As the Christmas and New Year holidays approach, and considering the experience of previous years, citizens and business entities are actively purchasing pyrotechnic products for subsequent use or sale.

To identify and suppress the aforementioned facts, the Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs is already carrying out a set of preventive measures aimed at identifying individuals engaged in the illegal sale of pyrotechnic products.
We would like to remind citizens that for violating the rules of handling pyrotechnic products, both administrative and criminal liability are provided for by the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
Thus, in accordance with **Article 23.48** of the Code of Administrative Offences, for violating the rules of handling pyrotechnic products, a **warning** or a fine of **up to ten** basic units is provided for, and for the repeated commission of the specified act, a fine of **ten to twenty** basic units is provided for, with or without confiscation of the object of the administrative offense.
For the use of pyrotechnic products in public places

in public places (on streets, in courtyards) with deliberate and overt disrespect for society, citizens will be brought to administrative responsibility under **Art. 17.1** of the Code of Administrative Offences for "petty hooliganism", as such acts violate both public order and citizens' peace, for which a fine ranging **from two to thirty** basic units or **administrative arrest** is provided.
Often, the use of pyrotechnic devices leads to intentional damage to property (clothing), for which citizens may be brought to administrative responsibility under Art. 10.9 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus, for which a fine of up to 50 basic units is provided.
If pyrotechnic devices cause damage to the **life** and **health** of citizens, criminal liability shall arise, in particular under **Art. 299** of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, according to which, if grievous bodily harm or less grievous bodily harm is caused, or damage in a large amount, then such an act is punishable by **correctional labour**, or **arrest**, or **restriction of liberty for a term of up to two years**, or **deprivationfor the same term. The same act, causing death by negligence or grievous bodily harm to two or more persons, - shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of two to seven years.
As a rule, the use of pyrotechnic devices causes a negative reaction from citizens, their justified appeals to various authorities to take measures against the perpetrators and maintain proper public order, and also leads to injuries, primarily among minors.
Last year alone, 2 people were injured from the use of pyrotechnic devices in the Lepel district (Lepel town - 1, Lepel rural council - 1).
Therefore, we would like to ask respected parents to exercise more careful control over their children on the eve of the Christmas and New Year holidays, and citizens to refrain from using pyrotechnic devices, so that festive events do not lead to tragic incidents.

Head of the Public Security Police Department of the Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs Police Lieutenant Colonel I.A. Mikhno