1.This Act may be cited as
the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization
Act of 2011
.
2.Section 2 of the Belarus Democracy Act of
2004 (Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended to read as
follows:
2.Congress makes the following
findings:
(1)The United States
Government supports a prosperous and democratic Belarus that upholds the rule
of law and respects the fundamental rights of its citizens, including rights to
freedom of assembly, association, and expression.
(2)The United States
Government remains committed to the sovereignty and independence of the
Republic of Belarus and supports its integration into the Euro-Atlantic
community of nations.
(3)The Government of
Belarus has engaged in a pattern of clear and systematic abuse of state
authority, including through a series of fraudulent elections that have
undermined the democratic process and deprived the people of Belarus of a voice
in the conduct of public affairs.
(4)The Government of
Belarus has subjected thousands of political activists, civil society
representatives, and independent journalists to harassment and intimidation,
creating a climate of fear that has weakened the bond of trust between the
people of Belarus and their government.
(5)On December 19,
2010, the Government of Belarus conducted flawed and undemocratic presidential
elections that were marred by significant misconduct, including—
(A)the detention of
numerous opposition and civil society representatives;
(B)the use of
disproportionate force against pro-democracy political activists, journalists,
and opposition candidates; and
(C)the disruption of
independent broadcast and Internet media, including Gmail, Hotmail,
Charter97.org, euroradio.by, gazetaby.com, and zapraudu.info.
(6)After the
December 19, 2010, presidential election, the Government of Belarus detained or
arrested more than 600 political activists, journalists, civil society
representatives, and seven of the nine presidential candidates, depriving them
of their liberty, access to legal counsel, and communication with their
families.
(7)After the
December 19, 2010, presidential election, security services of the Government
of Belarus conducted raids at the offices and homes of journalists, political
activists, and civil society representatives, including searches and seizures
of equipment at opposition and non-governmental organizations, effectively
curtailing their ability to operate.
(8)After the
December 19, 2010, presidential election, Belarus officials initiated criminal
proceedings against an estimated 40 defendants, disbarred several opposition
defense lawyers, and closed the Organization for Security and Cooperation
(OSCE) Office in Minsk, violating its commitment as a participating state of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation.
(9)On March 17,
2011, the Senate passed unanimously Senate Resolution 105, condemning the
December 19, 2010, presidential election as illegitimate, fraudulent,
and not representative of the will or the aspirations of the voters in
Belarus
.
.
3.Section 3 of the
Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is
amended to read as follows:
3.It is the policy of the
United States—
(1)to continue its
support of those in the Republic of Belarus seeking—
(A)to promote
representative government, human rights, and the rule of law and to preserve
and strengthen the sovereignty and independence of Belarus; and
(B)to promote the
integration of Belarus into the Euro-Atlantic community of nations;
(2)to commend the
democratic opposition in Belarus for their commitment to fundamental human
freedoms, their courage in the face of authoritarianism and repression, and
their struggle to forge a vibrant civil society, which is the foundation for
the institutions of democratic governance;
(3)to condemn the
conduct of the December 19, 2010, presidential election in Belarus and violent
crackdown on opposition candidates, political activists, journalists, and civil
society representatives;
(4)to call on the
Government of Belarus to release immediately all those who have been unjustly
detained for exercising their basic rights;
(5)to continue to
refuse to accept as legitimate the results of the December 19, 2010,
presidential election, and to support calls for new presidential and
parliamentary elections that are free, fair, and consistent with the
obligations of the Republic of Belarus as a participating state of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation;
(6)to support the
continued application of targeted European Union and United States sanctions,
including both visa bans and asset freezes, against officials and responsible
associates in Belarus until such time as the Government of Belarus treats its
people with the dignity and respect they deserve;
(7)to call upon
other members of the international community, including the Government of the
Russian Federation, to use their influence in Belarus to promote the purposes
of this Act;
(8)to expand both
material and technical assistance to the people of Belarus and to Belarusian
civil society, including—
(A)support for
strengthening regional independent media in Belarus;
(B)support for
strengthening online independent media, to include creating mobile-friendly
content and multimedia content; and
(C)support for
expanding the capacity of non-government organizations and civil society in
Belarus, with a focus on reaching women and youth;
(9)to continue to
coordinate our actions with the European Union and other countries and
international organizations to promote the democratic development of the
Republic of Belarus and its integration into the Euro-Atlantic community of
nations; and
(10)to remain open
to reevaluating United States policy toward Belarus as warranted and provided
that all political prisoners detained arbitrarily as a result of the
presidential elections of December 19, 2010, are
released.
.
4.Assistance to
promote democracy and civil society in BelarusSection 4 of the Belarus Democracy Act of
2004 (Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended—
(1)in subsection
(b)—
(A)by striking
primarily for indigenous
and inserting for independent,
indigenous
; and
(B)by inserting
and that are capable of absorbing international assistance
before the period at the end;
(2)in subsection
(c)—
(A)by amending
paragraph (1) to read as follows:
(1)facilitating the
development of independent, indigenous print, radio, television, and Internet
broadcasting working within Belarus and from locations outside
Belarus;
;
and
(3)in subsection
(d)(1), by striking such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal
years 2007 and 2008
and inserting such sums as may be necessary
for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2014
.
5.Radio and
television broadcasting to BelarusSection 5 of the Belarus Democracy Act of
2004 (Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended to read as
follows:
5.Radio,
television, and internet broadcasting to belarusIt is the sense of Congress that the
President should continue to support Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice
of America broadcasting to the people of Belarus to ensure access to objective
and timely information about domestic and global public
affairs.
.
6.Sanctions
against the Government of BelarusSection 6(b) of the Belarus Democracy Act of
2004 (Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended—
(1)in paragraph (1),
by inserting or expression, including those individuals jailed based on
political beliefs or expression in connection with the presidential election of
December 19, 2010
before the period at the end;
(2)in paragraph (2),
by inserting , including politically motivated legal charges made in
connection with the presidential election of December 19, 2010
before
the period at the end; and
(3)in paragraph (5),
by inserting and abridgements of fundamental freedoms, including
abridgements of fundamental freedoms committed in connection with the
presidential election of December 19, 2010
before the period at the
end.
7.Section 8(a) of the Belarus Democracy Act of
2004 (Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended in the matter
preceding paragraph (1)—
(1)by striking
this Act
and inserting the Belarus Democracy
Reauthorization Act of 2011
; and
(2)by inserting
and the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
after
appropriate congressional committees
.
8.Section 9 of the Belarus Democracy Act of
2004 (Public Law 109–480; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended—
(1)in paragraph (1),
by striking Committee on International Relations
and inserting
Committee on Foreign Affairs
; and
(2)in paragraph
(3)(C), by striking Lukashenka regime
and inserting
Government of Belarus
.