[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 113 (Thursday, July 26, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H5296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  0910
                    CONDEMNING ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO

  (Mr. TURNER of New York asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. TURNER of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
concern that Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus, continues to 
rule over Europe's last dictatorship. Despite continued promises of 
reform, Lukashenko continues to deny the people of Belarus their basic 
freedoms and human rights, and runs the country as a authoritarian 
dictatorship.
  In fact, after Mr. Lukashenko's fraudulent election in 2010, 700 
political opponents and activists were arrested during demonstrations. 
This is just one example of the type of persecution the people of 
Belarus have been subjected to in these past 18 years. Lukashenko's 
total disregard for the people he swore to protect is appalling, 
alarming, and should not be tolerated.
  I'm here today to draw attention to this matter and publicly condemn 
Lukashenko and his regime for their continuing oppression of the people 
of Belarus, and offer my support for the country's civilians and pro-
democracy forces.

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