European Union places sanctions on Belarusian companies, individuals after Index on Censorship campaign
At a meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg today, European governments agreed unanimously to target sanctions at at least three Belarusian companies.
The move comes after a letter to Britain’s foreign secretary Willam Hague, co-ordinated by Index on Censorship along with Sir Tom Stoppard, the Anglo-Belarusian Committee, the Association of Belarusians in Great Britain, the Belarus Free Theatre and Free Belarus Now, called for targeted sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime and its associates.
Mike Harris of Index on Censorship commented today: “We wrote to the Foreign Secretary asking him to commit the EU to targeted sanctions against the regime’s cronies, so we’re delighted by these steps.
“Lukashenko may try to fool the EU with empty promises of reform as his country’s economy worsens, but there must be no deal as long as his people’s rights are denied and his jails still hold prisoners of conscience.”
UPDATE: Jerome Taylor of the Independent has supplied a list of the companies and individuals targetted
Three Belarus companies: BelTechExport, Sport-Pari (runs a lucrative lottery) and Private Unitary Enterprise BT Telecommunications
New individuals also added to Belarus travel ban list include…
Andrey Kazheunikau — Public prosecutor of the case against ex-presidential candidate Vladimir Neklyaev
Liudmila Grachova — Judge who convicted ex-presidential candidates Nikolai Statkevich, Dmitri Uss
Kiril Chubkavets — Public prosecutor of the cases against ex-presidential candidates Nikolai Statkevich and Dmitri Uss
Vladimir Peftiev — “Luka’s banker”, chief economic advisor to Belarus president and key financial sponsor of the regime
Read Index’s letter below
