{"id":86918,"date":"2024-05-24T11:31:07","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T08:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/86918\/"},"modified":"2024-05-24T11:31:09","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T08:31:09","slug":"minsk-dreads-coordination-council-election","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/86918\/","title":{"rendered":"Minsk dreads Coordination Council election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Investigative Committee in mid-May designated 257 candidates for the opposition Coordination Council as extremists. The committee used the language of propaganda instead of legalese in its announcement.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Candidates labeled \u201cfugitive criminals”<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Twelve extremist formations started fighting for grants and organized pseudo-elections,” the committee said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Sensing the imminent loss of fictitious authority and funding from Western curators, well-known fugitive criminals such as Azara\u016d, \u0141atu\u0161ka, Prako\u1e55je\u016d, as well as less known and disengaged representatives of the radical world put forward their candidacies for the right to sit at the master’s table.”

It denounced the poll as “a decision to reorganize this criminal group with the subsequent appointment of new leaders to extremist groups.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regime’s lieutenants may be looking in the mirror. This description is a perfect match for the National Assembly and All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, whose delegates are appointed by the Belarusian ruler and his senior officials.

As for the Coordination Council election, authorities will do their best to disrupt it, including by punishing voters. However, the reputation of voting software developers and testers is good enough to assume that the votes will be counted fairly.

The investigators charged the candidates with conspiracy to seize power, calling for sanctions and association with an extremist group. They have moved to seize property to compensate for damage, although it is not quite clear what kind of damage.

On the one hand, some independent analysts doubt that the election will generate much interest among those living in Belarus and say that it will be mainly Belarusians based abroad who will vote. The organizers are expecting tens of thousands of votes at most, roughly one percent of the Belarusian voters.

On the other hand, by talking about conspiracy to seize power, the top brass are unwittingly elevating this seemingly marginal process to the level of an existential threat.

\u0141uka\u0161enka appears to be following the election closely, and even mentioned it at the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly in April.

The government could simply ignore it in order not to advertise it, but it probably could not miss the opportunity for mudslinging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criminal cases against Belarusians abroad<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The law enforcers want to showcase their hard work, advance careers and persuade the ruler to keep spending heavily on law enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that internal dissent has almost been crushed, the law enforcement agencies have shifted their focus to exiled opponents. Authorities hold trials in absentia and seize property in a bid to disrupt their activity.

In a recent development, the Investigative Committee filed criminal charges against 104 participants in March 25 ceremonies held abroad to mark an anniversary of Belarus\u2019 short-lived independence in 1918.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironically, in 2018, the government officially allowed opponents to celebrate the centenary of the Belarusian National Republic in downtown Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The occasion was the same, and therefore the attitude change is indicative of the regime\u2019s shift towards totalitarianism.

The Investigative Committee accused celebration participants of calling for sanctions against Belarus and its citizens and \u201ccompromising the country’s leadership.”

The investigators moved to seize the defenders’ property in Belarus as \u201ccompensation for damages\u201d in line with “the principle of inevitability of punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traumatized by 2020, \u0141uka\u0161enka taking precautions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka is extremely wary of encroachments on his power, while the Coordination Council claims to represent Belarusian voters.

Voters in Belarus may have little interest in the election taking place abroad. Nevertheless, the election will give the new Coordination Council more legitimacy than if its members were just picked by someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a hypothetical socio-political crisis, it can step into the fray to participate in decision-making.

\u0141uka\u0161enka was outraged by Coordination Council formation in August 2020 amid mass protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that it was an attempt to seize power and demanded that police arrest its members.

The Russian war against Ukraine, in which Minsk is a co-aggressor, is a slippery slope. \u0141uka\u0161enka understands that when an opportunity arises, the Coordination Council will push for his resignation.

Even if there is not much excitement about the council now, it can galvanize voters during a crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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