Government directive targets children of opposition activists

January 2, Pozirk. Children whose parents have been prosecuted for their disloyalty may be considered socially vulnerable, according to a directive on children in need of social protection adopted by the Belarusian Council of Ministers on Monday.

According to the directive, which was published and came into force yesterday, the parent’s conviction under Administrative Offenses Code Articles 19.1, 19.4, 19.10, 19.11 or 25.11 is an indicator of the child’s social vulnerability. These articles are typically used for political reprisals.

The regulation will be applied retroactively: “Decisions on the recognition of children as being socially vulnerable taken before the entry into force of this directive shall be subject to review by commissions on minors’ affairs . . . within six months of its entry into force.”

Measures of “state protection” include the termination of parental rights and removal of children from their families.

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Ukrainian expert stresses Minsk's role in indoctrination of Ukrainian children

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