Citizens' responsibility for improper conduct in society and non-compliance with established rules

In addition to ethical norms, there are also legal norms, provided for in particular by the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus, establishing the responsibility of citizens for improper behavior in society and non-compliance with established rules.

For example, when using obscene language, offensively addressing a conversational partner, citizens should remember the responsibility provided for by Art. 9.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus. According to this norm, intentional humiliation of honor and dignity of a person, expressed in an indecent form, entails administrative responsibility in the form of a fine of up to 20 base units, which currently corresponds to 490 rubles.

Defamation, i.e., the dissemination of knowingly false inventions that disgrace another person, entails responsibility under Art. 9.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus in the form of a fine of up to 30 base units (735 rubles).

Insult or defamation committed repeatedly within a year after the imposition of administrative penalties for insult or defamation, as well as expressed in a public performance, or published in a printed or publicly displayed work, in the media, already constitute criminal offenses provided for by Articles 188, 189 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

Also, polite and correct behavior in bodies and institutions is required not only from officials of these bodies, but also from citizens visiting them, which the latter sometimes forget or deliberately do not observe. However, Article 23.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus provides for responsibility for insulting an official of a state body (organization) while performing his official duties by a person not subordinate to him in service. The sanction of this article provides for administrative responsibility in the form of a fine from 20 (490 rubles) to 50 (1225 rubles) base units.

Taking into account the above and as practice shows, polite behavior towards others not only contributes to improving the microclimate in society, but also significantly saves the family budget.

Senior Prosecutor of the Department for Supervision
over the Enforcement of Legislation and
Legality of Legal Acts
of the Regional Prosecutor's Office Irina Kryukovskaya