Belarus Democracy Act of 2004
Encyclopedia
The Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 is a United States federal law that authorizes assistance for political parties, non-governmental organization
s, and independent media working for democracy
and human rights
in Belarus
. The act was signed by President George W. Bush
and passed unanimously by the U.S. Congress on October 4, 2004.
The law expresses the sense of Congress that the Belarus
ian authorities should not receive various types of non-humanitarian financial aid from the U.S. It also calls for the President to report to Congress on arms sales by Belarus to state sponsors of terrorism
and on the personal wealth and assets of senior Belarus officials.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher
says the U.S. is concerned about the Belarusian government's increasingly repressive steps against independent media and pro-democracy groups. He says that Belarusian security forces used excessive force against peaceful protesters following the parliamentary elections and referendum.
The U.S., said President Bush, "will work with our allies and partners to assist those seeking to return Belarus to its rightful place among the Euro-Atlantic community of democracies."
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
considers this act an intervention into the internal affairs of Belarus.
On December 8, 2006, the United States House of Representatives
renewed an amended version of the act.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s, and independent media working for democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. The act was signed by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and passed unanimously by the U.S. Congress on October 4, 2004.
The law expresses the sense of Congress that the Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian authorities should not receive various types of non-humanitarian financial aid from the U.S. It also calls for the President to report to Congress on arms sales by Belarus to state sponsors of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and on the personal wealth and assets of senior Belarus officials.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher
Richard Boucher
Richard A. Boucher is Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development . He took up post on 5 November 2009. Prior to joining OECD, he was the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, a post he took up on February 21, 2006...
says the U.S. is concerned about the Belarusian government's increasingly repressive steps against independent media and pro-democracy groups. He says that Belarusian security forces used excessive force against peaceful protesters following the parliamentary elections and referendum.
The U.S., said President Bush, "will work with our allies and partners to assist those seeking to return Belarus to its rightful place among the Euro-Atlantic community of democracies."
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
considers this act an intervention into the internal affairs of Belarus.
On December 8, 2006, the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
renewed an amended version of the act.