US Imposes Visa Restrictions on 43 Belarusians Responsible for ‘Undermining Belarusian Democracy’

0
229

US Imposes Visa Restrictions on 43 Belarusians Responsible for 'Undermining Belarusian Democracy'

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly said that the opposition protests are being coordinated from abroad and has demanded that other countries refrain from interfering in Belarus’s domestic affairs.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced on Thursday that the US has imposed visa restrictions on 43 Belarus officials that the US holds responsible for “undermining Belarusian democracy.”

The move targeted “high-ranking justice sector officials; law enforcement leaders and rank-and-file personnel who detained and abused peaceful demonstrators; judges and prosecutors involved in sentencing peaceful protesters and journalists to prison terms; and academic administrators who threatened students for participation in peaceful protests.”

Blinken also stated that the US is “alarmed by the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters, activists and journalists” in the Eastern European country.

Overall, since the start of the political turmoil in Belarus, the US State Department has imposed visa restrictions on a total of 109 individuals.

Thursday’s action followed two earlier rounds of designations that imposed visa restrictions on 66 individuals determined by the US to be responsible for “undermining Belarusian democracy.”

Belarus entered a prolonged political crisis after Lukashenko secured his sixth term during the August 9 presidential election. The opposition did not recognize the results, claiming that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was the real winner.

Western countries have refused to recognize Lukashenko’s victory and slapped sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials over alleged election fraud and the crackdown on the opposition.

Russia has also been voicing its concerns over foreign interference in the internal affairs of the neighboring country.

Sourse: sputniknews.com

US Imposes Visa Restrictions on 43 Belarusians Responsible for ‘Undermining Belarusian Democracy’

0.00 (0%) 0 votes