The Council of the European Union amended sanctions against Belarus.
‘In the light of the continuing gravity of the human rights situation, it added one person to the list of those subject to restrictions. At the same time, it considered that there are no longer grounds for keeping eight individuals subject to sanctions.’ the press office of the Council of the EU says.
This decision does not reflect a change in the EU’s policy of critical engagement with Belarus, as most recently set out in the Council conclusions of 15 October 2012, the press office stresses. It fails to specify the names of the persons delisted.
In 2011 the European Union re-imposed sanctions on the Belarusian officials responsible for election fraud, brutal dispersal of the 2010 post-presidential election demonstration and further persecution of opposition activists; president Aliaksandr Lukashenka, his sons Viktar and Dzmitry, several presidential bagmen being touched by the decision.
On October 29, 2013 the European Union extended sanctions against Belarus for another year but shortened the blacklist by 13 names. At that moment the updated list of officials and companies subject to the restrictive measures contained 232 persons and 25 entities. These people are supposed to be forbidden from entering the EU or doing business there.
