Belarus

1985-09-20

ul. Kazimirovskaya, 3-3, Minsk, Belarus

Kanstantsin Bychak (Bychak) is the head of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus’ (Belarusian KGB) Investigations Department.  OFAC designated the Belarusian KGB on June 21, 2021 pursuant to E.O. 13405 for being responsible for, or having participated in, actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Belarus.  Bychak publicly defended the detention of Belarusian-American dual national Youras Ziankovich in a supposed assassination plot, a fabricated attempt by the Lukashenka regime to justify the detention of Belarusian opposition figures.  Bychak also stated that protesters’ actions can be considered terrorist acts and hailed recent actions to suppress independent media as an operation “to purge radically disposed individuals.”  Bychak is sanctioned by the EU.  Bychak is being designated by OFAC today pursuant to the E.O. of August 9, 2021 for being or having been a leader or official of the GoB.

https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20210809

2021-08-09

US

Executive Order 14038 Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Belarus

OFAC country specific

Belarus

Blocking Property, Suspending Entry, Trade sanctions

E.O. 14038. On August 9, 2021, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), issued E.O. 14038. In E.O. 14038, the President expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in E.O. 13405, finding that the Belarusian regime's harmful activities and long-standing abuses aimed at suppressing democracy and the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus including illicit and oppressive activities stemming from the August 9, 2020, fraudulent Belarusian presidential election and its aftermath, such as the elimination of political opposition and civil society organizations and the regime's disruption and endangering of international civil air travel—constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

SDN