Political Repression and the Death Penalty in Belarus

As delivered by Deputy Chief of Mission Courtney Austrian to the Permanent Council, Vienna Thank you, Mr. Chair. First, I would like to note the passing last week of former Belarusian leader Stanislau Shushkevich, who guided Belarus from its Soviet past to its emergence as an independent nation.  He leaves a legacy that many in the ...
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By | 12 May, 2022 | Topics: History, News, Video | Tags: ,

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Statement on Russia’s War on Ukraine & International Sport

MEDIA NOTE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON The text of the following statement was agreed upon by the ministers of sport or their equivalent from the countries and individuals listed at the bottom of the statement. Begin text: Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of choice against Ukraine, enabled by the Belarusian government, is abhorrent and a flagrant breach of its ...
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By | 8 March, 2022 | Topics: Key Officials, News | Tags: , , ,

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FACT SHEET: The United States Continues to Impose Costs on Russia and Belarus for Putin’s War of Choice

Today, the United States, in coordination with Allies and partners, is imposing additional economic costs on Russia and Belarus in response to President Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. The United States will take actions to hold Belarus accountable for enabling Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, weaken the Russian defense sector and its military power for years ...
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By | 2 March, 2022 | Topics: Fact Sheets, Key Documents, News, News from Washington | Tags: , ,

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Suspending Operations at U.S. Embassy Minsk and Change in Status for U.S. Embassy Moscow

ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE The U.S. Department of State has suspended operations at our Embassy in Minsk, Belarus and authorized the voluntary departure (“authorized departure”) of non-emergency employees and family members at our Embassy in Moscow, Russia. We took these steps due to security and safety issues stemming from the unprovoked and unjustified ...
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By | 28 February, 2022 | Topics: Key Officials, News, News from Washington | Tags: , ,

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Political Prisoners in Belarus

ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE The Lukashenka regime now holds more than 1,000 political prisoners.  These Belarusians, from all walks of life, have been arrested and confined simply because they peacefully exercised their rights to freedom of expression and assembly in response to a fraudulent election and the Lukashenka regime’s abuses.  Tens of thousands ...
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By | 27 January, 2022 | Topics: History, Human Rights, Key Officials, News, News from Washington | Tags: ,

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Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on Belarus

One year ago today, the people of Belarus sought to make their voices heard and shape their own future through that most basic expression of democracy—an election. Rather than respect the clear will of the Belarusian people, the Lukashenka regime perpetrated election fraud, followed by a brutal campaign of repression to stifle dissent. From detaining ...
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By | 9 August, 2021 | Topics: History, Human Rights, Key Officials, News, News from Washington | Tags:

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Holding the Lukashenka Regime to Account on the Anniversary of the Fraudulent Presidential Belarusian Election

ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE On the one-year anniversary of Belarus’s fraudulent presidential election, the United States government has taken decisive action against forty-four individuals and entities in order to hold Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his regime to account for its continued, violent repression of Belarusians inside and outside the country.  These steps are a further consequence ...
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By | 9 August, 2021 | Topics: History, Human Rights, Key Officials, News, News from Washington | Tags: ,

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Statement by President Joe Biden on Diversion of Ryanair Flight and Arrest of Journalist in Belarus

Belarus’s forced diversion of a commercial Ryanair flight, traveling between two member states of the European Union, and subsequent removal and arrest of Raman Pratasevich, a Belarusian journalist traveling abroad, are a direct affront to international norms. The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms both the diversion of the plane and the subsequent ...
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By | 24 May, 2021 | Topics: Human Rights, Key Officials, News, News from Washington, President of the United States | Tags: ,

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Imposing Sanctions and Visa Restrictions on Additional Individuals and Entities Undermining Belarusian Democracy

MICHAEL R. POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE Today, the United States is taking action against individuals and entities involved in efforts to undermine Belarusian democracy. Specifically, the U.S. Departments of State and of Treasury have exercised their respective authorities against 40 individuals and four entities involved in electoral fraud and human rights abuses surrounding the fraudulent ...
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By | 23 December, 2020 | Topics: Key Officials, News, News from Washington | Tags: , , ,

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Joint Statement on Internet Shutdowns in Belarus

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Begin Text: We, the ...
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By | 17 September, 2020 | Topics: History, Human Rights, News | Tags:

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Abduction of Opposition Leaders in Belarus

MICHAEL R. POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE The United States is deeply concerned by the reported abduction September 7 in Belarus of Coordination Council member Mariya Kalesnikava, Spokesman Anton Rodnenkou, and Executive Secretary Ivan Krautsou, and the attempted forced expulsion over the border to Ukraine September 8. We commend the courage of Ms. Kalesnikava and of the Belarusian people in peacefully asserting ...
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By | 8 September, 2020 | Topics: Human Rights, Key Officials, News, News from Washington | Tags: , ,

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U.S. Mission OSCE: Call for Belarus to Uphold its OSCE Election-Related Commitments and Respect Human Rights

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this important meeting today. And it is an honor to be here with all of you. Earlier this week, I had the privilege of meeting in Vilnius with Belarusian opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. I was inspired by her courage and resolve to advocate for the Belarusian people in their ...
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By | 28 August, 2020 | Topics: Human Rights, Key Documents, Key Officials, News | Tags:

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