Repent in order to return. Why are the Belarusian authorities calling political emigrants home?

Belarusian political emigrants have begun receiving messages proposing that they “repent” and return home.

The initiative for Belarusians to return has also been launched by pro-government Telegram channels.
The authorities want to obtain information and discredit the democratic forces
Reflecting on why the Belarusian authorities are calling political emigrants home, political scientist and director of the Political Sphere Institute Andrei Kazakevich says that the authorities’ main goal is information. “Information about the activities of the democratic forces is important to them, because it may be important for countermeasures.

They also need information for criminal cases, additional facts for charges.”

The political scientist also notes that the story of Belarusians returning home is needed for propaganda purposes: “In this way, the democratic movement can be discredited, and the authorities can obtain loyal people within it.”https://www.dw.com/ru/pokajsja-chtoby-vernutsja-zachem-vlasti-zovut-emigrantov-domoj/a-60589215#
Andrei Kazakevich
At the same time, Kazakevich does not regard calls for political emigrants to return home as liberalization: “It would be liberalization if the return were unconditional and provided for an amnesty and the release of political prisoners (https://www.dw.com/ru/1000-politzakljuchennyh-kto-oni-i-chto-jeto-znachit-dlja-belarusi/a-60483527).

Perhaps this is the authorities’ vision of national reconciliation: through cooperation with the agencies and the provision of information, a person receives forgiveness and can live in Belarus again.”

However, the main problem with initiatives to return home is the issue of trust. “To what extent can people, both in Belarus and outside it, trust law enforcement agencies at all now?

Ultimately, this procedure can be used to lure activists back and open criminal cases against them,” Andrei Kazakevich believes.

Read in full (https://www.dw.com/ru/pokajsja-chtoby-vernutsja-zachem-vlasti-zovut-emigrantov-domoj/a-60589215)