The EU on Aug. 5 unveiled new sanctions against Belarus, targeting 28 individuals over internal repressions and human rights abuses.
The announcement came a few days ahead of the fourth anniversary of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election when dictator Alexander Lukashenko cemented his hold on power through electoral fraud and mass repressions.
The new additions to the sanctions list include two deputy heads of the Main Department for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption (HUBAZiK) at the Belarusian Justice Ministry.
"HUBAZiK is one of the main bodies responsible for political persecution in Belarus, including arbitrary and unlawful arrests and ill-treatment, including torture, of activists and members of civil society," a press release by the Council of the EU read.
The restrictions are also aimed at various members of the judiciary who issued politically motivated sentences against those who protested the fraudulent presidential election.
The list further includes heads of various prisons and detention centers and Lukashenko's close allies, such as the director of the state news agency Belta, Iryna Akulovich, the news agency's previous head and Lukashenko's ex-press secretary, Dmitry Zhuk, and the host of the Senate television program, Nikita Rachilovskiy.
As of now, 261 individuals and 37 entities have been sanctioned as part of the EU's restrictive measures against Belarus.
Lukashenko claiming victory in the 2020 election led to massive protests across the country and international condemnations. Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she won 60% of the vote.
According to the Belarusian human rights group Viasna, over 50,000 citizens have been detained for political reasons since the 2020 election.
At least 5,472 people have been convicted in politically motivated charges, said the group's representative, Leanid Sudalenka, in comments reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Although Belarus was involved in a recent major prisoner exchange between the West and Russia, Minsk freed only German citizen Rico Krieger, sentenced to death on "terrorism" and "mercenary activity" charges. No Belarusian political prisoner has been released.
Lukashenko, under whose leadership Belarus became a close ally of Russia during the full-scale war against Ukraine, said he would run again for president again in 2025. The dictator has held the presidential office since 1994.
Sławomir Sierakowski
(Updated: )
