“The United States will on Monday impose fresh sanctions on the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is accused of a brutal crackdown on opponents, a White House official told AFP. President Joe Biden will sign an executive order targeting Lukashenko over an ongoing ‘assault against the democratic aspirations and human rights of the Belarusian people, transnational repression… and corruption.’ In power since 1994, Lukashenko has been cracking down on opponents since unprecedented protests erupted after last year’s elections, deemed unfair by many observers. The sanctions to be imposed by the US Treasury on Monday will mark the anniversary of the elections, which the US official described as ‘fraudulent'” – AFP.