119-hres73

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 73 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 73

Condemning the fraudulent January 2025 Belarusian presidential election 
 and the Lukashenka regime's continued autocratic rule, calling for 
 continued support for the people of Belarus who seek a democratic 
future, and calling for free and fair elections in Belarus in line with 
 international standards.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 28, 2025

Mr. Keating (for himself, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Ms. Kaptur, and 
Mr. Smith of New Jersey) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

Condemning the fraudulent January 2025 Belarusian presidential election 
 and the Lukashenka regime's continued autocratic rule, calling for 
 continued support for the people of Belarus who seek a democratic 
future, and calling for free and fair elections in Belarus in line with 
 international standards.

Whereas, on January 26, 2025, the Lukashenka regime administered fraudulent 
 presidential elections with Alyaksandr Lukashenka's illegal manipulation 
 of the vote totals and repression of the opposition ensuring his 
 continued corrupt rule of Belarus;
Whereas, the January 26, 2025, fraudulent elections did not reflect the will of 
 the Belarusian people who seek a free and democratic future;
Whereas Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus for more than 30 years and has 
 consolidated his authoritarian rule through attacks on civil society, 
 fraudulent elections, and repression of any semblance of opposition to 
 his rule;
Whereas Lukashenka and his cronies have greatly intensified their abhorrent 
 crackdown on civil society including following the fraudulent 2020 
 presidential elections, and the regime now holds more than 1,200 
 political prisoners including peaceful protesters, journalists, and 
 business leaders;
Whereas the Lukashenka regime has been credibly accused of torture, harassment, 
 and violence against political prisoners forcing unlawfully detained 
 individuals to sleep in damp cells, depriving them of family visits and 
 outside contact, and regularly abusing and humiliating prisoners;
Whereas the United States, the European Union, and numerous friends of Belarus 
 have called for the immediate release of all political prisoners in 
 Belarus;
Whereas the Belarusian regime has actively participated in Russia's war of 
 aggression in Ukraine, providing a staging ground for Russian ground 
 forces as well as air and missile attacks on Ukrainian civilian 
 infrastructure;
Whereas public reporting has shown that, at the direction and coordination of 
 the Belarusian and Russian Governments, more than 2,400 children have 
 been transported from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine to facilities 
 in Belarus where abducted children are forced to undergo political and 
 cultural reeducation as well as military training to serve the interests 
 of Belarus and Russia;
Whereas Lukashenka has said his country is hosting dozens of Russian nuclear 
 weapons which threatens global security and increases the risks of 
 escalation;
Whereas, in addition to the fraudulent January 2025 elections, previous 
 presidential elections on August 9, 2020, as well as parliamentary 
 elections on February 25, 2024, have been deemed fraudulent and lacked 
 any international observers from reputable organizations;
Whereas, in response to opposition candidates garnering significant support both 
 in the lead-up to and in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential 
 election, the regime cracked down imprisoning thousands and arresting 
 opposition figures like Siarhei Tsikhanouski and Maria Kalesnikava, as 
 well as forcing countless others into exile;
Whereas Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty affiliated journalists Andrey Kuznechyk 
 and Ihar Losik as well as former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 
 journalist Ihar Karney remain wrongfully imprisoned in Belarus and have 
 been recognized by international human rights organizations as political 
 prisoners;
Whereas, in direct response to the fraudulent August 9, 2020, Belarusian 
 presidential elections, the United States has initiated a Strategic 
 Dialogue with the Belarusian democratic movement and civil society to 
 increase the advocacy of Belarusians, support civil society, independent 
 media, and the Belarusian people amid the regime's ongoing crackdown, 
 and coordinate accountability mechanisms for the Lukashenka regime;
Whereas the United States has imposed sanctions on hundreds of Belarusian 
 individuals and entities which enable the regime's repression of the 
 Belarusian people as well as numerous visa restrictions against regime 
 officials and affiliates for their ongoing undermining of democracy in 
 Belarus;
Whereas European national governments and the European Union as well as other 
 allies and partners have imposed sanctions against the Lukashenka regime 
 for its abhorrent crackdown on political prisoners, its facilitation of 
 the abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children, and its participation 
 in Russia's war of aggression against a sovereign Ukraine;
Whereas the United States has provided more than $140,000,000 in assistance to 
 Belarus since the 2020 fraudulent presidential elections to further the 
 strong partnership between the people of Belarus who support democracy 
 and rule of law and the United States;
Whereas the United States has committed to regular dialogue with the Belarusian 
 democratic opposition; and
Whereas the Belarusian people are tireless and dedicated advocates for their 
 freedom amid an intense environment of repression which exists inside of 
 Belarus and the regime's efforts to silence Belarusians who live in 
 exile around the world: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) strongly condemns the fraudulent Belarusian 
 presidential elections on January 26, 2025, which were neither 
 free nor fair, and the Lukashenka regime's continued repression 
 and crackdown against the Belarusian democratic opposition;

    (2) calls on the regime to hold free and fair elections 
 with credible international monitoring mechanisms to ensure the 
 voices of the Belarusian people are accurately heard;

    (3) condemns the Lukashenka regime's continued support for 
 Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine as well as 
 the regime's complicity in the forcible transfer of Ukrainian 
 children from Ukraine and the use of Belarusian territory as a 
 staging ground for Russian armed forces attacks against 
 Ukraine;

    (4) supports additional sanctions against the Lukashenka 
 regime and officials who undermine democracy in Belarus or are 
 complicit in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine 
 including judges, police officials, and state-owned businesses 
 that profit on the regime's repression;

    (5) calls for continued support to the Belarusian 
 democratic opposition as well as regular meetings of the 
 Strategic Dialogue between the United States and the Belarusian 
 democratic opposition to demonstrate the United States support 
 for and solidarity with the opposition and as an avenue for 
 pursuing creative solutions to continue to hold the Lukashenka 
 regime accountable for its repression;

    (6) calls on the Lukashenka regime to immediately release 
 the more than 1,200 political prisoners who remain behind bars 
 in Belarus;

    (7) supports allied and partner governments efforts 
 including sanctions, visa restrictions, and bilateral dialogue 
 mechanisms to hold the Lukashenka regime accountable and 
 support the democratic opposition; and

    (8) stands with the Belarusian people as they pursue a 
 democratic future free from authoritarian repression.
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