1 year after Lukashenko's election, Joe Biden announces new sanctions on Belarus

US President Joe Biden, on August 9, announced new sanctions against Belarus marking one year anniversary of Alexander’s Lukashenko’s election as the country’s president. Known as the ‘last dictator of Europe’, Lukashenko was announced victorious in the presidential polls which are considered rigged and void by the west. Since the elections, Belarus has been shadowed by mass agitations and crackdowns, leading to thousands of detentions.

What are the new sanctions?

According to NBC News, the US Treasury Department has imposed a strict embargo on Belaruskali OAO which is one of the largest producers of potash fertilizers in the world and also the biggest source of the country’s revenue. Additionally, Belarusian National Olympic Committee has been sanctioned for its failure to prevent Belarusian athletes from repressing and also allegations of crimes such as money laundering. Furthermore, 15 private firms including Absolutbank, which has direct ties with Lukashenko.

“It is the responsibility of all those who care about human rights, free and fair elections and freedom of expression to stand against this oppression,” Biden said in a statement. “The United States will continue to stand up for human rights and free expression, while holding the Lukashenka accountable, in concert with our allies and partners.”

While announcing the sanctions, Biden also noted that the Lukashenko administration, earlier in May, coerced a passenger plane to make an emergency landing so as to arrest a dissident journalist. According to the Minsk National Airport's press service, a Ryanair flight en route from Athens to Vilnius (Lithuania) was forced to make an emergency landing in Minsk, Belarus. According to the Russian news agency, Roman Protasevich, the operator of a Telegram channel that Minsk has designated as extremist, was detained during the stopover at the airport. On May 23, the plane was cleared to take off from Minsk and arrived in Vilnius at 18:27 GMT.

Belarusian elections 

Embattled leader Alexander Lukashenko was sworn in for his sixth term as the President of Belarus at a secret ceremony held with no prior announcement. Meanwhile, opposition in Belarus has rejected the result of the country’s presidential elections, accusing the vote to be rigged and calling for talks before 'peaceful' transfer of power. Tikhanouskaya, who called herself the real winner in the elections, accused her opponent of “massively rigging” the vote. Following this, the opposition has now called for a recounting of the votes at every problematic vote booth. 

Image: AP