Belarusian regime wants to allow KGB to control people leaving the country

Evropeiska Pravda — Monday, 11 July 2022, 22:14

The Belarussian parliament has registered a draft bill proposing that the Belarussian KGB be allowed to restrict citizens’ rights to leave the country for a period of up to six months if it is "contrary to the interests of national security".

Source: European Pravda citing Belarussian media Reform.by

The draft law proposes to add a clause to the law regulating the procedure for entering and leaving the country, stating that the [Belorusian - ed.] KGB will have the power to restrict the exit of citizens for a period of up to six months, if their departure is "contrary to the interests of national security of the Republic of Belarus."

The current version of the law mentions the ban on leaving the country for national security reasons (Article 3). However, it does not specify who exactly may apply this provision, while the ban is not mentioned anywhere else.

The draft bill also prohibits Belarussian citizens from leaving the country "against whom administrative proceedings are ongoing for committing administrative offences against the order of government."

In addition, the text of the draft bill also proposes that certain categories of citizens, namely military personnel, civilian employees of military units, civil servants, be allowed to travel abroad only with the approval of the leadership.

Reform.by points out that the draft bill will most likely be reviewed and signed by self-proclaimed president Alexander Lukashenko in the autumn.

Background: Earlier, Lukashenko stated the need to broaden the functions of the State Security Committee (KGB).