The Lukashenka regime continues to repress the Belarusian individuals and their democratic aspirations, together with with the politically motivated trial in absentia of democratic opposition chief Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and different democratic activists on baseless prices. To reply to these human rights abuses, the State Division is asserting motion to impose visa restrictions on 25 people underneath Presidential Proclamation 8015 for his or her involvement in undermining democracy.
These politically motivated trials are the newest examples of the Lukashenka regime’s efforts to intimidate and repress those that search justice, respect for human rights, and a democratic Belarus. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya leads the pro-democracy motion from exile in Vilnius, defends human rights, and continues to press for a democratic transition in Belarus. She is on trial together with different pro-democracy leaders, together with Volha Kavalkova, head of the Coordination Council, the physique tasked with facilitating Belarus’ democratic transition. Individually, the regime final month convicted and sentenced to 12 years in jail Belarusian Sports activities Solidarity Basis founder Alex Apeikin and Belarusian Olympian Alyaksandra Herasimenia. The Lukashenka regime additionally continues to carry as a political prisoner Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, who has devoted his life to defending human rights and advancing democratic change in Belarus.
We is not going to stand by as this regime continues to harass and repress peaceable protesters, the democratic opposition, journalists, unionists, activists, human rights defenders, and on a regular basis Belarusians. These regime officers focused in at this time’s motion embody members of the Nationwide Meeting of Belarus for his or her function in passing laws to authorize the loss of life penalty for individuals convicted of supposed “tried acts of terrorism,” a cost used to repress and intimidate the democratic opposition and civil society. A few of these people have additionally supported laws revoking citizenship from these exterior the nation charged with “extremism,” and confiscating property for taking “unfriendly actions in the direction of Belarus” – equally geared toward repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition and civil society.
Together with at this time’s announcement, the State Division has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on 322 people for undermining democracy in Belarus because the fraudulent 2020 presidential election. We are going to proceed to make use of all applicable instruments to carry to account these in Belarus standing in the way in which of their fellow residents’ democratic aspirations.
