Donald Trump extends sanctions against president Lukashenka, Belarusian officials

U.S. President Donald Trump extended national emergency regime with respect to Belarus for one more year, the White House said in a statement on June, 13.

The national emergency with regard to Belarus was first introduced by the then U.S. President George Bush on June 16, 2006.

“The actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Belarus and other persons to undermine democratic processes or institutions of Belarus, to commit human rights abuses related to political repression, and to engage in public corruption continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the statement says.

The sanctions ban the blacklisted persons from entering the U.S. and freeze their assets in U.S.banks; prohibit U.S. companies from doing business with them.

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 Sheyman, the then state secretary of the Security Council who is currently special presidential aide; Dzmitry Paulichenka, the then chief of the Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) of the interior ministry, etc.

ІІ, belsat.eu