US slaps sanctions on 16 Belarusian nationals, 5 entities
<p> MINSK, Jun 21 - PrimePress. The United States on 21 June 2021 introduced sanctions against Belarus’ 16 individuals and 5 entities in response to human rights abuse and the Ryanair diversion incident, reads a statement posted on the web site of the US Department of the Treasury. </p> <p> </p> <p> On May 23, a Vilnius-bound Ryanair plane that took off from Athens made an emergency landing at Minsk International Airport after a reported bomb threat. A MiG-29 fighter jet alert crew was scrambled to escort the plane. After the landing, the plane was inspected and no bomb was found on board. The Belarusian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into a false bomb alert. Among the passengers on that flight was Roman Protasevich, one of the co-founders of the Nexta Telegram channel recognized as extremist in Belarus. He is charged under three articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus and is on the international wanted list. </p> <p> </p> <p> The US sanctions target the Belarusian KGB, the Interior Ministry’s Internal Troops, GUBOPiK (Central Department for Combatting Organized Crime), the Brest Oblast Administration’s Police Department and Corruption), the Detention Facility in Okrestina Street in Minsk, Lukashenko’s press secretary Natalya Eismont, KGB chief Ivan Tertel, Natalya Kochanova, chair of the upper chamber of Belarus’ parliament, and Belarus Prosecutor General Andrei Shved. </p> <p> </p> <p> The official statement of the US Department of the Treasury refers to the aforementioned individuals and entities as perpetrators and facilitators of violent suppression of peaceful protests, and Lukashenko’s close associates. </p> <p> </p> <p> Reportedly, the United States, the European Union and Britain imposed sweeping sanctions on Belarusian entities and officials on Monday and called on Minsk “to end its repressive practices against its own people”. </p> <p> </p> <p> The EU, Canada, the UK and the US presented a joint statement on imposition of sanctions against Belarus, published on the EU website. </p> <p> </p> <p> "Today, we have taken coordinated sanctions action in response to the 23 May forced landing of a commercial Ryanair flight between two EU member states and the politically motivated arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich and his companion Sofia Sapega," the statement reads. End </p> <p> </p>
2021-06-22
Primepress
US slaps sanctions on 16 Belarusian nationals, 5 entities
MINSK, Jun 21 - PrimePress. The United States on 21 June 2021 introduced sanctions against Belarus’ 16 individuals and 5 entities in response to human rights abuse and the Ryanair diversion incident, reads a statement posted on the web site of the US Department of the Treasury.
On May 23, a Vilnius-bound Ryanair plane that took off from Athens made an emergency landing at Minsk International Airport after a reported bomb threat. A MiG-29 fighter jet alert crew was scrambled to escort the plane. After the landing, the plane was inspected and no bomb was found on board. The Belarusian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into a false bomb alert. Among the passengers on that flight was Roman Protasevich, one of the co-founders of the Nexta Telegram channel recognized as extremist in Belarus. He is charged under three articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus and is on the international wanted list.
The US sanctions target the Belarusian KGB, the Interior Ministry’s Internal Troops, GUBOPiK (Central Department for Combatting Organized Crime), the Brest Oblast Administration’s Police Department and Corruption), the Detention Facility in Okrestina Street in Minsk, Lukashenko’s press secretary Natalya Eismont, KGB chief Ivan Tertel, Natalya Kochanova, chair of the upper chamber of Belarus’ parliament, and Belarus Prosecutor General Andrei Shved.
The official statement of the US Department of the Treasury refers to the aforementioned individuals and entities as perpetrators and facilitators of violent suppression of peaceful protests, and Lukashenko’s close associates.
Reportedly, the United States, the European Union and Britain imposed sweeping sanctions on Belarusian entities and officials on Monday and called on Minsk “to end its repressive practices against its own people”.
The EU, Canada, the UK and the US presented a joint statement on imposition of sanctions against Belarus, published on the EU website.
"Today, we have taken coordinated sanctions action in response to the 23 May forced landing of a commercial Ryanair flight between two EU member states and the politically motivated arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich and his companion Sofia Sapega," the statement reads. End