Belarus Operational and Analytical Center to get new powers

The state Operational and Analytical Center (OAC) has received new powers. The order was signed by the head of the department Andrei Paulyuchenka, who previously served as the President’s head of security.

Earlier, the OAC was not on the list of the bodies authorized to draft protocols on administrative violations.

Now, it can deal with administrative offenses in the following cases:

– illegal business activities (Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses)
– failure to comply with a written request (requirement)
– obstacles to verification, examination
– interference in the resolution of an administrative offense case
– disobeying the lawful order or demand of an official in the exercise of their official authority
– insult of an official in the exercise of their official authority
– deliberate false explanations or statements
– refusal or evasion of a witness or victim from giving explanations or an expert or an interpreter from performing the duties assigned to them
– evasion of appearance in the body that conducts an administrative or criminal process (Articles 23.1-23.5 and 24.4-24.6 of the Administrative Code)

The order came into force after its official publication.

Officially, the OAC must confront threats to information security of the country and is engaged in “regulation of activities to ensure the protection of information containing government secrets of the Republic of Belarus.”

Lukashenka has repeatedly noted that he expects from the OAC “more profound, qualitative information on the fight against corruption.” However, in December last year, the head of Belarus dismissed the entire leadership of the OAC because of their involvement in a number of criminal and corruption cases.

The operational-analytical center is considered the most secret Belarusian power structure. The body has the right to monitor, monitor telephone conversations, conduct secret video surveillance.

“Reporters Without Borders” has called the OAC “the enemy of the Internet.” The institution carries out censorship on the Internet, spies on journalists and supervises providers. At the same time, the employees of the OAC never appear at detentions and are never mentioned in criminal cases.