December 16, Pozirk. The Council of the EU has imposed restrictive measures on 26 individuals and two companies in Belarus in connection with human rights abuses in the country and its support for the Russian war on Ukraine, the legislative body said.
It noted that “restrictive measures were imposed on various members of the judiciary, namely judges who issued politically motivated sentences, including against citizens who voiced their opinions against the [Alaksandar] Łukašenka regime, the system and the brutality of Belarusian law enforcement structures, and are therefore responsible for the repression of civil society and the democratic opposition. Furthermore, restrictive measures are also imposed on the heads and deputy heads of various correctional institutions (prisons and a pre-trial detention centre), as well as the head of a medical unit in one of these institutions, where a number of political prisoners face inhumane conditions and are subject to abuses.”
The list includes judges Vital Siniła, Iryna Pradun, Vadzim Mazol, Nina Šastak, Viera Fiłonik, Iryna Majko, Vasil Biahun, Jaŭhien Brehan, Alaksandar Mocharaŭ, Alesia Osipava and Viktar Novik. Officers Vadzim Muraška, Siarhiej Biarejšyk, Mikałaj Muškaroŭ, Siarhiej Pietrakovič and Viktar Łutcaŭ. Businessmen Ihar Subocin, Aleh Arłoŭ, Andrej Rybakoŭ, Aleh Barabanaŭ, Aleh Hierasim, Aleh Piatroŭ, Andrej Śvirydaŭ, Dźmitry Zamulevič and Uładzimir Arkadźjeŭ. And Alaksiej Švakoŭ, chairman of the Belarusian National Bar Association.
The restrictions also target Vlate Logistik (VŁATE Łahistyk), which owns two checkpoints at the European-Belarusian border, and Ruzekspeditsiya (Ruzekśpiedycyja), which helps circumvent EU sanctions “by participating in the delivery of cars prohibited to be sold, supplied, transferred or exported.”
