H. R. 5948
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and six 
An Act 
To reauthorize the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Belarus Democracy Reauthoriza-
tion Act of 2006’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Section 2 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 
5811 note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
‘‘Congress makes the following findings: 
‘‘(1) The Government of the Republic of Belarus has 
engaged in a pattern of clear and uncorrected violations of 
human rights and fundamental freedoms. 
‘‘(2) The Government of Belarus has engaged in a pattern 
of clear and uncorrected violations of basic principles of demo-
cratic governance, including through a series of fundamentally 
flawed presidential and parliamentary elections undermining 
the legitimacy of executive and legislative authority in that 
country. 
‘‘(3) The most recent presidential elections in Belarus held 
on March 19, 2006, failed to meet the commitments of the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 
for democratic elections and the arbitrary use of state power 
and widespread detentions show a disregard for the basic rights 
of freedom of assembly, association, and expression, and raise 
doubts regarding the willingness of authorities in Belarus to 
tolerate political competition. 
‘‘(4) The regime of Aleksandr Lukashenka has maintained 
power in Belarus by orchestrating an illegal and unconstitu-
tional referendum that enabled him to impose a new constitu-
tion, abolish the duly-elected parliament, the 13th Supreme 
Soviet, install a largely powerless National Assembly, extend 
his term of office, and remove applicable term limits. 
‘‘(5) The Government of Belarus has failed to make a cred-
ible effort to solve the cases of disappeared opposition figures 
Yuri Zakharenka, Viktor Gonchar, and Anatoly Krasovsky in 
1999 and journalist Dmitry Zavadsky in 2000, even though 
credible allegations and evidence exist linking top officials of 
the Lukashenka regime with these disappearances.
H. R. 5948—2
‘‘(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, prosecu-
tions, 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 pre-
conditions 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 move-
ments 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
H. R. 5948—3
‘‘(7) to work closely with other countries and international 
organizations, including the European Union, to promote the 
conditions necessary for the integration of Belarus into the 
European community of democracies.’’. 
SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND CIVIL SOCIETY 
IN BELARUS. 
(a) PURPOSES
OF ASSISTANCE.—Section 4(a) of the Belarus 
Democracy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 5811 note) (as redesignated) 
is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘regaining their freedom 
and to enable them’’ and inserting ‘‘their pursuit of freedom, 
democracy, and human rights and in their aspiration’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)—
(A) by striking ‘‘free and fair’’ and inserting ‘‘free, fair, 
and transparent’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end before the period the following: 
‘‘and independent domestic observers’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘restoring and strength-
ening institutions of democratic governance’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
development of a democratic political culture and civil society’’. 
(b) ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.—Section 4(c) of the Belarus Democ-
racy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 5811 note) (as redesignated) is 
amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs 
(7) and (8), respectively; 
(2) by striking paragraphs (1) through (5) and inserting 
the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(1) expanding independent radio and television broad-
casting to and within Belarus; 
‘‘(2) facilitating the development of independent broadcast, 
print, and Internet media working within Belarus and from 
locations outside the country and supported by nonstate-con-
trolled printing facilities; 
‘‘(3) aiding the development of civil society through assist-
ance to nongovernmental organizations promoting democracy 
and supporting human rights, including youth groups, entre-
preneurs, and independent trade unions; 
‘‘(4) supporting the work of human rights defenders; 
‘‘(5) enhancing the development of democratic political par-
ties; 
‘‘(6) assisting the promotion of free, fair, and transparent 
electoral processes;’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (7) (as redesignated), by inserting 
‘‘enhancing’’ before ‘‘international exchanges’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
(1) AMENDMENT.—Section 4(d)(1) of the Belarus Democracy 
Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 5811 note) (as redesignated) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2005 and 2006’’ and inserting ‘‘2007 and 2008’’. 
(2) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—The amendment made by 
paragraph (1) shall not be construed to affect the availability 
of funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appro-
priations under section 4(d) of the Belarus Democracy Act of 
2004 (as redesignated) before the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
H. R. 5948—4
SEC. 5. RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING TO BELARUS. 
(a) PURPOSE.—Section 5(a) of the Belarus Democracy Act of 
2004 (22 U.S.C. 5811 note) (as redesignated) is amended by striking 
‘‘radio broadcasting’’ and inserting ‘‘radio and television broad-
casting’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 5(b) of the 
Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 5811 note) (as redesig-
nated) is amended by striking ‘‘radio broadcasting’’ and inserting 
‘‘radio and television broadcasting’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 5 of the Belarus Democ-
racy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 5811 note) (as redesignated) is amended 
in the heading by striking ‘‘RADIO BROADCASTING’’ and inserting 
‘‘RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING’’. 
SEC. 6. SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS. 
Section 6 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 (22 U.S.C. 
5811 note) (as redesignated) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 6. SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS. 
‘‘(a) APPLICATION OF SANCTIONS.—The sanctions described in 
subsections (c) through (f) should apply with respect to the Republic 
of Belarus until the President determines and certifies to the appro-
priate congressional committees that the Government of Belarus 
has made significant progress in meeting the conditions described 
in subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) CONDITIONS.—The conditions referred to in subsection (a) 
are the following: 
‘‘(1) The release of individuals in Belarus who have been 
jailed based on political or religious beliefs. 
‘‘(2) The withdrawal of politically motivated legal charges 
against all opposition activists and independent journalists in 
Belarus. 
‘‘(3) A full accounting of the disappearances of opposition 
leaders and journalists in Belarus, including Victor Gonchar, 
Anatoly Krasovsky, Yuri Zakharenka, and Dmitry Zavadsky, 
and the prosecution of those individuals who are in any way 
responsible for their disappearances. 
‘‘(4) The cessation of all forms of harassment and repression 
against the independent media, independent trade unions, non-
governmental organizations, youth groups, religious organiza-
tions (including their leadership and members), and the political 
opposition in Belarus. 
‘‘(5) The prosecution of senior leadership of the Government 
of Belarus responsible for the administration of fraudulent elec-
tions. 
‘‘(6) A full accounting of the embezzlement of state assets 
by senior leadership of the Government of Belarus, their family 
members, and other associates. 
‘‘(7) The holding of free, fair and transparent presidential 
and parliamentary elections in Belarus consistent with OSCE 
standards and under the supervision of internationally recog-
nized observers and independent domestic observers. 
‘‘(c) DENIAL OF ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES OF SENIOR 
LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the President may exercise the authority 
under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8