Belarus - Political Prisoners

Question: What concrete steps is the State Department engaging in to advance the release of political prisoners and promote human rights in Belarus?

Answer: We take every opportunity to urge the Belarusian authorities to free all persons jailed on politically motivated charges. President Bush reinforced this commitment to the people of Belarus in his 2007 State of the Union message. Within the last year, the United States has taken numerous measures to pressure Belarusian President Lukashenka to release political prisoners.

This week, the Department of State met with a delegation of Belarusian opposition political leaders and civil society activists to discuss further steps that the United States might take to support the defenders of freedom and democracy in Belarus. This delegation included Irina Kozulina, the wife of Belarusian political prisoner Aleksandr Kozulin, and Serhei Matskevich, a former political prisoner.

In January 2007, President Bush signed into law the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act, which outlines a series of measures available to promote democracy and rule of law in Belarus. These measures would supplement our existing assistance programs that focus on promoting democracy, human rights, and development of civil society in Belarus.

In December 2006, the United States brought the plight of political prisoners, including Aleksandr Kozulin, and the deplorable human rights situation in Belarus, to the attention of the UN Security Council.

In December 2006, the issue of political prisoners in Belarus figured prominently in a UN resolution cosponsored by the U.S. and adopted by the UN General Assembly.

In a speech in Riga, Latvia on November 28, 2006, President Bush described Belarus as "a place where peaceful protesters are beaten and opposition leaders are 'disappeared' by the agents of a cruel regime. The existence of such oppression in our midst offends the conscience of Europe, and it offends the conscience of America. We have a message for the people of Belarus: The vision of a Europe whole, free, and at peace includes you -- and we stand with you in your struggle for freedom."

In June 2006, President Bush issued an Executive Order, which blocks the U.S. property of certain persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Belarus. Six additional names were added to the list on February 27, 2007, bringing the total to 16 persons. More names could be added in the future.

In May 2006, President Bush issued a Proclamation suspending the U.S. entry of persons responsible for policies or actions that threaten the transition to democracy in Belarus. We have used the authority under this proclamation to ban the future entry of numerous individuals responsible for suppressing human rights in Belarus.

Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC February 28, 2007 Question Taken at the February 28 Daily Press Briefing

Technorati Tags: State Department and Secretary of State or Belarus and Condoleezza Rice, or Political Prisoners and U.S. State Department or Belarusian President Lukashenka and Aleksandr Kozulin or Serhei Matskevich

Army Relieves Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman

Army Relieves Walter Reed Commanding General, Mar 01, 2007, BY Paul Boyce, OCPA - Media Relations

At 10 a.m. March 1 Army Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, commanding general of the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, was relieved of command by Secretary of the Army Dr. Francis J. Harvey.

This action has been under consideration for the last several days, with the final decision being made yesterday.

Maj. Gen. Weightman was informed this morning that the senior Army leadership had lost trust and confidence in the commander's leadership abilities to address needed solutions for Soldier-outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Commanding General of U.S. Army Medical Command, Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, will be acting temporarily as the Walter Reed commander until a general officer is selected for this important leadership position.

The Army is moving quickly to address issues regarding outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Secretary of the Army Dr. Francis J. Harvey directed Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Richard Cody last week to develop and implement an Army Action Plan to address shortcomings at Walter Reed as well as Army-wide. The four focus areas of the Army Action Plan are: 1) Soldier accountability, health and welfare; 2) infrastructure; 3) medical administrative process; and 4) information dissemination. Gen. Cody put a 30-day deadline on many of these actions.

The Army also is participating in a Defense Department Independent Review Group, announced Feb. 20, examining service member's outpatient care and military administrative processes.

Both the Army Action Plan and the DoD Independent Review Group will continue examining military-medical rehabilitative conditions and administrative care in the weeks to come. The Army senior leadership will continue to take prompt corrective action as deficiencies are identified.

"We'll fix as we go; we'll fix as we find things wrong," Secretary Harvey said recently. "Soldiers are the heart of our Army and the quality of their medical care is non-negotiable."

- 30 - For more information, contact Paul Boyce at U.S. Army Public Affairs: (703) 697-2564.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 234-07 March 01, 2007

Secretary Gates On Walter Reed Leadership Change

“I endorse the decision by Secretary of the Army Fran Harvey to relieve the Commander of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"The care and welfare of our wounded men and women in uniform demand the highest standard of excellence and commitment that we can muster as a government. When this standard is not met, I will insist on swift and direct corrective action and, where appropriate, accountability up the chain of command.”

On the Web: defenselink.mil/Releases/ Media contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132, Public contact: dod.mil/faq/comment or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House or Patient-Care Issues and Walter Reed Army Medical Center or The Defense Department and outpatients or Washington Post and Dr. William Winkenwerder or housing problems and Robert M. Gates or Francis J. Harvey and Richard A. Cody or Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman