Brussels (The Brussels Moring Newspaper) – The European Council decided to set restrictive measures on a further 28 individuals for their function in the continuous internal repression and human rights violations in Belarus.
Who Are the Targeted Individuals in the Latest EU Sanctions?
As reported by the EU Council, restrictive measures were levied on two deputy heads of the Main Department for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption (Bel. HUBAZiK / Rus. GUBOPiK)Â of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. HUBAZiK is one of the leading bodies responsible for political persecution in Belarus, including arbitrary and illegal arrests and ill-treatment, including suffering, of activists and members of civil society.
What Are the Details of the EU’s Restrictive Measures?
The listings also contain various members of the judiciary, namely prosecutors and multiple judges who have administered politically motivated sentences, including against residents who protested the deceitful presidential elections of 2020, or who simply expressed their opinions against the Lukashenka regime. Furthermore, restrictive standards are also imposed on the leaders of various correctional organisations (prisons and a pre-trial detention centre).
European Council states that a group of long-time contributors of Lukashenka, who benefitted from the government are also targeted. These include the director-general of the largest State news agency, Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA), Iryna Akulovich; the host of the “Senate” television programme on the STV (СТВ) channel and director of the Youth Council at the National Assembly of Belarus, Mikita Rachylouski; and the earlier head of Lukashenka’s press service and a long-time chief general of BelTA, Dzmitry Zhuk.Â
What Role Did Belarusian Propagandists Play in Repression?
These administration propagandists willingly supplied the Belarusian public with false statements about repression perpetrated by the State authorities, distributed disinformation produced by both Belarusian and Russian authorities and encouraged hatred towards democratic opposition and civil society.
Altogether, EU restrictive efforts against Belarus now spread to 261 individuals and 37 entities. Those specified are subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and businesses are forbidden from making budgets available to them. Natural persons are further subject to a travel embargo, which stops them from entering or transiting through EU territories.
How Does the EU Justify Its Sanctions Against Belarusian Authorities?
According to the EU Council, these sanctions are assumed ahead of the fourth anniversary of the scheming presidential elections of August 2020. In its decisions dated 19 February 2024, the Council voiced its deep concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus, and strongly criticised the continuing persecution and intimidation campaigns against all elements of Belarusian society by the Belarusian regime.Â
The Council also strongly criticised the unprecedented level of repression and limitations on political participation ahead of the parliamentary and local polls that took place on 25 February 2024. On 26 February 2024, the High Representative said in the aftermath of parliamentary and local elections, he criticised the unprecedented level of repression, human rights violations, rules on political participation and access to autonomous media. He stressed that the parliamentary and local officials elected in Belarus lacked democratic legitimacy since the requirements for free and fair elections had not been met.
