Updated EU black list published

The official journal of the European Union has published an updated sanctions list related to Belarus.

As it has been informed, names of 8 Belarusian officials have been stricken off it. At the same time, one name has been included to the list, BelaPAN informs.

Thus, those who have been stricken off the black list are:

- The former prosecutor of Minsk region Alyaksandr Arkhipau;

- Judge of Frunzenski district court of Minsk Hanna Samalyuk;

- The chairman of Maholyou regional election commission Valery Berastau;

- A member of the Central Election Commission Natallya Bushnaya;

- Prosecutor Andrei Mihun;

- A former deputy chairman of the KGB (State Security Committee) Mikalai Svarob;

- A deputy chairman of the KGB Pyotr Tratsyak;

- A former chief of the governmental communications support department of the KGB Ihar Varapayeu.

At the same time, a judge of Shklou regional court Vitaly Volkau has been added to the list. In January 2012 he passed a decision to transfer the former presidential candidate in Belarus Mikalai Statkevich to the closed-type prison in Mahilyou on the grounds that Statkevich allegedly violated the rules of detention in Shklou correctional facility #17. “This decision resulted in violation of Statkevich’s rights, including deprivation of sleep and posing health risks,” the official report reads.

We remind that the European Union renewed sanctions against Belarus after the brutal dispersal of the demonstration on December 19, 2010.

On October 29, 2013 the action of the sanctions was once again extended for one year, until October 31, 2014. “It has happened as political prisoners were not released, and there were no visible improvements in the sphere of respect to human rights, rule of law and democratic principles in Belarus,” the press-service of the EU reported then.

However, the EU underlines that the EU is to continue the policy of critical cooperation with Belarus, aimed at upholding human rights and democratic principles in the country.

In this way, now after the sanctions have been reviewed, there are 225 names left on the list of persons who are banned from entering the EU and whose assets in the EU should be frozen. Besides, the sanctions against 25 enterprises of Belarus are still in force.