Canada imposes additional sanctions on third anniversary of Belarus’s fraudulent elections

Canada is imposing sanctions against 9 individuals and 7 entities under the Special Economic Measures Act in response to the ongoing gross and systematic violations of human rights occurring in Belarus. They also target persons who are complicit in Russia’s ongoing violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in part through Belarus and with Belarusian support.

That’s according to Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrinform reports.

“It has been 3 years since the fraudulent August 9, 2020 Belarusian presidential election, which followed a campaign marred by systematic voter repression, including state-sponsored violence against protestors, activists and journalists. Since then, the grave injustices carried out by the Belarusian government against its own people have not stopped,” the statement reads.

Those sanctioned consist of government officials, judges, and associates of the regime, including the head of Belarusian state television, Ivan Mikhailovich Eismant. Today’s announcement also targets the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, as well as military manufacturing and technology companies. “Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms the Belarusian regime’s support of Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, which has killed and injured thousands, displaced millions, disrupted the global economy and exacerbated global problems such as food and energy security,” Canada’s diplomacy states.

All property of sanctions persons and entities in Canada shall be frozen, and designated individuals shall be banned from entering the country.

Since 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 2,600 individuals and entities in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova that are complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.