English

Obama extends US sanctions against Lukashenka by one year

US President Barack Obama has extended by one year his country’s sanctions against Alyaksandr Lukashenka and nine other Belarusians, BelaPAN said.

“In 2012, the Government of Belarus continued its crackdown against political opposition, civil society, and independent media,” Mr. Obama says in a statement issued on June 13. “The September 23 elections failed to meet international standards. The government arbitrarily arrested, detained, and imprisoned citizens for criticizing officials or for participating in demonstrations; imprisoned at least one human rights activist on manufactured charges; and prevented independent media from disseminating information and materials. These actions show that the Government of Belarus has not taken steps forward in the development of democratic governance and respect for human rights.”

Mr. Obama says that “the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Belarus and other persons continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

“For this reason, the national emergency declared on June 16, 2006, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond June 16, 2013,” he says.

The visa bans and asset freezes targeting Mr. Lukashenka and nine other Belarusians were approved by Mr. Obama’s predecessor, George Bush.

Apart from Mr. Lukashenka, the US sanctions target his eldest son Viktar, presidential aide for national security since 2005; Lidziya Yarmoshyna, chairperson of the central election commission since 1996; Viktar Halavanaw, who was minister of justice in 2006; Viktar Sheyman, the then state secretary of the Security Council who is currently special presidential aide; Dzmitry Pawlichenka, the then chief of the Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) of the interior ministry; Stsyapan Sukharenka, the then chief of the Committee for State Security (KGB); Alyaksandr Zimowski, the then chairperson of the Belarusian State Television and Radio Company; and Natallya Pyatkevich, the then first deputy head of the Presidential Administration who is currently presidential aide.