The United Kingdom, the USA, and Canada announced on Friday that sanctions are being imposed on several individuals and companies with ties to Belarus. Previously, the EU has also introduced additional sanctions against the country.
The reason is both President Aleksandr Lukashenko's and his regime's brutal crackdown on the civilian population, as well as Belarus' support for Russia.
The timing of the decision coincides with the four-year anniversary of Lukashenko's disputed election victory four years ago. With the help of Moscow, all opposition was crushed, imprisoned, or forced to flee. Even today, at least 1,400 political prisoners are estimated to be held in prisons in Belarus.
"In cooperation with international partners, sanctions are being imposed in response to human rights violations and ongoing support for Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine," London writes in a statement supported by several countries.
According to the US Department of Finance, sanctions are being imposed on 19 individuals, 14 companies, and an aircraft for violating existing sanctions and supporting Russia's war of invasion in Ukraine.
The regime's blatantly corrupt, destabilizing, and anti-democratic actions – combined with continued support for the Russian invasion in Ukraine – mean that Belarus is even more isolated from the global community, writes the US Department of Justice.
