On March 24, the United States introduced new sanctions against the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, and Belarusian companies and officials. In particular, the following were subject to restrictions:
- "Belarusian Automobile Plant" (BelAZ), "Minsk Automobile Plant" (MAZ);
- members of the Central Election Commission of Belarus;
- the Boeing 737 plane used by Oleksandr Lukashenko.
This round of sanctions was a response to ongoing brutal repression in Belarus and its complicity in Russiaʼs war with Ukraine.
"We remain committed to making the Lukashenko regime pay for suppressing democracy and supporting the war that Putin has chosen," said Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.
- Belarus is the only country in Europe where the death penalty is used as a measure of punishment. Human rights defenders constantly point out that the death penalty can be used by the authorities as a form of repression and a threat to the opposition in fabricated criminal cases.