Maintain public order

During the election campaign period, it is advisable to remind about some rules for holding mass events,

as well as about the responsibility established by law
for non-compliance with these rules and violation of election legislation.

The procedure for holding mass events is established by the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Mass Events" (hereinafter - the Law).

In accordance with the Law, when holding a mass event, its participants are obliged to observe public order and comply with all lawful requirements of the organizers of the mass event, law enforcement officers and public representatives performing duties to protect public order.

During assemblies, rallies, street processions, demonstrations or picketing, their organizers and participants are prohibited from:

obstructing the movement of vehicles and pedestrians;

creating obstacles to the uninterrupted functioning of organizations;

installing tents, other temporary structures;

influencing law enforcement officers in any way to prevent them from performing their official duties, as well as public representatives performing duties to protect public order;

carrying cold, firearms, gas or other weapons, explosive substances and ammunition, items whose damaging effect is based on the use of combustible substances, their simulators and mock-ups, other items that can be used as weapons, poisonous, toxic, acrid-smelling, flammable substances, fire hazardous and pyrotechnic substances or products, except for matches and pocket lighters, other substances, items, products, including homemade ones, the use of which can lead to smoking, ignition, as well as alcoholic, low-alcohol beverages and (or) beer;

carrying out propaganda of war or extremist activities, including using posters, banners or other means;

acting by methods that create a threat to public

safety, life, and health of the participants of the specified events or other persons, or to conceal their faces, including by using masks, other items and/or means to impede the identification of their persons;

to use flags, pennants not registered in the established manner, as well as emblems, symbols, posters and banners, the content of which is aimed at causing damage to public order, the rights and legitimate interests of citizens;

to commit any actions that violate the established procedure for organizing and holding a mass event, as well as to incite such actions by any means;

to participate in a mass event while intoxicated or in a state caused by the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances.

In case of violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events, the legislator provides for administrative and criminal liability.

Thus, Art. 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus provides for administrative liability for violating the procedure for organizing or holding mass events.

The commission of acts provided for by the specified article entails the imposition of such administrative penalties as a fine of up to 200 base units, or community service, or administrative arrest.

During the preparation for the elections, it should also be reminded of the administrative liability established by Article 10.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus (violation of legislation on elections, referendums, exercise of the right of legislative initiative of citizens).

This norm provides for administrative liability for conducting agitation on the day of elections, a referendum, voting on the recall of a deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, a deputy of a local Council of Deputies, or illegal attraction or use of funds or material resources in the preparation and holding of elections, a referendum, recall of a deputy of the House of Representatives, a member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly.

of the Republic of Belarus, a deputy of a local council of deputies, or for measures aimed at exercising the right of legislative initiative of citizens, or for the failure to submit to the Central Election Commission, election commission, referendum commission, or commission for the recall of a deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, a deputy of a local council of deputies, the necessary documents or for the failure to comply with their decisions, for the violation by the chairman or member of an election commission, referendum commission of the procedure established by law for counting votes, as well as other violations of the legislation on elections, referendums, on the recall of a deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, a deputy of a local council of deputies, or on the exercise of the right of legislative initiative of citizens – a fine of up to fifteen base units shall be imposed.

Administrative responsibility is also provided for the illegal conduct of public opinion polls (Article 10.21 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus).

Administrative responsibility under the first part of the specified article arises for conducting research and publishing the results of public opinion polls related to the socio-political situation in the country, republican referendums, elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus, deputies of the House of Representatives, members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, without obtaining appropriate accreditation (entails the imposition of a fine of up to twenty base units, and on a legal entity – up to one hundred base units).

The second part provides for administrative responsibility for committing the above-mentioned acts repeatedly within one year after the imposition of an administrative penalty for the same violations (entails the imposition of a fine from ten to thirty base units, and on a legal entity – from twenty to two hundred base units).