The national emergency with respect to the Belarusian head of state and his retinue has been extended for a year. The notice on continuation of the national emergency was signed by Barack Obama on June 13, the White House press office reports.
“On June 16, 2006, by Executive Order 13405, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Belarus and other persons to undermine Belarus’s democratic processes or institutions, manifested in the fundamentally undemocratic March 2006 elections, to commit human rights abuses related to political repression, including detentions and disappearances, and to engage in public corruption, including by diverting or misusing Belarusian public assets or by misusing public authority,” the document reads.
The notice recalls that in 2012, the Government of Belarus continued its crackdown against political opposition, civil society, and independent media; 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, and these actions show that the Government of Belarus has not taken steps forward in the development of democratic governance and respect for human rights, the document says.
“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. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13405,” Barack Obama explains the reasons for his determination .
As it was reported before, in 2006 the USA sanctioned ten Belarusian officials: Aliaksandr Lukashenka (President), Viktar Lukashenka (President Assistant), Nataliya Petkevich (at that time – Deputy Head of President’s administration), Lidziya Yarmoshyna (Central Election Commission Chairman), Viktar Sheyman (at that time – PA for special missions), Dzmitry Paulichenka (at that time – special police commander), Viktar Halavanau (at that time – Minister of Justice), Aliaksandr Zimouski (at that time – Head of the national state teleradio company), Uladzimir Navumau (at that time – Minister of Interior), Stsiapan Sukharenka (at that time – Chairman of KGB).
American companies are prohibited from doing deals with the persons above.
Belsat
