EU sanctions 25 individuals and seven entities in Belarus over election and Russian support
The European Union has imposed restrictive measures on an additional 25 individuals and seven entities in Belarus for undermining democracy, supporting internal repression and cooperating militarily with Russia in its war in Ukraine, according to a 27 March statement by the EU Council.
‘The EU has listed the Central Election Commission (CEC) its deputy Chair and secretary, as well as its members,’ the Council said, explaining that ‘the CEC organised the 2025 presidential elections which were neither free nor fair, conducted in a climate of repression and human rights violations’ and in breach of Belarus’ commitments to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (‘OSCE’).
The new designations also include Aleh Ramanau, chair of the largest political party in the Belarusian parliament, and nine judges who have issued ‘politically motivated sentences, including against citizens who protested against the Lukashenka regime, or who voiced dissent, thereby participating in the repression of civil society and democratic opposition’.
Several businesses supporting the regime were also targeted, including Ridotto LLC, an online gambling company, and its majority shareholder Dzmitry Shvedka; Belorusskiye Loterei, which runs Belarus’s lottery business; and companies active in the country’s military-industrial complex: OJSC Planar, Precise Electro-Mechanics Plant and JSC Integral.
The sanctions list also includes ‘notable members of the President Property Management Directorate, a Belarusian government body allegedly subordinated directly to Lukashenka, generating revenue for the regime and profiting from it,’ as well as Tsybulka-Bel LLC, an agricultural company accused of coordinating ‘with Belarusian authorities the deployment of inmates as forced labourers in direct violation of human rights.’
Those designated are subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them. Natural persons are additionally subject to a travel ban preventing them from entering or transiting through EU territories.
With these additions, EU restrictive measures against Belarus now apply to 310 individuals and 46 entities.
