Belarus’ security forces: what should we expect of them?

During the political crisis in Belarus, the security forces demonstrated multidirectional tendencies. We’ve noticed unprecedented street violence and repressions of the security forces with more than 450 documented cases of torture, as well as mutilation and killings of the peaceful protesters. At the same time, for the first time in history there was also a mass exodus from the law enforcement agencies; the former members of the security forces united within the BYPOL initiative, which regularly publishes confirmed leaks from the repressive arms of the state.

Questions include:

1) What are the moods that prevail within the security forces? What can be expected of them if the repressions continue or escalate?

2) What are the main conclusions regarding the security forces after the events of August 2020?

3) What should be the future of the security forces? What is the golden mean between “dissolve everyone and recruit new ones” and “leave everything as it is”?

Keynote speakers:

- Arseni Sivitski, cofounder and director of the Center for Strategic and Foreign Policy Studies
- Yahor Lebiadok, military expert
- Aliaksandr Azarau, current member of ByPol, former lieutenant colonel, ex-head of the 3rd department on combatting extremism of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption (HUBAZiK, GUBOPiK), former lecturer at the Academy of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs

Видео Belarus’ security forces: what should we expect of them? канала Press Club Belarus