Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3698

 PUBLIC LAW 109–480—JAN. 12, 2007

120 STAT. 3667

‘‘(6) Political opposition figures Aleksandr Kozulin, Tsimafei Dranchuk, Mikalay Astreyka, Artur Finkevich, Mikalay Razumau, Katsyaryna Sadouskaya, Zmitser Dashkevich, Mikhail Marynich, Mikalay Statkevych, Pavel Sevyarinets, Andrei Klimau, Valery Levaneusky, and Siarhei Skrebets have been imprisoned or served ‘corrective labor’ sentences because of their political activity. ‘‘(7) Hundreds of pro-democratic political activists have been subjected to frequent harassment and jailings, especially during, and in the aftermath of the fatally flawed March 19, 2006, presidential elections in Belarus. ‘‘(8) The Government of Belarus has attempted to maintain a monopoly over the country’s information space, targeting independent media for systematic reprisals and elimination, while suppressing the right to freedom of speech and expression of those dissenting from the regime. ‘‘(9) The Belarusian authorities have perpetuated a climate of fear in Belarus by mounting a systematic crackdown on civil society through the harassment, repression, and closure of nongovernmental organizations and independent trade unions. ‘‘(10) The Lukashenka regime has increasingly subjected leaders and members of minority and unregistered religious communities to harassment, including the imposition of heavy fines, denying permission to meet for religious services, prosecutions, and jail terms for activities in the practice of their faith. ‘‘(11) The Belarusian authorities have further attempted to silence dissent through retribution against human rights and pro-democracy activists through threats, firings, expulsions, beatings and other forms of intimidation.’’. SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

The Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended— (1) by striking section 8; (2) by redesignating sections 3 through 7 as sections 4 through 8, respectively; and (3) by inserting after section 2 the following new section: ‘‘SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

‘‘It is the policy of the United States— ‘‘(1) to call upon the immediate release without preconditions of all political prisoners in Belarus; ‘‘(2) to support the aspirations of the people of the Republic of Belarus for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law; ‘‘(3) to support the aspirations of the people of the Republic of Belarus to preserve the independence and sovereignty of their country; ‘‘(4) to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in Belarus, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in that country; ‘‘(5) to refuse to accept the results of the fatally flawed March 19, 2006, presidential elections held in Belarus and support the call for new presidential elections; ‘‘(6) to refuse to recognize any possible referendum, or the results of any referendum, that would affect the sovereignty of Belarus; and

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