{"id":128198,"date":"2025-02-28T22:00:03","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T19:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/128198\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"minsk-introduces-criminal-liability-for-reporting-troop-movements","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/128198\/","title":{"rendered":"Minsk introduces heavy punishment for reporting troop movements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Illustration photo (Ministry of Defense)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

February 28, Pozirk. <\/em><\/strong>Belarus has criminalized \u201cunauthorized\u201d reporting on the location or movement of troops and hardware in the new edition of its Criminal Code, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Article 375-3 provides for a fine, arrest or up to three years\u2019 imprisonment; if the information has been disseminated by a group, or for personal gain, or has caused grave consequences, up to six years\u2019 imprisonment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viasna cites Belarusian Helsinki Committee experts linking the introduction of this article to the Russian war in Ukraine\u2014it is aimed at prosecuting citizens who report the movement of Russian military hardware in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until now, such people have been prosecuted under Criminal Code articles against extremism and treason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human rights defenders note that other amendments expand the list of charges under which defendants may be tried in their absence, for example, for \u201cdiscrediting\u201d Belarus or \u201cinsulting\u201d its leader and symbols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new edition of the Criminal Code also incorporates the concept \u201cPresident of the Republic of Belarus who has ceased to perform his duties,\u201d shielding future ex-presidents from violence, defamation and insults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On February 17, Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka signed amendments revising sanctions for 97 types of crime and supplementing 65 types with alternative, milder punishments. Article 375-3 has not been announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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