Sanctioning Belarus: The Right Move?

Sanctions against Belarus have been imposed by the European Union, the United States, Canada, and other international partners in response to the country's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, human rights violations, and undemocratic actions. The sanctions include individual, financial, and economic measures targeting key figures and sectors in Belarus, such as President Aleksandr Lukashenko and the country's military support for Russia. The purpose of these sanctions is to pressure the Belarusian government to uphold democratic values, respect human rights, and cease its involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

Human rights abuses

Sanctions against Belarus have been implemented by the United States, the European Union, Canada, and other international partners. These sanctions are a response to the country's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as human rights abuses and violations of democratic processes.

The human rights situation in Belarus has been a significant concern for the international community, with reports of widespread and systematic violations. The government, led by President Alexander Lukashenko, has been accused of a range of human rights abuses, including the repression of opposition voices, the suppression of peaceful protests, and the intimidation and arbitrary detention of journalists, opposition members, and peaceful demonstrators.

Following the fraudulent 2020 presidential elections, the Belarusian authorities responded to anti-government protests with state-sponsored violence, resulting in at least two deaths and numerous injuries. The government has also been implicated in prolonged arbitrary detentions, brutality, intimidation, and the excessive use of force against peaceful protestors, including the use of water cannons, flash grenades, rubber-coated bullets, tear gas, and live ammunition. There have been credible allegations of torture and sexual violence against those detained.

In 2021, the government orchestrated the forced landing of a Ryanair flight, diverting it to Minsk National Airport under the false premise of a bomb threat. Upon landing, Roman Protasevich, a Belarus journalist and activist, and his Russian companion, Sofia Sapega, were removed from the flight and placed in detention, later under house arrest. This incident marked a significant and dangerous escalation in the government's attacks on opposition voices.

The European Union, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States have all strongly condemned these human rights abuses and violations of international law. Canada, in particular, has been actively engaged in addressing the situation, both directly with the Belarusian government and through international partnerships.

The EU's sanctions against Belarus aim to pressure the political leadership to prevent further violence and repression, release political prisoners and other unjustly detained individuals, and initiate a genuine and inclusive national dialogue. The EU stands ready to support a peaceful democratic transition and has expressed unwavering support for democracy and human rights in Belarus.

Support for Russia's war in Ukraine

Belarus has been accused of supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. In response, the US, the UK, and the EU have imposed sanctions on Belarus. Here are some key points regarding the support for Russia's war in Ukraine:

US Sanctions on Belarus:

The US has been actively sanctioning Belarus since 2006, with Executive Order 13405—Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus. The US has targeted Belarusian networks, revenue generators, and individuals connected to human rights abuses. In 2022, the US imposed sanctions on Belarus for its role in enabling Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including restrictions on luxury goods exports.

EU Restrictive Measures:

The EU has taken a strong stance against Belarus's involvement in Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. They have adopted various measures since 2022, including individual and economic sanctions targeting 22 people, restrictions on trade, a SWIFT ban for five Belarusian banks, and a prohibition on transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus. The EU stands ready to impose further sanctions if the situation does not improve.

UK Response:

The UK, along with its international partners, has united in support of Ukraine. They have imposed additional sanctions on Belarus and provided economic, humanitarian, and defensive military assistance to Ukraine. The UK's new Defence Secretary has pledged to increase support for Ukraine during a visit to Odesa.

North Korean Involvement:

There are reports of North Korean involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to a South Korean lawmaker, some of the 10,900 North Korean troops sent to Kursk have been fighting alongside Russian elite units. Additionally, North Korea has shipped arms to Russia, including self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers. This marks a significant escalation in the conflict.

Russian Nuclear Rhetoric:

The US and the UK have criticized Russia's "irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric. Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, has lowered the threshold for Russia's use of nuclear weapons. In response, Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to strike targets inside Russian territory with long-range weapons. The UK's Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, reiterated their unwavering support for Ukraine, calling on Russia to end the war and leave Ukraine.

Rigged 2020 presidential election

The 2020 presidential election in Belarus was widely believed to be rigged in favour of the incumbent, Alexander Lukashenko, who was declared the winner with 80% of the vote. This was despite opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya claiming victory with at least 60% of the vote, and independent observers reporting numerous instances of electoral fraud.

In the lead-up to the election, Lukashenko deprived his political opposition of the right to campaign and employed violence against those challenging his rule. On election day, the internet in the country was shut down, and the Central Electoral Committee (CEC) advised voters not to take pictures of their ballots. Despite this, independent online platforms registered 1,262,246 votes, corresponding to 21.7% of those who voted and covering a quarter of all polling stations in Belarus.

Data obtained by these platforms revealed discrepancies in the official results on both a central and local level. The CEC inflated votes for Lukashenko by at least 20% compared to the official protocols at individual polling stations. For example, in Minsk, Tsikhanouskaya gathered more votes at 59% of polling stations than in the whole city, according to station protocols.

An analysis of official polling station protocols, excluding stations with statistically abnormal voter turnout, gave Lukashenko 43% of the vote, while Tsikhanouskaya won with 45%. When comparing official protocols to ballot images registered at independent online platforms, Tsikhanouskaya won with 81% of 1.2 million votes registered.

Further evidence of rigging comes from poll workers themselves, who reported various forms of fraud, including pressure to sign documents with falsified results. In addition, other evidence has been posted online, including an audio recording from a polling station in Vitebsk, where an official can be heard telling poll workers to falsify results in favour of Lukashenko.

The European Union, the United States, and other countries have refused to recognise the results of the 2020 Belarusian election, instead imposing sanctions on Belarusian officials deemed responsible for "violence, repression, and election fraud".

Oppression of opposition

The Belarusian opposition consists of groups and individuals seeking to challenge the authorities of Soviet Belarus from 1988 to 1991 and, since 1995, the leader of the country, Alexander Lukashenko, who is often considered a dictator by supporters of the movement. The modern Belarusian democracy movement originated in the late 1980s when Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika and the Chernobyl disaster exposed the serious shortcomings of the Soviet system.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union brought about a brief period of democracy from 1991 to 1994. However, since his election in 1994, Lukashenko has established an authoritarian rule, creating a political system that the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has stated is "incompatible with the concept of human rights". Lukashenko has faced greater public opposition amid his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which he denied as a serious threat.

The 2020–2021 Belarusian protests were a series of mass political demonstrations and protests against the Belarusian government and President Alexander Lukashenko. The largest anti-government protests in the history of Belarus, the demonstrations began in the lead-up to and during the 2020 presidential election, in which Lukashenko sought his sixth term in office. In response to the demonstrations, a number of relatively small pro-government rallies were held.

The protests intensified nationwide after the official election results were announced on 9 August, with Lukashenko declared the winner. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opponent of Lukashenko, rejected the results as falsified and claimed to have received 60–70% of the votes. On 14 August, she announced the creation of the Coordination Council, with membership applications open to all Belarusians who agreed that the official election had been falsified.

The protesters faced violent persecution by the authorities. A statement by the United Nations Human Rights Office on 1 September cited more than 450 documented cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, as well as reports of sexual abuse and rape. At the end of 2020, the Viasna Human Rights Centre documented 1,000 testimonies of torture victims.

The European Union has enforced sanctions against Lukashenko's government, with the EU not recognising the results of the 2020 Belarus elections, condemning them as neither free nor fair. The EU has also reaffirmed its unwavering support for democracy and human rights in Belarus.

Financial sanctions

The EU has implemented a range of financial sanctions targeting Belarus's ability to conduct economic transactions. This includes restricting financial inflows from Belarus to the EU, prohibiting transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus, and banning the provision of euro-denominated banknotes to the country. Additionally, the EU has imposed a SWIFT ban on five Belarusian banks, limiting their ability to operate within the global financial system. These measures are designed to pressure the Belarusian regime to end its involvement in the Ukraine conflict and improve its human rights record.

Canada has also taken significant financial sanctions action against Belarus. The country's Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations impose a range of prohibitions, including an asset freeze on designated individuals and entities, restrictions on financial and related services, and prohibitions on the provision of goods and technology to Belarus. These regulations have been amended multiple times since 2020 to expand the scope of sanctions, targeting individuals, government officials, and entities complicit in human rights abuses and violations of international law.

The US has also played a role in sanctioning Belarus, with the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administering sanctions. While specific details of these sanctions are not readily available, the US has likely imposed restrictions on financial transactions and economic activities involving Belarus, similar to those implemented by the EU and Canada.

These financial sanctions have had a significant impact on Belarus's economy and ability to support Russia's war effort in Ukraine. They serve as a response to the human rights abuses, political repression, and aggression towards Ukraine perpetrated by the Lukashenka regime. By limiting Belarus's access to the international financial system and restricting economic activities, these sanctions aim to pressure the regime to change its course and improve its domestic and foreign policies.

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