{"id":11509,"date":"2022-12-09T17:03:10","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T14:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/regime-trying-to-instill-fear-in-officials\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"regime-trying-to-instill-fear-in-officials","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11509\/","title":{"rendered":"Regime trying to instill fear in officials"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n The Belarusian regime is set to add high treason to crimes punishable by death to instill fear in officials.<\/span><\/b>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The House of Representative voted on December 7 to pass the bill on its first reading.\n<\/p>\n

2020 flashbacks <\/h2>\n

\n\t Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka barely managed to remain in control during sociopolitical unrest that followed his disputed re-election in 2020. Some officials, including police officers and diplomats, sided with protesters.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Pavie\u0142 \u0141atu\u0161ka, a former diplomat and culture minister, is now a senior member of the opposition cabinet.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Alaksandr Azara\u016d, ex-official of the Main Directorate for Fighting Organized Crime and Corruption, heads the ByPol association of exiled former security officers and is also a member of Sviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s United Transitional Cabinet. ByPol has been developing the Pieramoha Plan to overthrow the regime.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The regime sentenced scores of former officers to lengthy prison terms for supporting protests. Some of them were reportedly beaten and tortured.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Many officials and civil servants hesitated during the protests which side to take. The Belarusian ruler repeatedly appealed to them not to betray him. He has not yet recovered from a huge psychological trauma he experienced in 2020.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Not surprisingly, \u0141uka\u0161enka sees fear as the only effective tool to maintain loyalty. That was the key motive behind the bill.\n<\/p>\n

New crisis may come<\/h2>\n

\n\t He continues to efforts to instill fear because he realizes that his opponents are waiting for an opportunity to strike. The crackdown has failed to make his government popular and win back respect. Public discontent remains.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t In addition, the economy has contracted and economic prospects are darkening. In 2020, opposition leaders\u2019 attempt to organize an all-out strike was not supported by workers. But the idea may resonate next time.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Belarusian ruler wants to have a safety mechanism to prevent a possible political crisis from toppling his regime.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t As noted by Alaksandr Frydman, a political analyst, \u201cpeople like \u0141uka\u0161enka are fond of conspiracy theories.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The bill comes on the back of rumors that the Kremlin considers replacing \u0141uka\u0161enka with someone who would send Belarusian troops to fight alongside with Russian forces in Ukraine.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The paranoid strongman seems to take those rumors seriously as he is aware of the Kremlin\u2019s Byzantine ways. The death penalty for high treason is also a measure against Moscow\u2019s possible attempts to exert influence on his entourage.\n<\/p>\n

War against Ukraine<\/h2>\n

\n\t Fear of execution might also discourage soldiers and officers from resisting his orders should he send Belarusian troops to fight in Ukraine.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Polls suggest that the Belarusians are overwhelmingly opposed to Belarus\u2019 direct involvement in the Russian military campaign.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Incidentally, the bill, if adopted, would make it a crime to discredit the Armed Forces and other paramilitary organizations of Belarus.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Commentators noted that the clause was copy-pasted from Russian legislation. This is another sign that \u0141uka\u0161enka and his generals do not rule out direct participation in the war.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka has learned at first hand that instilling fear is an effective strategy to hold on to power. However, history also knows many examples of the strategy\u2019s failure.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN The Belarusian regime is set to add high treason to crimes punishable by death to instill fear in officials. The House of Representative voted on December 7 to pass the bill on its first reading. 2020 flashbacks Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka barely managed to remain in control during sociopolitical unrest that followed his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-11509","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRegime trying to instill fear in officials | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN The Belarusian regime is set to add high treason to crimes punishable by death to instill fear in officials. 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