The United States announced Monday, August 9 a round of sanctions against personalities, companies and entities of Belarus, increasing the pressure on the authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko, according to a statement released by the White House.
Read also: Belarus: Lukashenko denies any involvement in the death of opponent Vitali Chychov in Ukraine
A year after the election he considers "
fraudulent
" of the President of Belarus, and which was followed by a wave of repression against the Belarusian opposition, Joe Biden signed a decree that toughens the US sanctions regime in force since 2006, expanding it to several key sectors of the economy of this Russian border country.
Target the regime's “portfolios”
In addition to a long list of official officials, it is to target companies and businessmen who function as "
portfolios
" of the regime, said for her part the Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, in a statement. separate press release.
Read also: JO: Belarus promises to defend its delegation against "any discrimination"
"
The actions of the Lukashenko regime are an illegal attempt to retain power at all costs,
" said the US president, adding: "
We are on the side of the Belarusian people who courageously claim democracy.
"
The American announcement comes shortly after the annual press conference of the Belarusian president, who once again proclaimed his victory in a “
completely transparent
”
ballot
in the face of an opposition that was preparing a “
coup
”.
Directly implementing this new presidential decree, the US Treasury Department has detailed a series of sanctions against Belarusian companies, figures and entities.
He identified those likely to both promote the personal enrichment of the Belarusian president and finance his regime, in exchange for various favors (tax rebates, monopolies on certain markets, etc.).
Call to "release all political prisoners"
Among them, the Belarusian National Olympic Committee. The institution is targeted shortly after sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya said she was the victim of an attempted forced repatriation from the Tokyo Olympics, for having criticized sports officials in her country. The United States accuses the Belarusian Olympic Committee of "
facilitating money laundering
". Washington will also sanction the state-owned Belaruskali OAO, one of the largest producers of potash-based fertilizers in the world, "a
source of illegal enrichment of the regime
". Finally, Washington has also compiled a whole list of Belarusian security service officials and officials alleged to be implicated in the May hijacking of the United States.a Ryanair flight through Belarus.
Read also: Belarus: entry into force of EU economic sanctions
The United States calls on Alexander Lukashenko, among others, to "
immediately release all political prisoners
" and to engage in "
dialogue
" with the opposition with a view to organizing a free presidential election, in the absence of new sanctions.
These American sanctions come at a time of great tension between the United States and Russia, the main ally of the Belarusian president.
Joe Biden had received on July 28 at the White House the Belarusian opponent in exile Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a strong mark of support for the one who claims to have won the presidential election of 2020.
Since this election, the President of Belarus has been exercising an increasing repression against all forms of political opposition and criticism from civil society. The past week was marked, for example, by the opening of the trial of one of the great figures of the protest in 2020, Maria Kolesnikova, and by the suspicious death of activist Vitali Chychov, found hanged in Ukraine. Lukashenko on Monday denied any involvement in the death.