[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 159 (Tuesday, September 15, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4386-H4387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SOLIDARITY WITH BELARUS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for 5 minutes.
Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong solidarity with the
citizens and the political dissidents of Belarus.
On August 9, 2020, Belarus held its presidential election with its
incumbent President, Alexander Lukashenko, claiming victory with over
80 percent of the vote. Both the United States and the European Union
have called the elections ``neither fair or free,'' as the Lukashenko
regime restricted ballot access for candidates, prohibited local
independent observers, and employed intimidation tactics against
opposition candidates.
Mass protests erupted following the election. Tens of thousands of
protestors took to the street to express their disapproval of
Lukashenko and his administration. His regime responded with excessive
force to quell the protests, including the use of live and rubber
ballots, leading to thousands of Belarusian citizens being either
detained or arrested. It appears likely that violent crackdowns will
continue.
Mr. Speaker, included in these arrests are several opposition
leaders, including former presidential candidates Sergei Tikhanovsky,
Viktar Babaryka, Coordination Council members Liliya Vlasova, Sergei
Dylevsky, Maria Kalesnikava, and Maxim Znak, as well as several of
their staff and volunteers, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the opposition
presidential nominee, was forced to flee the country, as was opposition
leader Veronika Tsepkalo and her husband, former presidential nominee,
Valery Tsepkalo.
None of the dissidents have been given a fair trial, and all of them
have had their human rights denied. As I think about the current
situation in Belarus, I am reminded of President Ronald Reagan's speech
to Soviet dissidents at Spaso House in 1988. President Reagan made two
things clear that day: The United States' commitment to human rights
are, and will continue to be, fundamental and unwavering, and that
through strength, determination, and prayer, there is nothing you
cannot conquer.
Reagan also said in that speech, ``While we press for human rights
through diplomatic channels, you press with your very lives, day in,
day out, year after year, risking your jobs, your homes, your all.''
Mr. Speaker, while the people of Belarus continue their tireless
fight for human rights, the United States should be working with our
European partners and allies to impose new sanctions on those
responsible not only for voter repression, but also for the violent
crackdowns that follow the election.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a list of 28 individuals.
Belarus Sanctions Recommendations
1. Alexander Lukashenko, President (Notes: Ordering the
blatant falsification of presidential voting, commission of
acts of violence against peaceful protesters, torture of
detainees, inhumane detainment conditions, persecution of
political opponents and journalists.)
2. Lydia Yermishina, Chairwoman, Central Election
Commission (Notes: Multiple cases of election fraud and
falsification, criminal misconduct concerning the tabulation
of balance and miss reporting election results.)
3. Yuriy Karaev, Minister of Interior (Notes: Commission of
acts of violence against peaceful protesters, torture of
detainees, inhumane detainment conditions, persecution of
political opposition and journalists.)
4. Valeriy Vakaluchik, Director, KGB (Notes: Ordering and
implementing acts of violence against peaceful protesters,
torture of detainees, inhumane detainment conditions,
persecution of political opposition and journalists.)
5. Viktor Lukashenko, counselor to the president on
national security (Notes: Organization and implementation of
violence against peaceful protesters, torture of detainees,
inhumane detainment conditions, persecution of political
opposition and journalists.)
6. Dimitri Lukashenko, son of Alexander Lukashenko (Notes:
Sanctions imposed by extension to family members.)
7. Dimitriy Balaba, special police unit, Minsk (Notes:
Commission of acts of violence against peaceful protesters,
torture of detainees, inhumane detainment conditions,
persecution of political opposition and journalists.)
8. Ivan Kubrakov, Director of Minsk police department
(Notes: Commission of acts of violence against peaceful
protesters, portrait detainees, inhumane detainment
conditions, persecution of political opposition and
journalists.)
9. Roman Golovchenko, Prime Minister (Notes: Organization
of falsification of elections.)
10. Igor Sergeenko, Head of presidential administration
(Notes: Organization of falsification of elections.)
11. Viktor Sheyman, Chief Manager of the President (Notes:
Persecution of political opponents of Alexander Lukashenko.)
12. Dimitriy Pavlichenko, Head of the Association of
Veterans of the Special Forces of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs, Ex-commander of Military Unit 3214; Ex-commander of
SOBR. (Notes: Unofficially commanded the special forces who
violently dispersed protesters in Minsk.)
13. Ivan Tertel, Chairman of the State Control Committee
(Notes: The official initiator of the Belgazprombank case and
the arrest of presidential candidate Viktor Babariko along
with his relatives, friends, and employees.)
14. Oleg Slizhevsky, Minister of Justice (Notes: Sanctions
imposed by extension to leading officials on account of the
Belarusian government's suppression of free and fair
elections and subsequent abuses.)
15. Petr Miklashevich, President of the Constitutional
Court (Notes: Sanctions imposed by extension to leading
officials on account of the Belarusian government's
suppression of free and fair elections and subsequent
abuses.)
16. Valentin Sukalo, President of the Supreme Court (Notes:
Sanctions imposed by extension to leading officials on
account of the Belarusian government's suppression of free
and fair elections and subsequent abuses.)
17. Aleksandr Konyuk, Prosecutor General (Notes: Provision
of official justification for the brutal crackdowns on
protesters and involvement in the manufactured prosecution of
members of the opposition.)
18. Ivan Noskevish, Chairman of the Investigative Committee
(Notes: Falsification of criminal cases against protesters.)
19. Vladimir Karanik, Minister of Health (Notes:
Dissemination of misinformation about the orchestration of
medical protests.)
20. Ivan Eysmont, Chairman of State Broadcasting
``Belteleradiocompany'' (Notes: Organization of falsification
of elections.)
21. Igor Lutskiy, Minister of Information (Notes:
Organization of falsification of elections.)
22. Viktor Hrenin, Minister of Defense (Notes: Sanctions
imposed by extension to leading officials on account of the
Belarusian government's suppression of free and fair
elections and subsequent abuses.)
23. Major General Yuri Nazarenko, Deputy Minister of the
Interior and Commander of the Interior Armed Forces, former
Chief of Staff of the Lukashenko Security Service (Notes:
Commission of acts of violence against peaceful protesters,
torture of detainees, inhumane detainment conditions,
persecution of political opposition and journalists.)
24. Vladimir Zhiznevsky, Commander of the Internal Army
Unit No. 3214 (Notes: Commission of acts of violence against
peaceful protesters, torture of detainees, inhumane
detainment conditions, persecution of political opposition
and journalists.)
25. Alexander Bykov, Commander of the Special Rapid
Reaction Force (COBP) (Notes: Commission of acts of violence
against
[[Page H4387]]
peaceful protesters, torture of detainees, inhumane
detainment conditions, persecution of political opposition
and journalists.)
26. Alexander Barsukov, Deputy Minister of Internal
Affairs--Head of the Public Security Police (Notes:
Commission of acts of violence against peaceful protesters,
torture of detainees, inhumane detainment conditions,
persecution of political opposition and journalists.)
27. Natalia Kachanova, Head of the Council of the Republic
of the National Assembly (Notes: Organization of
falsification of elections.)
28. Andrey Ravkov, Secretary of State of the Security
Council (Notes: Commission of acts of violence against
peaceful protesters, torture of detainees, inhumane
detainment conditions, persecution of political opposition
and journalists.)
Mr. SHIMKUS. This new round of sanctions should send a clear and
direct message that any attempts to interfere with the Belarusian
people's inalienable rights to freedom, democracy, and the rule of law
will not be tolerated.
Mr. Speaker, let it be clear to the Belarusian people: We, the people
of the United States, hear their cry for freedom, democracy, and the
rule of law. We stand behind them.
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