Presidential Security Service (Belarus)

The Belarusian Presidential Guard or officially the Presidential Security Service (Belarusian: Служба бяспекі прэзідэнта Рэспублікі Беларусь, romanized: Sluzhba byaspyeki prezidenta, Russian: Служба безопасности Президента Республики 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.

[2] Lidia Yermoshina, a member of the Commission loyal to Lukashenko, has been appointed instead of Hanchar.

"[5] Several former Heads of the Presidential Security Service have been included in the sanctions lists of the European Union and the United States:[6]