Presidential Guard (Belarus)
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Presidential Security Service of Belarus Служба бяспекі прэзiдэнта Республікi Беларусь |
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| Common name | Presidential Security Service |
| Abbreviation | SBP |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1991 |
| Preceding agency | Ninth Chief Directorate (KGB) |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Governing body | Presidential Administration of Belarus |
| General nature |
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| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Minsk |
| Agency executive | Major General Viktor Shinkevich, Commander |
The Belarusian Presidential Guard or officially the Presidential Security Service (Russian: Служба безопасности Президента Республики Беларусь, Belarusian: Служба бяспекі прэзiдэнта Республікi Беларусь) is a law-enforcement body that was designed to protect the President of Belarus and other high-ranking officials and officers.
According to the US and the European Union, the Presidential Security Service and its commanders are actively involved in human rights violations and political repressions in Belarus.
According to the Belarusian opposition, the Presidential Security Service has played a key role in the events around the controversial referendum of 1996, which has resulted in the dissolution of the disloyal Supreme Soviet of Belarus and an ultimate concentration of state power in the hands of authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko.
Before the controversial referendum, the Presidential Security Service has blocked the office of the Central Election Commission of Belarus and prevented the Head of the Commission, Viktar Hanchar from executing his role.Lidia Yermoshina, a member of the Commission loyal to Lukashenko, has been appointed instead of Hanchar. Three years later, Viktar Hanchar has disappeared and was presumably murdered.
After the events, the United States State Department stated that the Presidential Guard is a secret police force under the control of President Alexander Lukashenko. The State Department in 1996 stated the guard was allowed to use force "against the President's political enemies with no judicial or legislative oversight."
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Wikipedia