A Belarusian citizen identified as Dzmitry, who used a New Belarus passport when replacing his residence permit, will not lose his international protection status. He told Nasha Niva.
The case drew widespread attention in February. At the time, the Partyzanka initiative reported on a Belarusian citizen who could lose international protection because of using a New Belarus passport and warned that using such a document could carry criminal liability. Dzmitry later said that staff at the Foreigners Office had shown interest in the passport, but problems arose because the office believed he had obtained a new Belarusian passport. As a result, proceedings were launched to review his additional protection status.
The matter has now been resolved. Dzmitry received a decision from the Foreigners Office terminating the review of his status. He told the publication that the office took his arguments into account and also confirmed that the passport he presented when replacing his residence permit document is not issued by the Belarusian authorities. As a result, the office concluded that there was no evidence allowing it to revoke Dzmitry’s additional protection status. Such status can be lost if its holder travels to the country of origin or obtains a new national document. However, the office warned that the case could be reopened if new evidence emerges.
The document also states that representatives of the Belarusian opposition informed the office that 500 such passports had been issued by early February.
“The New Belarus passport is outside the system of formal international recognition”, the document says.
