US will let license extension expire with Belarus

The State Department says the U.S. will let a license extension with Belarus expire because of the human rights abuses in their country.

The Department of Treasury issues the general license that authorizes transactions with nine state owned enterprises in Belarus.

It was first approved  because of notable progress at the time in the field of human rights and specifically due to the release of all political prisoners.

"We find the human rights situation has deteriorated to arguably the worst point in Belarus independent history, with more than 300 political prisoners currently detained in Belarus," said State Department Spokersperson Ned Price.

"The department is unable to recommend another extension at this time, particularly in light of the sense of Congress expressed in the 2020 Belarus Sovereignty and Democracy Act. The current extension will expire on April 26th."

Belarus has been rocked by big demonstrations against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election to a sixth term in the August 9, 2020 vote that the opposition argues was rigged.

Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for more than 26 years, has accused the United States and its allies of fueling the protests.

"This step is reversible and we call on Russian authorities to take steps to allow us to do just that, specifically by releasing all political prisoners," said  Price.

"The Lukashenko regime is still able to take these necessary steps to reverse course, release all those wrongfully imprisoned simply for peacefully disagreeing with the authorities, espousing different views or daring to compete in an election."