The State Department has issued a new travel advisory warning U.S. citizens to leave Belarus immediately.
"Due to Belarusian authorities' arbitrary enforcement of local laws and the risk of detention, continued facilitation of Russia's war against Ukraine, and the heightened volatility and unpredictable nature of the regional security environment, do not travel to Belarus," the advisory stated.
The main risks for U.S. citizens is "arbitrary detention," "poor conditions of detention," and "the possibility of closing border crossings without warning."
The State Department also said that in case of detention of U.S. citizens in Belarus, assistance by American authorities may be severely limited.
The advisory came three days after the European Union imposed new sanctions on Belarusian officials and companies supporting the regime of Alexander Lukashenko.
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for over 30 years by relying on Kremlin subsidies and support, has allowed Russia to use his country's territory to send troops into neighboring Ukraine in 2022 and to host some of its tactical nuclear weapons.
Belarus' law enforcement agencies have launched a new wave of arrests in recent months seeking to uproot any sign of dissent ahead of January's election in which Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term.
The State Department said Belarusian authorities "have detained tens of thousands of individuals, including U.S. citizens and other foreign citizens, for alleged affiliations with opposition parties and alleged participation in political demonstrations, even if there is evidence this affiliation took place outside of Belarus.
"Approximately 1,300 prisoners are currently jailed for politically-related acts that may not be considered crimes in the United States. The Belarusian government has denied prisoners access to their Embassy and lawyers, restricted communication with family outside prisons, and limited access to information."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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