The U.S. government on Tuesday announced visa restrictions against 25 people over «repression» in Belarus ahead of the opening of a trial ‘in absentia’ against opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, in what Washington has described as «a politically motivated trial.»
Those sanctioned include Belarusian parliamentarians «for their role in passing legislation authorizing the death penalty for persons convicted of alleged ‘attempted acts of terrorism,’ a charge used to repress and intimidate the democratic opposition and civil society.» Likewise, parliamentarians have also been sanctioned who «supported legislation to revoke the citizenship of those outside the country and charged with ‘extremism’ and confiscate property for ‘hostile actions against Belarus,’ similarly aimed at repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition and civil society.»
«The regime of (Belarusian President Alexander) Lukashenko continues to repress the Belarusian people and their democratic aspirations, including the politically motivated and ‘in absentia’ trial of democratic opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and other activists on baseless charges,» said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
He revealed that «in response to these human rights abuses, the State Department is announcing actions to impose visa restrictions on 25 individuals (…) for their role in undermining democracy», before adding that these trials «are the latest examples of the Lukashenko regime intimidating and repressing all those who seek justice, respect for human rights and a democratic Belarus».
«Tikhanovskaya leads the pro-democracy movement from exile in Vilnius, defends Human Rights and continues to push for a democratic transition in Belarus. She is on trial alongside other pro-democracy leaders, including Volha Kavalkova, head of the Coordination Council, the body charged with facilitating the democratic transition in Belarus,» he explained.
Blinken also recalled that «the regime last month sentenced the founder of the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation Alex Apeikin and Olympic athlete Aliaksandra Herasimenia to 12 years in prison.» «The Lukashenko regime continues to hold Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, who has dedicated his life to defending human rights and advancing democratic change in Belarus, as a political prisoner,» he argued.
Therefore, he stressed that Washington «will not stand idly by as the regime continues to harass and repress peaceful protesters, the democratic opposition, journalists, trade unionists, activists, human rights defenders and ordinary Belarusians,» he said, before pointing out that visa restrictions have been placed on more than 320 people to date since the «fraudulent» elections of 2020.
The opening of the trial against Tikhanovskaya has been criticized by France, which has stressed that it «demonstrates once again the Lukashenko regime’s flight forward, in a logic of systematic repression against the opposition». In this way, the French Foreign Ministry has shown its support «for the democratic and peaceful aspirations of the Belarusian population» and has denounced «the repressive policy» of the authorities.
«We condemn the ruthlessness of the Belarusian authorities against opposition candidates in the 2020 presidential elections and renew our call for a sincere and transparent dialogue between the authorities and the Belarusian democratic forces, as well as the release of all prisoners,» it stressed.
The trial against Tikhanovskaya and other opposition leaders has started in Minsk without the presence of the five defendants. In addition to Tikhanovskaya, Belarusian authorities are also trying Maria Moroz, Pavel Latushko, Olga Kovalkova and Sergei Dilevski, who are linked to Lukashenko’s alternative opposition council.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
