U.S. to pursue new sanctions against Belarus

[News_Editor]

U.S. to pursue new sanctions against Belarus

2011-05-28 02:06:00 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON (BNO NEWS) -- The United States on Friday said it will pursue new sanctions against Belarus, following the recent convictions of five former presidential candidates.

"Consistent with our values and principles, the U.S. Government will pursue new sanctions against select Belarusian state-owned enterprises, in addition to the sanctions, travel restrictions, and asset freezes announced on January 31," President Obama said in a statement.

"These measures are targeted against those responsible for the repression, particularly President Lukashenko, and are not directed against the people of Belarus," he added.

On Thursday, a Belarusian court sentenced two former presidential candidates, Nikolai Statkevich and Dmitry Uss, to six and five-and-a-half years in a high-security prison respectively for organizing mass protests during the December presidential elections. Earlier, Andrei Sannikov was sentenced to five years in a high-security prison, Vladimir Neklyayev received two years in prison with a two-year deferral, while Vitaly Rimashevsky received a two-year suspended sentence.

Obama condemned the convictions and said the trials were politically motivated. He called Belarus "the most troublesome remaining country in Europe in terms of backsliding on democracy."

More than 600 citizens of Belarus were detained after the December 19 demonstration in central Minsk following the reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for more than 15 years. He won a fourth term in office with almost 80 percent of the vote.

Most of the detainees have been charged with administrative offenses, but dozens of criminal cases have been initiated over the protests, including several against former presidential candidates.

The United States and European Union have condemned the crackdown on the opposition in Belarus and imposed sanctions against Lukashenko and more than 160 top Belarusian officials.

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