[ad_1]
PRESIDENT: Norway introduces new measures that directly affect President Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Sergei Gapon / Pool AFP
On Friday, the government adopted restrictive measures against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
– We hope that the restrictive measures will put pressure on the Belarusian authorities to respect human rights, enter into dialogue with the opposition and facilitate democratic development, said Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide.
– The abuses of power that we are witnessing are completely unacceptable, continues the minister.
EU countries have agreed to various sanctions this fall. These are the ones that Norway is now joining. The measures include travel restrictions and freezing of financial resources.
This means that President Lukashenko, and 54 other Belarusians affected by the restrictions, will be denied entry to Norway. All properties or bank accounts they have in the country will also be frozen.
Response to oppression
On October 2 this year, the EU adopted a common position to introduce restrictive measures against 40 Belarusian citizens. On November 6, these measures were expanded and will now affect another 15 people, including President Alexander Lukashenko.
Large demonstrations have marked Belarus every weekend after the controversial presidential elections on August 9. More than one hundred thousand people participated in several of the demonstrations.
People have been taking to the streets for months, first to express their dissatisfaction with the presumed outcome of the elections, then to demonstrate against the widespread police violence against protesters.
REBELLION POLICE: Belarusian rebel forces arrest a protester in Minsk. The photo is from Sunday, November 15.
As the country’s supreme leader, Lukashenko is responsible for the violent response of the authorities, and this is the reason why Norwegian sanctions are now being introduced.
“The security forces have carried out, and are carrying out, massive arrests, torture and violence against peaceful protesters, activists, opposition figures and journalists,” read a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry in relation to the sanctions.
Because the sanctions include the head of state of another country, they had to be presented to the Council of State as an actual resolution.
The Foreign Ministry also writes: “Protesters have lost their lives as a result of the use of force by the security forces.” Lukashenko has rejected all calls for dialogue from the democratic movement and the international community. “
Continue the fight
Last Sunday, at least 1,100 protesters were arrested in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.
On Thursday last week, Roman Bondarenko, 31, died in hospital from injuries after being beaten, allegedly by the police. The killings have stirred the minds of the Belarusian opposition and prompted thousands of people to gather for demonstrations last weekend.
PENSIONED: Belarusian elders marched on Monday in protest against President Lukashenko. Photo: STRINGER / AFP
The EU has threatened new sanctions against the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko after his death.
“Only economic pressure will make this regime disappear, because they no longer want money to pay for the rebel police and their crimes,” Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya told Reuters during a visit to Stockholm this week.
Tikhanovskaya has been in exile since the elections, having fled the country for the safety of her children.
