(Washington) The United States announced on Tuesday new sanctions against Belarus, due to the “constant repression” exerted by the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko, as the trial in absentia opens in Minsk of exiled opponent Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
“The Lukashenko regime continues to suppress the Belarusian people and their democratic aspirations, including through the politically motivated trial in absentia of democratic opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and other democratic activists on baseless charges” , says the head of the American diplomacy Antony Blinken in a press release announcing the sanctions.
“To Address These Human Rights Violations, The State Department Announces Visa Restriction Actions Against 25 Individuals […] for their involvement in the undermining of democracy” in Belarus, specifies the Secretary of State.
In particular, members of the National Assembly of Belarus are targeted, “for their role in the adoption of legislation authorizing the death penalty for those convicted of alleged ‘attempted acts of terrorism’, a charge used to repress and intimidate the democratic opposition and civil society,” according to Mr. Blinken.
The authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994 and whose re-election in 2020 is disputed, has been targeted for years by American sanctions.
In March, Washington announced new economic sanctions against him for corruption and human rights violations.
With Tuesday’s announcements, the State Department imposed visa restrictions on 322 individuals for “undermining democracy in Belarus since the fraudulent 2020 presidential election,” Antony Blinken’s statement said.
