IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1111 

Supporting the people of Belarus and their democratic aspirations and condemning the election rigging and subsequent violent crackdowns on peaceful protestors by the Government of the Republic of Belarus. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 

Mr. KEATING (for himself, Mr. KINZINGER, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 

Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. RASKIN, Mrs. WAGNER, 

Mr. MEEKS, Mr. COHEN, Mr. TRONE, Mr. COSTA, and Mr. CICILLINE) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the people of Belarus and their democratic aspirations and condemning the election rigging and subsequent violent crackdowns on peaceful protestors by the 

Government of the Republic of Belarus. 

Whereas the Republic of Belarus held a presidential election 

on August 9, 2020, that was widely considered to be neither free nor fair; 

Whereas official election results released by Belarusian government officials and the unofficial exit polls conducted 

by domestic observers and members of civil society presented substantially divergent data; 


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Whereas in the months leading up to the election, Belarusian 

authorities had arbitrarily detained over 1,300 people, including activists and journalists participating in peaceful 

protests; 

Whereas within the first 5 days of the protests following the 

August 9th election, nearly 7,000 peaceful protestors and 

journalists had been detained in Belarus; 

Whereas, as of September 1, 2020, the United Nations Office 

of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had received 450 documented cases of torture and ill-treatment 

by detainees; 

Whereas these peaceful demonstrations were met with violence from security services that employed barricades, 

stun grenades, tear gas, rubber bullets, and, at times, live 

ammunition; 

Whereas Amnesty International and local human rights 

groups said they have ‘‘collected horrifying testimonies 

from protesters in Belarus who describe being tortured or 

subjected to other ill-treatment in detention centers, including being stripped naked, beaten, and threatened 

with rape’’; 

Whereas, as of August 25, 2020, dozens of protestors remained missing and at least 4 Belarusians had been 

killed in violence related to the demonstrations; 

Whereas Belarusians continue to share real-time videos and 

other content documenting the brutal crackdown on 

peaceful demonstrations through social media; 

Whereas, on August 30, 2020, the Government of Belarus revoked the accreditation of 19 international journalists 

and deported 2 others; 


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Whereas in the days and weeks that followed, a grassroots 

movement of Belarusians has demonstrated against the 

official electoral results and demanded new elections; 

Whereas demonstrators have included people from all parts 

of Belarusian society, including men, women, and children, students and workers, the young and the old, and 

police officers who quit their service in the wake of the 

protests; 

Whereas women have played a critical role in the protest 

movement in Belarus as demonstrators rallied behind 3 

key female opposition leaders and women have gathered 

and marched together across the country; 

Whereas across the Republic of Belarus, workers from stateowned companies and factories have gone on strike in solidarity with the demonstrators; 

Whereas, on August 23, 2020, it is estimated that nearly 

200,000 protestors gathered in Minsk, making it the 

largest protest in Belarusian history; 

Whereas the constitution of Belarus provides that the people 

of Belarus recognize themselves as ‘‘a full-fledged subject 

of the international community’’ and believe in their ‘‘inalienable right to self-determination’’; and 

Whereas daily peaceful protests continue across the country 

as demonstrators can be heard chanting the lyrics of the 

demonstrators’ unofficial campaign song: ‘‘Our hearts are 

longing for changes; Our eyes are longing for changes; 

It’s in our laugh and in our tears; And it’s pulsing 

through our veins; Changes, we are longing for 

changes.’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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1 (1) finds that the August 9, 2020, presidential 

2 election in Belarus was neither free nor fair and, 

3 therefore, does not recognize the government-an4 nounced results; 

5 (2) affirms that the people of Belarus have the 

6 right to determine the future of Belarus without 

7 intervention from outside actors; 

8 (3) condemns the human rights violations com9 mitted by Belarusian authorities, including against 

10 peaceful demonstrators, activists, opposition leaders, 

11 medical personnel, and journalists; 

12 (4) calls for the Government of Belarus to im13 mediately release all those detained in connection 

14 with the demonstrations or others unlawfully de15 tained for reporting on or protesting abuses by the 

16 Belarusian government and halt any further acts of 

17 violence against civilians, including peaceful dem18 onstrators, activists, opposition leaders, medical per19 sonnel, and journalists; 

20 (5) calls for the protection of civil society actors 

21 and members of the opposition against arbitrary ar22 rest and violence while conducting peaceful discus23 sion relating to political transitions; 

24 (6) recognizes the sacrifices and bravery of the 

25 Belarusian people and the incredible organization by 


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1 Belarusian women to peacefully demand a free and 

2 fair democratic process while enduring the state3 sponsored violence that followed the August 9, 2020, 

4 election; 

5 (7) calls on the Government of Belarus to en6 gage in an open and constructive dialogue with the 

7 people of Belarus and individuals representing their 

8 interests; 

9 (8) calls for targeted sanctions against Belaru10 sian authorities who committed human rights viola11 tions and authorities from the electoral commission 

12 who engaged in activities that resulted in the fal13 sification of the August 9, 2020, election results; 

14 (9) urges United States sanctions and other ef15 forts in continued close coordination with the Euro16 pean Union and European Union member states to 

17 respond to the ongoing events in Belarus; 

18 (10) calls for an international investigation into 

19 the human rights abuses committed during and after 

20 the August 9, 2020, presidential election; 

21 (11) continues to support the aspirations of the 

22 people of Belarus for democracy, human rights, and 

23 the rule of law and reaffirms that the fulfillment of 

24 such aspirations is the only way to ensure the conVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:30 Sep 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1111.IH HR1111

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1 tinued strength of Belarusian sovereignty and terri2 torial integrity; 

3 (12) affirms that the people of Belarus must be 

4 provided the self-determination to choose their own 

5 leaders through a truly free and fair election under 

6 independent observation; and 

7 (13) emphasizes that only a peaceful and demo8 cratic process will provide sustainable solutions for 

9 the people of Belarus. 

Æ 


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