US imposes visa restrictions on Belarus in response to opposition trials

The United States has imposed visa restrictions on several individuals in Belarus over the recent opposition trials. Some of the individuals targeted are lawmakers Washington accuses of undermining the country’s democracy.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that 25 individuals in Belarus, including lawmakers, for undermining democracy in their country due to the politically motivated trials against its exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Tsikhanouskaya, a vocal critic of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, was placed on trial in absentia on charges of treason. Lukashenko described the exiled leader’s trials as a “farce and a show.”

“We will not stand by as this regime continues to harass and repress peaceful protesters, the democratic opposition, journalists, unionists, activists, human rights defenders, and everyday Belarusians,” said Blinken.

The restrictions by Washington targeted Members of the National Assembly of Belarus for their role in passing the legislation to authorize the death penalty for people who are convicted of terrorism. Blinken said Belarus uses such charges to suppress the opposition. Blinken also said that other lawmakers have also supported legislation that revoked citizenship for Belarusians outside the country charged with “extremism” and confiscating property for “unfriendly actions toward Belarus.”

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the US is diverting its stored munitions in Israel to Ukraine for use in the war, noting that the decision to redirect the munitions was made last year. An Israeli confirmed the report to Reuters, saying that now-former Prime Minister Yair Lapid approved the transfer even as Washington does not formally need such permission.

The newspaper said the munitions that were stored in Israel and then redirected to Ukraine were 300,000 155-millimeter artillery shells. Around half the stock was sent to Europe to be redistributed to Ukraine.

“American equipment that was stored in Israel was transferred to the US armed forces a few weeks ago upon their request,” said the spokesperson for the Israeli military.

While Israel has condemned Russia’s aggression on Ukraine, it has limited its assistance to Kyiv through humanitarian aid and protective gear. Israel wants to maintain its coordination hotline with Russia that was established in 2015 over their military strikes on suspected Iranian targets based in Syria, where Moscow has a garrison.