bodies, the National Academy of Sciences, a number of republican state administration bodies, and local executive and administrative bodies.
The competence of the subjects for countering the rehabilitation of Nazism and the powers of other state bodies and organisations in this sphere have been defined.
The law also defines the main areas for preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism. These include fostering intolerance towards Nazism in society, creating informational products to prevent its rehabilitation, monitoring compliance with legislation, countering the rehabilitation of Nazism when commemorating the fallen, and promoting the celebration of victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Measures to counter the rehabilitation of Nazism are also provided for. Their list and application procedure are analogous to the measures in the sphere of countering extremism.
Another law amends the law "On Countering Extremism".
The concept of "extremist formation" (a group of citizens engaged in extremist activities or assisting such activities or their financing) has been established.
At the same time, the existing narrower concept of "extremist group" has been excluded.
The term "extremist symbols and attributes" has been introduced. As one of the varieties of such symbols, it includes, among other things, Nazi symbols and attributes.
The list of state bodies – subjects for countering extremism – has been expanded. It additionally includes justice bodies, financial investigation bodies, a number of republican state administration bodies, and local executive and administrative bodies.
The coordination of activities of subjects for countering extremism has been assigned to internal affairs bodies.
Lists of organisations, formations, individual entrepreneurs and citizens involved in extremist activities are to be maintained. These lists will, among other things, allow for consideration of issues related to deportation, entry bans, deprivation of citizenship, and restrictions on the right to hold certain positions (state service, military service) or engage in certain activities (teaching, publishing, and activities related to the legal circulation of weapons and explosives).
Along with the Prosecutor General, regional prosecutors and the prosecutor of the city of Minsk are empowered to suspend the activities of organisations and to file lawsuits for their recognition as extremist and their liquidation.
Furthermore, the Civil Procedure Code specifies that court proceedings for the recognition of an organisation as extremist, its liquidation, and the recognition of symbols, attributes, and information products as extremist materials shall be concluded no later than one month from the date of acceptance of the application.
The main provisions of both laws signed by the President will come into force one month after their official publication.
Source: belta.by