Minsk 20:05

Upper chamber passes civil society bill

January 30, BPN. The Council of the Republic has adopted the bill “On the Foundations of Civil Society,” the upper house’s press office reports.

The bill defines civil society as Belarusian nationals, foreign nationals and stateless persons permanently residing in the republic and expressing their civic position “by participating in social relations and institutions unprohibited by law.”

It provides for “general and special forms of cooperation” between state agencies and members of civil society.

Senator Aleh Ramanaŭ said the new piece of legislation “has both ideological and legal components.” “The task of civil society is to help the state solve significant social problems and move toward progressive development,” he said.

Human rights defenders criticized the bill earlier, saying that it will establish a hierarchy of associations based on their loyalty to the government.

The bill passed the second reading in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Belarusian National Assembly, on December 25.

It has yet to be signed into law by Alaksandr Łukašenka.

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