U.S. incensed by Europe's last dictator

WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko must be held accountable for crimes committed against his own people, a U.S. lawmaker said.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., chairman of a House subcommittee on Europe, testified that Lukashenko was skirting his international obligations.

"Alexander Lukashenko continues to turn a deaf ear to all criticism of his government," he said in his prepared remarks.

Washington said the "disproportionate" use of force by Minsk against opposition candidates in December was a "major" step in the wrong direction for the former Soviet republic.

The post-election period that brought another term for Lukashenko, the first and only president of an independent Belarus, was marred by widespread unrest that saw six presidential candidates and at least 600 anti-government protesters placed in detention.

"After the election, Lukashenka said that Belarus will have no more 'mindless democracy,' clearly manifesting his sneering contempt for the Belarusian people …," said Smith.

Human Rights Watch in March said it was time the United Nations step in to investigate alleged ongoing political repression at the hands of the Belarusian government.