Canada and the United States imposed new sanctions on officials and prominent entities in the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in response to the forced diversion of a Ryanair plane last May to the detention of opposition journalist Roman Protasevic.
From Washington, the State Department noted in a statement the travel restrictions on 46 Belarusian officials while the Treasury announced the blocking of assets of 16 individuals and 5 entities linked to Lukashenko.
for this part, Canada Sanctions 17 individuals and 5 entities in response to gross and systematic violations of human rights in Belarus. Sanctions against Canada and the United States were coordinated with similar measures also adopted on Monday by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Minister of Foreign Affairs United States of AmericaAnthony Blinken declared that “these actions, in coordination with Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, want to strengthen the response to the international repression of the Lukashenko regime and its insults to international standards.”
46 officials who have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs occupy prominent positions in the presidential administration, Belarusian intelligence agencies, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, the Constitutional Court, as well as the Prosecutor General’s Office, among other bodies..
For its part, the Treasury Department indicated that among those whose assets were frozen in the United States, Lukashenko’s press secretary, Natalia Mikaliona Ismant, and former director of the Cabinet of the President of Belarus Natalia Ivanona Kachanava.
Among the institutions approved by the United States are the police forces and the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the Belarusian KGB.
From Canada, Foreign Minister Marc Garneau emphasized that Protasevich’s arrest is an “attack on everyone who believes in freedom of expression” and noted that “Canada and its partners will continue to pressure the Belarusian regime for its attack on human rights.”
Garneau announced sanctions against 17 individuals linked to Lukashenko In addition to 5 entities: the General Company for Air Navigation Services, Belaeronavigatsia. BelAz and MAZ automobile production plants; Novaya Neftenaya Kompaniya oil company and Bremino Group, a logistics company.
In a joint statement, Canada announced European Union“We are committed to supporting the long-suppressed democratic aspirations of the people of Belarus and are united in imposing costs on the regime for its blatant disregard of international obligations,” the United Kingdom and the United States said.
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