The United States announced new sanctions against Belarus. White House President Jane Psaki made a written statement Friday evening, US time, that no more business should be done with nine state-owned enterprises in Belarus and that measures are being taken against some of the high-profile figures in cooperation with the European Union and other allies. The delegation accompanying President Alexander Lukashenko.
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Also read this review article: Sanctions against Belarus are very easy
The sanctions came in response to the emergency landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk on Friday 23 May and the arrest of journalist and activist Roman Bratasevic. The White House describes the actions of the Belarusian authorities as “a direct violation of all international standards.”
Call for international inquiries
The United States calls on Lukashenko to allow a “credible international investigation” to take place into the events of May 23, to immediately release all political prisoners and to enter into dialogue with democratic opposition and civic groups in order to hold free and fair elections.
At a European summit in Brussels earlier this week, European Union countries also decided to impose new sanctions on Belarus, but individuals and companies have yet to be definitively identified by the European Commission.
