New Belarus passport cannot be grounds for criminal prosecution, printer says
February 27, Pozirk. Several sources have denied that a New Belarus passport can serve as grounds for terminating asylum or for criminal prosecution in Poland.
Dźmitryj, a Belarusian asylee who had issues with Polish authorities in December over his New Belarus passport, told Naša Niva on February 26 that it was merely a misunderstanding and that his temporary ID was ultimately extended by two years.
He said he entered data from his New Belarus passport in his application, the issue date in September 2025. An official appears to have misinterpreted the recent date as evidence that he had traveled to Belarus to obtain a new official passport, which was not the case. The misunderstanding was resolved after he submitted written explanations.
“Officials at the Department for Foreigners’ Affairs know perfectly well what the blue official Belarusian passport looks like and accept the alternative red passport for issuing a temporary residence permit,” he said.
“The [New Belarus] passport is of very high quality and meets all ICAO standards,” a deputy director of the Belarusian Passport Center, which prints the alternative IDs, said in an interview with Most. “It contains the citizen’s biometric data, an electronic signature, fingerprints, an NFC-compatible chip, etc.”
“Based on the experience of other governments in exile, including the government of Ichkeria, not a single criminal case has been initiated in connection with their IDs. We are in contact with them and share our experience,” the executive said.
The Belarusian Passport Center was established by the office of Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja and her United Transitional Cabinet.
One day earlier, the Partyzanka association of Belarusian lawyers warned Belarusians against using New Belarus passports as official documents in Poland.
Partyzanka described the New Belarus passport as a “symbolic” document that cannot be used as legal identification.
Belarusian in Poland may have his asylum terminated after producing New Belarus passport
February 25, Pozirk. The Partyzanka association of Belarusian lawyers has warned Belarusians against using New Belarus passports as official documents in Poland after officials filed a motion to terminate a man's asylum for producing such passport instead of a valid …
