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Harry Pahanyaila: Lukashenka Has a Mental Disorder and Commits a Crime

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Harry Pahanyaila: Lukashenka Has a Mental Disorder and Commits a Crime
Harry Pahanyaila

The dictator must be removed from office under Article 88 of the Constitution.

Every day the situation with the coronavirus in Belarus becomes more and more frightening. However, the Belarusian authorities ignore the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). Lukashenka insisted on a military parade in Minsk on May 9.

The media have already declared that schoolchildren, students and state employees are forced to the event. One of the main conditions is that people should come without masks. It puts thousands of lives at risk.

Charter97.org asked Harry Pahanyaila, head of the legal commission of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, to comment on the situation with the parade during the pandemic.

- Harry Petrovich, human rights activists criticized the decision to hold a parade during the coronavirus pandemic. Explain your position and attitude to the parade.

- It's disrespect for the lives and health of hundreds of thousands of people. Lukashenka is committing a crime.

I think this man is mentally ill. Lukashenka is destroying the country, our people, but he does not understand this because of his mental disorder.

Leaders of many states recommend him not to do this. The WHO mission studied the situation and also issued recommendations that are barely implemented.

Only according to official data, we already have more than 19 thousand infected, more than 100 deaths. The situation shows the speed of coronavirus spreading in Belarus is the highest among the nearest countries, and we are leaders in Europe too. Failure to introduce quarantine measures in time is the reason for this.

Lukashenka may realize that the situation with COVID-19 is disastrous, but he never backs down. I think that the parade feeds his ego: to stand in the uniform of a generalissimo, to have his son next to him, to show the whole world that he disdains all recommendations and he is "the smartest" and is not afraid of anything.

As far as I know, people are strongly urged to this parade. There are orders issued for schools, enterprises. Lukashenka needs a crowded event. Troops can't march amongst virtual pictures.

I am shocked by the reaction of other leaders. After all, they see what Lukashenka is doing and do not criticize him. The same Putin-friend, the same Ukrainians-neighbours. I know that one cannot interfere in the affairs of other states, but one must be consistent.

- You mentioned that the Belarusians are forced to the parade. One of the main conditions is that people should not wear masks. Belarusians are at risk. Is it a crime from the legal point of view?

- To begin with, all coercion is illegal. Presence at mass events can only be voluntary.

As for the absence of masks, Lukashenka gives people such an example. He travels around the country, holds meetings without a mask. There is an order "no one will die from coronavirus". We observe people dying not from COVID-19, but from other chronic diseases.

This is Lukashenka's tactics and ideology. He endangers the infection. Many people are driven to the parade under administrative pressure. Marching in a tight formation, the rehearsal and the parade itself can also cause infection among many soldiers.

Further - it is more. Lukashenka ordered "not to invite any veterans to the parade by force." I know that the command will be given to do this. This is Lukashenka's whim - to hold a full-fledged military parade on May 9. He will celebrate this victory, perhaps, with dozens of coffins.

If forensic physicians, administrative lawyers, legal scholars provide some expert assessments that such political action caused harm to many hundreds and thousands of people, then criminal liability may arise.

But this is a great amount of work with lots of researches, search for causal connections in the deeds of the political leadership responsible for the events in the country.

Another thing is that if the Minister of Defense had been bold, he might not have followed the commander-in-chief's order, considering it criminal. But if he only opens his mouth, he would be immediately fired and another, more acquiescent comrade will take his place.

Even squadron and battalion commanders who participate in the parade, having realized their responsibility to servicemen and their relatives, would say: "No, my battalion will not take part in the parade in these conditions". But there are no such commanders in our army either. They are not able to resist such orders today.

- How can one protect oneself from being forced into the parade? Can a person, referring to the Constitution and laws, refuse?

- One should just ignore it. One just has to find the courage and say, "No, I'm not going to this forced mass event." It's voluntary, so no one can be held liable. Yes, we must realize that this power is unconstitutional. It is not based on the law and will seek ways to punish a person.

For example, the dismissal of an employee, if it is a public organization, a student can have several D grades. One should realize that an insolent person runs the country.

Our opposition, democratic movements, those who participate in politics should know to make a difference. First of all, to explain to the people what happens in the country; why this insane person is wrong; why he is an enemy of our population. We need organized forces for people to resist in some forms. The history has already worked it all out; all these forms and methods have been studied. Another matter is how applicable they are in the conditions of Belarus.

Lukashenka behaves so horribly that I would compare it with Hitler's leadership, who sent many people to their doom. It is the genocide. One should deliver a political assessment of his actions in this case.

Lukashenka has long been subjected to Article 88 of the Constitution. It states that the head of state can be removed from office for treason or other severe crime. His crimes include an order to destroy his opponents and an unconstitutional seizure of power by the so-called referendum of November 1996, retention of the seized power, etc. There are a lot of these crimes of Lukashenk and he must be responsible for everything.

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