EU expands sanctions list against Belarus by 28 names
The European Union has added 28 more names to its sanctions list against Belarus. Included are judges, prosecutors, prison officials, and prominent media figures such as the head of the state news agency Belta, Irina Akulovich, and the well-known TV host Nikita Rashilovsky, according to a statement from the Council of the European Union.
These "regime propagandists" had deliberately provided the Belarusian public with false information about repression by state authorities, it was further stated.
With the newly added names, the EU has now imposed sanctions on 261 individuals and 37 organizations from Belarus. Their assets are frozen, and they are subject to a travel ban to the EU. The blacklist was established in April 2020 following the disputed re-election of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. He and some of his family members are also on the sanctions list.
Lukashenko had violently suppressed mass protests against his disputed re-election, and the opposition has since been heavily suppressed. More than 1400 political opponents have been imprisoned, and thousands more are said to have left the country, according to the human rights organization Viasna.
Belarus is considered a close ally and supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is why the sanctions were tightened again after the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine. The EU accuses Belarus, among other things, of making its territory available for the deployment of Russian troops.
- The EU’s decision to expand its sanctions against Belarus further demonstrates its disapproval towards the Belarusian government, particularly towards entities associated with the EU's allegations of human rights violations and propagation of false information.
- Despite the EU'ssanctions against numerous individuals and organizations within The EU, Belarus continues to maintain a close alliance with Russia, which has led to renewed scrutiny and tightened sanctions from the European Union.
