Belarus

1954-08-30; 1954-08-31

Official residence of the President of the Republic of Belarus Drozdiy, pr-d Drozdiy, 11, Minsk, Belarus; 38 Karl Marx St., Minsk, Belarus

Despite coming to power nearly 30 years ago on an anti-corruption platform, Alyaksandr Ryhorovich Lukashenka (Lukashenka) has used his authorities to grant unique privileges and advantages to his associates that could only be offered by the Belarusian state, including, but not limited to, government support, assets, property, amended governmental policies, financial relief, and an acceptance of smuggling of certain goods. Lukashenka has also targeted entrepreneurs whom he deemed had betrayed the Belarusian state through their support for the political opposition. For example, the Lukashenka regime used various levers, from health inspections to pressuring landlords to raise rents, in order to target businesses that participated in a nationwide strike in the autumn of 2020. Lukashenka rewards businessmen close to him with benefits and privileges in exchange for kickbacks to him and his regime. For example, Lukashenka enacted strategic policies that facilitate tobacco smuggling by Aliaksei Aleksin (Aleksin), granting Aleksin a virtual monopoly over the Belarusian tobacco industry. OFAC designated Aleksin on August 9, 2021, for being a person closely linked to a senior-level official who is responsible for or has engaged in public corruption related to Belarus.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0654

2006-06-19

US

Belarus Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 548; Executive Order 13405 Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus

OFAC country specific

Belarus

Blocking Property, Suspending Entry

On February 3, 2010, OFAC issued the Belarus Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 548 (75 FR 5502, February 3, 2010 (the “Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13405 of June 16, 2006, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus” (71 FR 35485, June 20, 2006), pursuant to authorities delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury in E.O. 13405. OFAC subsequently amended the Regulations twice. OFAC is amending and reissuing the Regulations to implement E.O. 14038 of August 9, 2021, “Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Belarus” (86 FR 43905, August 11, 2021). In addition, this rule incorporates one directive issued pursuant to E.O. 14038. Due to the number of regulatory sections being updated or added, OFAC is reissuing the Regulations in their entirety.

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