[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.
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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
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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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