UK imposes tighter economic sanctions on Belarus for human rights violations News
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UK imposes tighter economic sanctions on Belarus for human rights violations

The UK on Monday imposed tighter sanctions on Belarus in a bid to repress its totalitarian regime.

The sanctions, which were effected by an amendment to the Republic of Belarus(sanctions)(EU Exit) Regulations 2019, include aviation, trade, and economic measures.  These sanctions are subsequent to a joint designation imposed in June this year by the UK, US, and the EU.

The aviation measures bar Belarusian air carriers from overflying or landing in the UK. They also place a ban on the provision of technical assistance to President Lukashenko’s fleet of aircraft, alongside other 7 designated individuals. The trade measures impose sanctions on a range of products, to limit the revenue flow to the Lukashenko regime. Likewise, the financial sanctions aim to bar the exchange of transferable securities and other financial instruments issued by Belarus and its state-owned banks.

The UK imposition of sanctions corresponds with measures by the Biden administration, which issued an executive order on Monday blocking properties of individuals contributing to the Lukashenko regime. It also joins Canada, which has similarly enacted fresh sanctions under the Special Economic Orders Act in response to the human rights violations in Belarus.

The Lukashenko regime has come under attack following last year’s elections which were deemed to be “fraudulent” by many quarters, and its subsequent crackdowns on government critics. Recently, the regime has come under pressure for causing a forced landing of a plane, culminating in the arrests of two activists.

The collective sanctions and the joint condemnation of the regime are hoped to pressurize the regime and its institution to change behavior while minimizing any adverse consequences on the greater population of Belarus.

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