Today, the United States is taking action against individuals and entities involved in efforts to undermine Belarusian democracy. Specifically, the U.S. Departments of State and of Treasury have exercised their respective authorities against 40 individuals and four entities involved in electoral fraud and human rights abuses surrounding the fraudulent election in Belarus in August, and the authorities' subsequent, brutal crackdown.
In this most recent action, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned one individual and four entities for their roles in the fraudulent August 9, 2020 presidential election and the subsequent violent crackdown, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13405. The individual and entities are responsible for, or have participated in, actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Belarus. To date, OFAC has sanctioned 25 Belarusian individuals and 13 entities under E.O. 13405.
In addition, the U.S. Department of State has taken action pursuant to Presidential Proclamation (PP) 8015 to identify 39 individuals responsible for undermining Belarusian democracy and has imposed visa restrictions on them. To date, the U.S. Department of State has imposed visa restrictions pursuant to PP 8015 on a total of 63 individuals for their involvement in undermining democracy in Belarus, in the fraudulent August 9 presidential election, and in the subsequent violent crackdown that continues to this day.
The United States continues to support international efforts to independently investigate electoral irregularities in Belarus, the human rights abuses surrounding the election, and the crackdown that has followed. We stand with the brave people of Belarus and support their right to free and fair elections.
