The State Department has announced to impose visa restrictions on Belarusian nationals accused, in particular, to have threatened the athlete Krystina Tsimanouskaya at the Tokyo Olympics.
Le Monde
The United States pursue their sanctions policy against the Alexander Loukachenko regime. The US State Department announced Thursday, February 3 in a statement “impose visa restrictions” to several Belarus nationals for “their involvement in serious dissenting activities abroad”, citing the case. Athlete Krystina Tsimanouskaya.
The sprinter had been threatened to be repatriated by Belarus at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, after criticizing the sports bodies of his country.
“We are in solidarity with M me tsimanouskaya and all those who have experienced the attempts of the silence of the critics”, affirms the statement of the State Department, which does not specify The identities of the persons covered by the sanctions.
The re-election of Alexander Loukachenko to the Presidency of Belarus in August 2020 had triggered a movement of historical protest in this former Soviet Republic, violently repressed by the authorities, which had made mass arrests, the liquidations of the media and NGO.
“Support to the Belarusian people”
“The United States reaffirms their support for the Belarusian people, and still call the Loukachenko regime to put an end to the repression on the members of civil society, the independent media, the political opposition, the athletes, Students, law professionals, and other Belarus, “says the state department.
Krystina Tsimanouskaya, a specialist of the 100 and 200 m, had stated in August 2021 having escaped a forced repatriation in his country, a few days after having openly criticized the athletic federation of his country who had registered for the relay 4×400 m from Tokyo Olympics without notifying it beforehand.
Fearing to be in prison if she returned to Belarus, she had obtained the help of the International Olympic Committee and a police protection while at the Tokyo-Haneda airport.
Krystina Tsimanouskaya, 24, then took refuge two nights at the Poland Embassy in the Japanese capital, before rallying Poland, a country that granted a humanitarian visa.