Fri 06 November 2020:
The European Union (EU) has slapped sanctions on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and 14 other officials for repression of the pro-democracy movement following August’s contested election.
The asset freezes and travel bans were implemented on Friday following an EU ambassadors’ agreement earlier this week that came in response to “violent repression and intimidation of peaceful demonstrators, opposition members and journalists”, according to a press release.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab welcomed the EU decision in a tweet. “The UK imposed Magnitsky sanctions on Belarus, including on Lukashenko, at the end of September. I am pleased to see the EU now adopting similar sanctions. We are committed to holding those who violate human rights to account.”
On Oct. 12, the bloc said Lukashenko will be added to its sanctions list, if the situation in the country does not improve.
Belarus has been rocked by mass protests since Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet nation for over 26 years, was reelected to a sixth term in the Aug. 9 election his opponents say was rigged.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who now lives in exile in Lithuania, was Lukashenko’s main challenger.
Both the US and EU have rejected the presidential election, and imposed sanctions against top Belarusian officials for their role in vote manipulation and a crackdown on protesters.
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