I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3201 
To reauthorize and modify the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 5, 2025 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. KEATING, and Mr. WILSON of 
South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Fi-
nancial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reauthorize and modify the Belarus Democracy Act of 
2004. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Belarus Democracy, 
Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Section 2 of the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 
(Public Law 108–347; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) is amended 
to read as follows: 
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‘‘SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
‘‘Congress finds the following: 
‘‘(1) The International Covenant on Civil and 
Political Rights, done in New York December 19, 
1966, was ratified by Belarus in 1973, guaranteeing 
Belarusians the freedom of expression and the free-
dom of association. 
‘‘(2) Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus 
as an undemocratic dictatorship since the first presi-
dential election in Belarus in 1994, and subsequent 
presidential elections have been neither free nor fair, 
failing to meet minimal international electoral stand-
ards. 
‘‘(3) In response to the repression and violence 
during the 2006 presidential election, Congress 
passed the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act 
of 2006 (Public Law 109–480). 
‘‘(4) In 2006, President George W. Bush issued 
Executive Order 13405, titled ‘Blocking Property of 
Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes 
or Institutions in Belarus’, which authorized the im-
position of sanctions against persons responsible 
for— 
‘‘(A) undermining democratic processes in 
Belarus; or 
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‘‘(B) participating in human rights abuses 
related to political repression in Belarus. 
‘‘(5) In March 2011, the Senate unanimously 
passed Senate Resolution 105, which— 
‘‘(A) condemned the December 2010 elec-
tion in Belarus as ‘illegitimate, fraudulent, and 
not representative of the will or the aspirations 
of the voters in Belarus’; and 
‘‘(B) called on the Lukashenka regime ‘to 
immediately and unconditionally release all po-
litical prisoners in Belarus who were arrested in 
association with the December 19, 2010, elec-
tion’. 
‘‘(6) The Government of Belarus continues to 
engage in a pattern of clear and persistent gross vio-
lations of internationally recognized human rights, 
and basic principles of democratic governance. 
‘‘(7) The Government of Belarus continues to 
subject thousands of pro-democracy political activists 
and peaceful protesters to harassment, beatings, and 
imprisonment, particularly as a result of their at-
tempts to peacefully exercise their right to freedom 
of assembly and association. 
‘‘(8) The Government of Belarus continues to 
suppress independent media and journalists and to 
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restrict access to the internet, including social media 
and other digital communication platforms, in viola-
tion of the right to freedom of speech and expression 
of those dissenting from the dictatorship of 
Alyaksandr Lukashenka. 
‘‘(9) The Government of Belarus continues a 
systematic campaign of harassment, repression, and 
closure of nongovernmental organizations, including 
independent trade unions and entrepreneurs, cre-
ating a climate of fear that inhibits the development 
of civil society and social solidarity. 
‘‘(10) The Government of Belarus has pursued 
a policy undermining the country’s sovereignty and 
independence by making Belarus’ political, economic, 
cultural, and societal interests subservient to those 
of Russia. 
‘‘(11) The Government of Belarus continues to 
reduce the independence of Belarus through integra-
tion into a so-called ‘Union State’ that is under the 
control of Russia. 
‘‘(12) In advance of the August 2020 presi-
dential elections in Belarus, authorities acting on be-
half of President Lukashenka arrested journalists, 
bloggers, political activists, and the leading political 
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