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“It just came to our attention then. This decision certainly will not go unanswered in the near future,” a representative from the Foreign Ministry told Interfax.
The European Union on Friday adopted an additional list of people subject to sanctions for violent repression and intimidation of peaceful protesters, members of the opposition and journalists following this year’s presidential elections in Belarus.
The list includes 15 other officials from the country, including unrecognized Western President Aliaksandr Lukashenko and his son and national security adviser Viktor.
“Given the gravity of the situation in Belarus, the ongoing crackdown on civil society and opposition activists, Alexander Lukashenko and 14 other individuals should be added to the list of individuals and entities subject to restrictive measures,” the decision was published in the Official Gazette.
Sanctions against 40 officials of the Lukashenko regime were approved in early October.
EU sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes.
Belarus has been waging massive protests for almost three months over the August 9 presidential elections, which were officially announced by Lukashenko, a 66-year-old leader in the country since 1994. The opposition and Western democracies consider these elections to be manipulated.
The protesters are demanding the resignation of Lukashenko, the release of political prisoners and new elections.
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