Britain targets Belarus with new sanctions over human rights abuses
- The action is commemorating the fourth anniversary of the flawed 2020 presidential elections in Belarus.
- The sanctions include the commanding officers of four Belarusian penal colonies where political prisoners are detained.
- Britain also announces £2.5 million in funding to support Belarusian human rights and civil society causes.
On Friday, Britain announced a new package of sanctions against Belarus, targeting four individuals and three entities for their role in human rights violations and the continued facilitation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The British government stated that the coordinated action with international partners commemorated the fourth anniversary of the “deeply flawed” 2020 presidential elections in Belarus.
Most independent observers believe that President Alexander Lukashenko lost that election. He maintained his grip on power by imprisoning thousands and using his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to suppress months of street protests.
On Friday, the sanctions included the commanding officers of four Belarusian penal colonies where political prisoners have been detained.
“Four years on from the brutal scenes we witnessed in Belarus, Lukashenko’s relentless crackdown on civil society has shown no signs of abating,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.
“We stand with the people of Belarus and their pursuit of freedom and democracy and call on the regime to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.”
The sanctions targeted three entities: two machine tool manufacturers that exported goods to Russia for its military industrial sector, and one business linked to the Belarusian government that operated in the defense sector. Additionally, Britain announced £2.5 million ($3 million) in funding to support Belarusian human rights and civil society causes.
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