Draft Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Basis for Prevention of Offenses" was adopted by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly in the first reading on June 28, 2013. The draft law envisages new measures for prevention of family and domestic conflicts, such as registration for preventive control and issuance of a restraining order.
“Application of individual preventive measures will be staged and include preventive conversation, a formal warning, registration for preventive control and issuance of a restraining order,” says Sergei Krasutski, head of the Department for Organization of Work of District Police Officers/Crime Prevention Office/Main Office for Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention/Public Security Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic Belarus. – “Preventive conversations will be conducted with alcohol abusers and perpetrators of domestic violence. Measures against these two categories of people are introduced due to the fact that 80% of murders and severe bodily assaults are committed in a state of alcoholic intoxication, and one in four murders and severe bodily assaults is committed by close relatives”.
Under the new draft law, registration for preventive control envisages appearing at the police agency when summoned and participating in the conducted prevention activities at least once per month. If a person registered with the police agency commits a repeated offense against a family member, a restraining order may be issued.
“A restraining order would prohibit a domestic violence offender to attempt to find out the whereabouts of, visit, or communicate with the victim of domestic violence”, says Sergey Krasutski.
A restraining order also ensures the safety of victims of domestic violence finding shelter in "crisis rooms". Work on the draft law "On the Basis for Prevention of Offenses" is in progress.
Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences were adopted by the House of Representatives on June 27, 2013 in the second reading. Changes were introduced into Article 9.1 (supplemented with Part 2) and envisage a penalty (fine or arrest) for battery, which did not cause injuries, intentional infliction of pain, physical or mental hurts committed against a close relative or a family member, if these actions do not constitute a crime. As Sergey Krasutski explained, this innovation would provide a means to isolate the offender from the family before the trial.
