IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1716 

Urging the Government of Belarus to conduct a free and fair presidential 

election on December 19, 2010, and expressing support for the 

Belarusian people’s desire for democratic government that respects 

human rights and the rule of law. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 16, 2010 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Urging the Government of Belarus to conduct a free and 

fair presidential election on December 19, 2010, and 

expressing support for the Belarusian people’s desire for 

democratic government that respects human rights and 

the rule of law. 

Whereas since his 1994 election as President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenka has established himself as a dictator, abusing executive authority and maintaining himself in office through a series of fundamentally flawed 

and fraudulent presidential and parliamentary elections 

and constitutional referenda; 

Whereas the Government of Belarus has regularly violated 

basic freedoms of speech, expression, assembly, association, and religion; 


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•HRES 1716 IH 

Whereas the Government of Belarus has regularly subjected 

independent media, nongovernmental organizations, independent trade unions, churches and religious groups, and 

democratic opposition leaders to harassment, arrest, detention, and violence; 

Whereas credible allegations and evidence link top officials of 

the Government of Belarus with the disappearance of opposition figures Yuri Zakharenka, Viktor Gonchar, and 

Anatoly Krasovsky in 1999 and journalist Dmitry 

Zavadsky in 2000, and the Government of Belarus has 

failed to make a serious effort to bring to justice any of 

those responsible for the disappearance of these persons; 

Whereas the Government of Belarus maintains monopoly control over the Belarusian media and actively suppresses 

freedom of speech and expression, including by engaging 

in reprisals against independent media and imposing surveillance of the Internet; 

Whereas, on October 27, 2010, Dunja Mijatovic ́, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 

Representative on Freedom of the Media, urged the Government of Belarus to bring ‘‘the media situation more 

in line with the OSCE commitments’’, noting that improvement was ‘‘sorely needed as pluralism was non-existing in the broadcasting sector, restricted in the print 

media and vulnerable on the Internet’’; 

Whereas the Government of Belarus has not honored its 

OSCE commitments, including specific provisions of the 

1990 Copenhagen Document, with respect to democratic 

elections; 


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•HRES 1716 IH 

Whereas presidential or parliamentary elections conducted by 

the Government of Belarus in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 

and 2008 were fundamentally unfair and undemocratic; 

Whereas the last presidential election, held in March 2006, 

failed to meet OSCE standards for democratic elections, 

and was further discredited by abuses of state authority, 

including the detention of numerous opposition figures, in 

which the Government of Belarus violated basic rights to 

freedom of assembly, association, and expression; 

Whereas the actions of the Government of Belarus in connection with the December 19, 2010, presidential election 

will demonstrate whether it is willing to implement OSCE 

standards and develop toward democratic government 

that respects human rights and the rule of law; 

Whereas the September 27, 2010, through September 29, 

2010, OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and 

Human Rights (ODIHR) Needs Assessment Mission Report for the December 19 presidential election noted that 

while Belarusian electoral legislation has recently been 

improved, serious concerns remain, and the electoral legislation requires further improvement in order to meet 

OSCE obligations; 

Whereas Government of Belarus officials have been responsible for administrative harassment of and pressure on 

opposition politicians, as well as some media and civil society groups, in the lead-up to the December 19, 2010, 

presidential election; 

Whereas the United States remains committed to supporting 

those within Belarus who work toward a democratic 

Belarus that respects human rights and the rule of law, 

maintain the national independence of Belarus, and proVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:44 Nov 17, 2010 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1716.IH HR1716

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•HRES 1716 IH 

mote the integration of Belarus into the European family 

of nations and global society; and 

Whereas Congress passed the Belarus Democracy Act of 

2004 (Public Law 108–347) and Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–480) as expressions of support consistent with these aims: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) urges the Government of Belarus to act in 

3 accordance with its stated intention to conduct the 

4 December 19, 2010, election in a manner consistent 

5 with OSCE commitments, including by respecting 

6 fundamental freedoms, permitting all contestants to 

7 campaign freely, protecting the integrity of early 

8 voting, and ensuring an open and transparent vot9 ing, counting, and tabulation process; 

10 (2) urges the Government of Belarus to meet 

11 its OSCE obligations regarding democratic elections, 

12 including to meet OSCE standards on free and fair 

13 elections as defined in the 1990 Copenhagen Docu14 ment; 

15 (3) supports the Belarusian people’s desire for 

16 democratic government that respects human rights 

17 and the rule of law; 

18 (4) asserts that it is in the national interests of 

19 the United States that Belarus remain an inde20 pendent state, and become more democratic, respectVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:57 Nov 17, 2010 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1716.IH HR1716

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•HRES 1716 IH 

1 ful of human rights and the rule of law, and inte2 grated into the European family of nations and glob3 al society; and 

4 (5) remains open to reevaluating United States 

5 policy toward Belarus as warranted by demonstrable 

6 progress in respect of democracy, human rights, and 

7 the rule of law. 

Æ 


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