Names of new blacklisted Belarusian officials published

The Official Journal of the European Union has published the updated list of Minsk officials subject to sanctions (a ban from entering the EU countries and assets freeze).

A total of 13 new names were added. The full list of Belarusian officials subject to travel restrictions covers 188 individuals, TUT.by reports.

In accordance with a decision of the EU council of May 23, the EU blacklist was extended for mainly judges and prosecutors involved in the recent legal proceedings against the accused in the criminal case over “disorders in Minsk on December 19, 2010” (the EU finds these trials politically motivated) as well as the chief of the Analytical Centre of the Presidential Administration and the director of the secondary school in Talkov city responsible for firing uncomfortable teacher Natallya Illynich.

Shykarou Uladzslau (Shikarov Vladislav), judge of the Chyhunachny district court of Vitsebsk.

Merkul Natallia Viktarauna (Merkul Natalia Viktorovna), director of the secondary school in Talkov city.

Akulich Sviatlana Rastsislavauna (Okulich Svetlana Rostislavovna), judge of the Pukhavichy district court.

Pykina Natallia (Pykina Natalia), judge of the Partyzanski district court of Minsk.

Mazouka Siarhei (Mazovka Sergei), prosecutor of the Maskouski district court of Minsk.

Aliaksandrau Dzmitry Piatrovich (Aleksandrov Dmitri Petrovich), judge of the Supreme Economic Court.

Vakulchyk Valery (Vakulchik Valeri), chief of the Analytical Centre of the Presidential Administration.

Chatviartkova Natallia (Chetvertkova Natalia), judge of the Partyzanski district court of Minsk.

Bulash Ala (Bulash Alla), judge of the Kastrychnitski district court of Minsk.

Barovski Aliaksandr Genadzevich (Borovski Aleksandr Genadievich), prosecutor of the Kastrychnitski district court of Minsk.

Simanouski Dmitri Valerevich (Simonovski Dmitri Valerievich), prosecutor of the Pershamaiski district court of Minsk.

Brysina Zhanna (Brisina Zhanna), judge of the Zavadski district court of Minsk.

Zhukovski Sergei Konstantynovych, prosecutor of the Zavadski district court of Minsk.

The EU has imposed restrictive measures on Belarus for the third time since the beginning of the year. On January 31, the EU Council took a decision to impose a travel ban on and freeze European assets of Alyaksandr Lukashenka and 156 officials, responsible for falsification of the presidential elections and violent suppression of protests. Washington slapped sanctions on Minsk on the same day.

On March 3, nine non-EU countries (Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Norway, and Lichtenstein) joined the Council’s decision.

On March 21, the EU Council took a decision to extend travel ban on 19 Belarusian officials “in view of the gravity of the situation in Belarus”.

We remind that on May 14, the Partyzanski district court of Minsk sentenced 2010 presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov o five years in a medium security penal colony for “organizing mass riot).

Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, condemned the politically motivated sentence to Sannikov urging the Belarusian authorities to immediately stop persecution of the political opposition and civil society and release all political prisoners.

In total, 34 persons have already been sentenced in the case of “mass riot” on December 19 in Minsk. Besides Sannikov, two other presidential candidates, Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu and Vital Rymasheuski, heard their verdicts – a suspended prison term and probation.