Obama extended by one year sanctions against the Belarusian authorities

President Barack Obama has extended by one year the United States’ sanctions against Belarusian officials.

Obama’s message to the Congress of the United States about the continuation of sanctions after June 16, 2016 has been published at the official website of the White House.

The document says that the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Belarus “continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States”.

According to the American president, these people also “undermine Belarus's democratic processes or institutions in Belarus”. The document blames Belarusian authorities for “committing human rights abuses related to political repression, and engagement in public corruption.”

The message sent to the Congress of the US states that “the national emergency with respect to the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Belarus and other persons to undermine Belarus's democratic processes or institutions that was declared in Executive Order 13405 of June 16, 2006, is to continue in effect beyond June 16, 2016”.

For this reason, President Obama has determined that “it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13405 with respect to Belarus”.