The European Union (EU) announced today that it has extended for one year the sanctions against Belarus "due to the continuous repression of the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko and its support for the war that Russia is waging in Ukraine".
The sanctions have been extended until February 28, 2024, the European Council, a body representing 27 EU member states, announced.
A sentence of 19 years in prison was requested in Minsk today against the Belarusian opponent of the regime in exile, Svetlana Tihanovska, who has been tried in absentia since January.
Since August 2020, the EU has introduced a series of sanctions against those responsible for political repression and human rights violations in Belarus.
Lukashenko and 194 other figures close to the regime were banned from entering the EU, and their assets were frozen.
In addition, 34 legal entities were sanctioned and all European funding was prohibited.
Belarus is also subject to targeted economic sanctions, including restrictions on the financial sector, trade, dual-use goods, telecommunications, energy and transport.
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