EU imposes sanctions on 28 individuals for human rights violations in Belarus

The Council of the European Union has announced the imposition of restrictive measures against 28 additional individuals for their involvement in internal repression and human rights violations in Belarus.

Among those sanctioned were two deputy heads from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ division for combating organized crime and corruption, as well as several judicial representatives, including prosecutors and judges who had issued “politically motivated” verdicts, particularly against individuals accused of protesting or expressing dissent against the Lukashenko regime, as well as those connected to the falsification of the 2020 presidential elections.

The sanctions also targeted Irina Akulovich, the Director-General of the state news agency BelTA, and Nikita Rachilovsky, a presenter on the Senate TV channel and the Chairman of the Youth Council in the National Assembly of Belarus.

Individuals on the sanctions list face an asset freeze, and EU citizens and companies are prohibited from providing them with funds.

Additionally, these individuals are subject to a travel ban, preventing them from entering or transiting through the European Union.

As of now, EU restrictive measures against Belarus apply to a total of 261 individuals and 37 legal entities.