EU slaps sanctions on Belarus leader, son and 13 others
The European Union has imposed sanctions on the president of Belarus and 14 other officials over their roles in the security crackdown launched during protests of the country's August presidential election
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The European Union imposed sanctions Friday on the president of Belarus and 14 other officials over their roles in the security crackdown launched during protests of the country's contested August presidential election.
EU headquarters said in a statement that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was put on the sanctions list along his son and national security adviser, Viktor Lukashenko. The sanctions ban listed individuals from traveling within the European Union and a freeze on their assets. EU citizens and companies also are forbidden from providing them with funds.
Protests have rocked Belarus ever since the Aug. 9 election, and more than 15,000 people in the country have been arrested. The official results returned Lukashenko to power with 80% of the vote and were widely seen as rigged, including by the EU. About 200 disabled people rallied in the capital Minsk on Thursday.
In its sanctions listing, the EU said that President Lukashenko “is responsible for the violent repression by the State apparatus carried out before and after the 2020 presidential election, in particular with the dismissal of key opposition candidates, arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment of peaceful demonstrators as well as intimidation and violence against journalists.”
The addition of Lukashenko and his associates means that a total of 59 Belarusian officials are subject to the EU sanctions.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.