European Union extends weapons embargo against Belarus
The EU has extended its arms embargo against Belarus and sanctions against four people for a year, as reported on the EU Council’s website.
“The Council decided to prolong the restrictive measures against Belarus for one year, until 28 February 2020. These measures include an embargo on arms and on equipment that could be used for internal repression as well as an asset freeze and travel ban against four people designated in connection with the unresolved disappearances of two opposition politicians, one businessman and one journalist in 1999 and in 2000,” the statement on the website reads.
These sanctions include a weapons embargo, as well as freezing of assets and an entry ban on four people who are linked to the disappearance of two opposition politicians, a businessman and a journalist in 1999 and 2000.
The sanctions were initially introduced in 2004. Later, the EU also imposed restrictions on those who had been involved in human rights violations. The EU arms embargo was introduced in 2011.
The EU Council lifted sanctions on 170 people in 2016, including the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko and four companies after Lukashenko pardoned six people in August 2015.