London, June 21 (EFE). The British government imposed sanctions on eleven Belarusian individuals and entities on Monday in connection with the human rights violations and arrests of dissident Roman Protacevic and his girlfriend Sofia Sabiga, following the forced landing of a Ryanair flight last May.
In a statement, the State Department specified that it, along with the United States, Canada, and the European Union, had sanctioned seven individuals and one body linked to the Belarusian regime, in response to the couple’s arrest and photo leak. An “illegal” Irish airline flight on May 23.
The memo said that four other people and one other entity would also be subject to sanctions “in response to the continued suppression of democracy and human rights in Belarus by (President Alexander) Lukashenko and his regime.”
The ministry notes that the sanctions include a “travel veto and asset freeze against senior officials of the Belarusian regime” and against BNK Ltd, an “exporter of petroleum products,” which, according to London, will affect one of the country’s main “states.” sources of financing.
The British government considers these measures to send a “strong signal” to the Belarusian authorities that the UK “will not tolerate those who oppress human rights coming to the UK” or use its financial institutions.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab condemned Lukashenko’s regime “endangering the lives” of passengers and crew with its “shameful” plan to capture Protasevich and stressed that the UK would continue to work with its allies to “make accounts” for Minsk. EFE
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