Russias crimes against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war are well-documented they include widespread torture and sexual violence, enforced disappearances, child deportation, and concerted attacks on hospitals, power stations and civilian areas

It is the policy of the United States-- (1) to condemn-- (A) the conduct of the August 9, 2020, presidential election in Belarus, which was neither free nor fair (B) the Belarusian authorities unrelenting crackdown on, arbitrary arrests of, and violence against opposition candidates, democratic opposition, peaceful protestors, human rights activists, employees from state-owned enterprises participating in strikes, independent election observers, and independent journalists and bloggers and (C) the unjustified detention and forced or attempted deportation of members of the Coordination Council and United Transitional Cabinet in Belarus (2) to condemn the illegitimate Belarusian authorities allowance of Russian nuclear weapons to be deployed to Belarusian territory, their continued political and material support for Russias unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, and their continued participation in abducting and deporting Ukrainian children from territory occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus (3) to condemn the presence of Russian forces in Belarusian territory and demand the cessation of the use of Belarusian territory by Russian forces as a staging ground for Russias illegal, full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine or for the prevention of a peaceful democratic transition in Belarus (4) to demand accountability for the illegal Lukashenka regimes complicity in the crime of aggression against Ukraine through international justice mechanisms (5) to condemn the weaponization of migrants wherein the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has sent thousands of migrants to the borders of Poland and Lithuania in an attempt to destabilize the border region (6) to continue demanding the immediate release without preconditions of all political prisoners in Belarus and those arrested for peacefully protesting, including all those individuals detained in connection with the August 9, 2020, fraudulent presidential election (7) to stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus, including human rights defenders, bloggers, and journalists, who are exercising their right to freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and rule of law and to continue supporting the aspirations of the people of Belarus for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law (8) to continue actively supporting the aspirations of the people of the Republic of Belarus to preserve the independence and sovereignty of their country (9) to continue refusing to recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenkas illegitimate regime and to continue supporting calls for Belarusian presidential and parliamentary elections to be conducted in a manner that is free and fair according to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards and under the supervision of OSCE observers and independent domestic observers, including in the 2025 presidential elections (10) to continue calling for the Government of Belarus to fulfill its freely undertaken obligations as an OSCE participating state and as a signatory of the Charter of the United Nations (11) to recognize the Coordination Council and the United Transitional Cabinet as legitimate institutions to participate in a dialogue on a peaceful transition of power, and to support these institutions prior to and during such a transition should it take place (12) to condemn the deprivation of consular services to Belarusian citizens living abroad, including representatives of the Belarusian democratic opposition, and urge the United States to raise this to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (13) to encourage the United States Government to continue working closely with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries and international organizations to continue to impose targeted sanctions against officials in Belarus who are responsible for-- (A) undermining democratic processes in Belarus (B) participating in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights related to political repression in Belarus and undermining rule of law for the people of Belarus or (C) enabling or facilitating Russias war in Ukraine (14) to call on the Government of Belarus to uphold its human rights obligations, including those rights enumerated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (15) to encourage the United States to expeditiously appoint a U

Reg. 43905 relating to blocking property of additional persons contributing to the situation in Belarus). (2) in subsection (b)-- (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking subsection (a) and inserting paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) (B) by striking paragraph (2) (C) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively and (D) by adding at the end the following (5) The withdrawal of the armed forces of the Russian Federation from the Republic of Belarus and the cessation of Belarusian support for the Russian Federations war against Ukraine. (6) The return of all Ukrainian children abducted and deported to Belarus from the territory of Ukraine illegally occupied by the Russian Federation. (3) in subsection (c)-- (A) in the subsection heading, by striking complicit in the crackdown that occurred after the august 9, 2020, election (B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking may and inserting shall (C) in paragraph (2), by striking inadmissible under and inserting described in (D) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end before the semicolon the following , or future elections in Belarus should they be determined to be neither free nor fair (E) in paragraph (5), by adding at the end before the semicolon the following , or future elections in Belarus should they be determined to be neither free nor fair (F) by striking paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (9) and inserting the following (6) is a government official or member of the security or law enforcement services of Belarus and has participated in the persecution or harassment of religious groups, human rights defenders, democratic opposition groups, or independent media or journalists (7) is an individual determined by the President to be interfering in the internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus on behalf of or at the direction of the Government of the Russian Federation (8) is an official who provides for, facilitates, or otherwise enables or engages with the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children from territories illegally occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus (9) is an official who provides for, facilitates, or otherwise enables the Russian Federation to use the territory or Belarus to further its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine (10) is an official of the so-called Union State between Russia and Belarus (regardless of nationality of the individual) or works toward the furtherance of such Union State or (11) is a Russian individual that has significantly participated in the crackdown on independent press or human rights abuses related to political repression in Belarus, including the Russian propagandists sent to replace local employees at Belarusian state media outlets. (4) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows (f) Blocking of Assets and Other Prohibited Activities.-- (1) Mandatory sanction.--The President shall impose the sanction described in paragraph (3) with respect to each foreign person that the President determines-- (A) is a member of the Central Election Commission of Belarus or assisted the Commission in manipulating elections in Belarus including the presidential election of August 9, 2020 (B) is a government official or member of the security or law enforcement services of Belarus and has participated in the persecution or harassment of religious groups, human rights defenders, democratic opposition groups, or independent media or journalists (C) is an individual determined by the President to be knowingly interfering in the internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus on behalf of or at the direction of the Government of the Russian Federation (D) is an official who knowingly engages in the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children from territories illegally occupied by the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus (E) is an official who knowingly supports and provides for, the Russian Federations use of the territory or Belarus to further its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine or (F) is an official in the so-called Union State between Russia and Belarus (regardless of nationality of the individual) or works toward the furtherance of such Union State. (2) Discretionary sanction.--The President may impose the sanction described in paragraph (3) with respect to each foreign person that the President determines-- (A) holds a position in the senior leadership of the Government of Belarus (B) is an immediate family member of a person described in subparagraph (A) or (C) through his or her business dealings with a person described in subparagraph (A) derives significant financial benefit from policies or actions, including electoral fraud, gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, or corruption, that undermine or injure democratic institutions or impede the transition to democracy in Belarus. (3) Sanction described.--The President shall exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U

Lukashenka as the legitimately elected leader of Belarus. (21) As a result of the Lukashenka regimes violence against the Belarusian people and deprivation of their fundamental rights, the United States Congress passed and the President signed into law the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 to demand the rights of the Belarusian people be respected and to hold accountable those who undermine them. (22) As a result of the Lukashenka regimes violence against its own people, in December 2020, Members of Congress and transatlantic parliamentarians wrote a letter to the International Ice Hockey Federation President demanding the championship be relocated from Belarus. (23) In response to the Government of Belarus repressive actions following the 2020 election, the United States, along with the European Union, imposed various sanctions packages on individuals and entities involved with the suppression of democracy in Belarus, including-- (A) the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Belarus and officials determined to be responsible for undermining democracy in Belarus (B) entities and persons determined to be involved in the violent suppression of protestors, such as the Minsk Special Purpose Police Unit, the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of the Minsk City Executive Committee, and KGB Alpha and (C) state-owned enterprises that provide revenue to support Lukashenkas authoritarian regime. (24) In April 2021, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 124 reaffirming that the August 2020 elections were neither free nor fair and that the House of Representatives does not recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as Belarus legitimate president. (25) On May 23, 2021, the Government of Belarus forced Ryanair Flight 4978 to land in Belarus as it neared the border of Lithuania after calling in a false bomb report and subsequently arrested independent Belarusian opposition blogger and political activist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend, threatening the safety of every passenger aboard the civilian flight, and ultimately detaining Pratasevich as a political prisoner. (26) In May 2021, the European Union pledged a comprehensive plan of economic support worth up to 3 billion euros to assist in the development of a future, democratic Belarus following a democratic transition. (27) As of May 2025, the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, unlawfully holds nearly 1,300 people as political prisoners, including dozens of journalists, peaceful protestors, business leaders, and democracy activists, including Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a former opposition leader who is held incommunicado, Ilhar Losik and Ihar Karney, journalists with Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, Andrzej Poczubut, a Polish-Belarusian journalist, and Artsiom Liabedzka, the son of exiled former opposition leader Anatol Liabedzka. (28) Since August 2020, the the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has targeted religious communities who raised their voices against the undemocratic rule and violent repression committed by the authorities, and has unlawfully detained nearly 90 members of the clergy, including 39 Catholic priests and religious, 30 Protestant ministers, and 20 Orthodox priests and religious, including 5 priests who are currently remain behind bars and are recognized as political prisoners. (29) The now-suspended Belarusian branch of the Red Cross has publicly confirmed its involvement in transferring children from Ukraine to the territory of Belarus, and the illegitimate leader of the Government of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has publicly confirmed that he permitted these transfers. (30) In Spring 2023, the Government of Belarus announced plans for the deployment of nuclear weapons from the Russian Federation to the territory of Belarus, which reportedly began in the summer of this same year. (31) The Government of Belarus has harbored the Wagner Group, a private military company the United States has designated as a Transnational Criminal Organization, and provided facilities, resources, and a staging ground for the groups criminal operations. (32) The Government of Belarus has reportedly provided the Government of the Russian Federation with tens of thousands of tons of ammunition throughout Russias unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine. (33) As a result of the Government of Belarus support to the Russian Federation during its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have repeatedly issued further sanctions packages against the Lukashenka regime to target Belarusian military officers as well as individuals in the military sector, restrictions on entities in Belarus defense and industrial sectors, and entities that provide support to Belarus military and industrial sectors. (34) The Government of Belarus is reportedly engaging in the purchase of significant amounts of military equipment from the sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran. (35) On August 6, 2023, the Belarusian democratic opposition issued a declaration expressing their objective of developing democracy in Belarus and pursuing membership in the European Union and, by extension, joining the Trans-Atlantic community. (36) The democratic opposition of Belarus have called on the Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, to end its complicity and involvement in the war in Ukraine, and urged against the conscription of men into the Belarusian military. (37) On February 28, 2022, the Department of State ordered the departure of United States Government employees and the suspension of operations of the United States Embassy in Minsk. (38) On August 21, 2023, the United States Government directed all United States citizens to leave Belarus immediately due to the illegitimate Belarusian authorities continued cooperation with the Russian military and facilitation of Russias unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, and the risk of detention and arbitrary enforcement of local laws against United States citizens. (39) In September 2023, the Government of Belarus deprived Belarusians living abroad of their ability to renew their passports through Belarusian embassies in an attempt to make life difficult for and to force exiles, critics, and expats to return to Belarus for document renewal and possibly face persecution. (40) In December 2023, the United States Government held a Strategic Dialogue with the Belarusian democratic opposition and civil society and subsequently announced a continuation of efforts to hold Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his regime accountable for their crimes, a commitment to supporting Belarusian culture, sovereignty, and national identity, as well as the need for future working groups with the democratic opposition. (41) On February 25, 2024, the Government of Belarus administered fraudulent parliamentary elections in an environment marked by censorship, persecution of political opposition, illegal manipulation of the vote, and the lack of any international observers from credible organizations. (42) In December 2024 Lukashenka announced that Belarus is hosting dozens of Russian nuclear weapons and will prepare facilities for hosting Russian hypersonic missiles. (43) On January 26, 2025, the Government of Belarus administered fraudulent presidential elections in an environment marked by censorship, persecution of political opposition, illegal manipulation of the vote, the lack of any international observers from credible organizations, and declared victory for Lukashenka. (44) The Russian Federation has facilitated and the Belarusian government is complicit in the illegal abduction and transfer of more than 2,400 Ukrainian children from Russian- occupied regions of Ukraine to facilities in Belarus where they undergo political and cultural reeducation and military training. (45) The United States has imposed sanctions on hundreds of Belarusian individuals and entities, including visa restrictions against Belarusan government officials for undermining democracy in Belarus and supporting Russias illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, and their complicity in the abduction of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine

International law is adamant on States duty to prosecute, punish, and prevent international crimes war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression as well as serious human rights violations such as enforced disappearances and torture

International laws prohibition of torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide is absolute

Child abductions in the Russo-Ukrainian WarPart of the Russo-Ukrainian War and war crimes in the Russian invasion of Ukraine1,500 Ukrainian children from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts at Yevpatoria, Russian-occupied Crimea, October 2022LocationRussian-occupied territories of UkraineDate2014 presentTargetUkrainian childrenAttack typeDeportationforced displacementpopulation transferRussificationwar crimecrimes against humanityDeaths616Injured1,867Victims19,546 307,000 (as of August 2022)700,000 (as of July 2023)PerpetratorsVladimir PutinMaria Lvova-BelovaLitigationInternational Criminal Court arrest warrants for Putin and Lvova-BelovaDuring the Russo-Ukrainian War, Russia has forcibly transferred almost 20,000 Ukrainian children to areas under its control, assigned them Russian citizenship, forcibly adopted them into Russian families, and created obstacles for their reunification with their parents and homeland

Ukrainian children have been abducted by the Russian state after their parents had been arrested by Russian occupation authorities or killed in the invasion, or after becoming separated from their parents in an active war zone

The abducted children have been subject to Russification raising children of war in a foreign nation and culture may constitute an act of genocide if intended to erase their national identity

Grave breaches include the most egregious violations against persons and objects protected by IHL, such as targeting civilians and protected medical facilities and personnel, torture and inhumane treatment