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The UK is preparing sanctions for human rights violations in Belarus, the foreign secretary said.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Dominic Raab said that Alexander Lukashenko, who was sworn in as president this week in a secret ceremony, has “a total lack of legitimacy.”
Raab said the UK does not accept the rigged election results and condemned the “bully” imposed on protesters in Belarus.
A man is arrested by police in Minsk on the sidelines of a demonstration called by the opposition movement to end the regime of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
He told the House of Commons that it is “critical that those responsible for fraudulent elections and human rights violations are held accountable.”
He said that while the UK was willing to join the EU’s plans for specific sanctions, the delays in Brussels meant the UK would join with other allies in adopting specific sanctions against those responsible for human rights abuses.
Instead, he has decided to direct the foreign affairs office to coordinate with the United States and Canada.
He said: “Given the delay and the fraudulent inauguration of Lukashenko, I have directed the sanctions team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare sanctions against Magnitsky for those responsible for serious human rights violations.
“We are coordinating with the US and Canada to prepare appropriate lists as a matter of urgency.
“We will apply all the tools at our disposal to hold Lukashenko and his regime accountable.”
Raab told the Commons that the UK will double the amount of financial support given to human rights groups, independent media organizations and community groups, for a total of an additional £ 1.5 million over the next two years.
This includes £ 800,000 in support of journalists, particularly in Belarus, to help “shed light” on the crackdown there.
Thousands of Belarusians took to the streets of the capital Minsk and other cities on Wednesday night, protesting the unannounced inauguration of President Alexander Lukashenko that took place in the morning.
The police fiercely dispersed the crowd; in Minsk, officers used batons and water cannons, injuring dozens. More than 360 protesters were arrested.
Follow almost seven weeks of rallying against the reelection of the authoritarian leader, which according to the opposition was rigged.
The EU said Thursday that Lukashenko’s swearing-in to a sixth term lacks democratic legitimacy, defies the will of the Belarusian people and will only deepen the country’s political crisis.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reiterated that the 27-nation bloc did not recognize the outcome of the August 9 elections that kept Lukashenko in power after 26 years.
He said: “This ‘inauguration’ directly contradicts the will of much of the Belarusian population, expressed in numerous peaceful and unprecedented protests since the elections, and only serves to further deepen the political crisis in Belarus.”
On Monday, EU foreign ministers did not impose sanctions on Belarusian officials suspected of election fraud or participating in a brutal security crackdown on post-election protests, despite calls from Lukashenko’s main opponent to act.
Cyprus continues to block sanctions until similar measures are imposed on Turkey for its controversial energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
EU leaders will try to break out of the stalemate when they meet in Brussels on October 1.
