The U.S. introduced new sanctions Wednesday in opposition to Belarus forward of the third anniversary of contested 2020 presidential elections within the European nation.
The sanctions goal eight people and 5 entities for allegedly funding the Belarusian authorities.
“This action targets several entities involved in the Belarusian regime’s continued civil society repression, complicity in the Russian Federation’s unjustified war in Ukraine, and enrichment of repressive Belarusian regime leader Alexander Lukashenko,” the Treasury Department stated in an announcement.
The company’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) focused three state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the director and a subsidiary of one of many SOEs, a Government of Belarus (GoB) company and 4 of its staff, three people facilitating sanctions evasion in help of Lukashenko’s regime and one plane recognized as blocked property, stated the Treasury Department.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department is imposing visa restrictions on 101 regime officers and their associates “for their involvement in undermining or suppressing democratic institutions in Belarus,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in an announcement.
“We reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all 1,500 political prisoners held by the Lukashenko regime,” wrote Blinken, accusing the federal government of repressing Belarusian residents, arresting peaceable protesters and neighborhood leaders, cracking down on opposition teams and civil society organizations.
“The United States will continue to support the people of Belarus in their pursuit of a democratic future in free Belarus where human rights are respected,” he stated.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
