Condemning the authoritarian repression of the Belarusian democracy movement by the Lukashenka regime and calling for the release of all political prisoners as well as free and fair elections.
Recognizing widening threats to freedom of the press and free expression around the world, reaffirming the vital role that a free and independent press plays in countering the growing threats of authoritarianism, misinformation, and disinformation, and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority of the United States Government in promoting democracy, human rights, and good governance in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2024.
Condemning the authoritarian repression of the Belarusian democracy movement by the Lukashenka regime and calling for the release of all political prisoners as well as free and fair elections.
This resolution condemns the Belarusian presidential election of January 26, 2025, as neither free nor fair and calls on the Lukashenka regime to hold free and fair elections with credible international monitoring. The resolution also condemns the Lukashenka regime's (1) repression of the Belarusian democratic opposition, (2) support for Russia's war against Ukraine, and (3) complicity in the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children from Ukraine.The resolution supports additional sanctions against the regime and calls for continued support to the Belarusian democratic opposition.
Underscoring continued support for the people of Ukraine in their fight against Russia's aggression, reiterating support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and its territorial waters, and calling for justice for all atrocity crimes committed by members of Russia's forces in Ukraine.