EU sanctions 'repressive' Belarus

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union slapped fresh sanctions on Belarus on Friday in a bid to persuade the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko to free political prisoners.

With some 15 dissidents reportedly still in jail, including former presidential candidates, EU foreign ministers agreed to freeze the assets of 29 companies as well as block accounts and ban EU travel for 12 individuals.

The list includes "individuals benefiting from and supporting the regime as well as persons responsible for the repression of civil society and the democratic opposition in Belarus," the EU said in a statement.

Diplomats said the individuals include nine police and judicial officials and three businessmen who run companies that were sanctioned. The names will appear in the EU Official Journal on Saturday.

The Lukashenko regime vowed to retaliate after the 27-nation bloc imposed the new sanctions, saying "European politicians are still hostage to the logic of force and blackmail."

"We are forced to immediately begin implementing a set of retaliatory measures -- our European partners were warned of this possibility in advance," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry did not spell out the threat but noted that Minsk now had no intention of accepting back EU ambassadors who were withdrawn by the bloc in protest last month.

The EU ministers voiced deep concerns about reports of torture and inhumane jail conditions for political prisoners, including former presidential candidates Andrei Sannikaw and Mikalay Statkevich and activists Dzmitry Bandarenka, Dzmitry Dashkevich and Mikalay Awtukhovich.

"What we have seen is (Lukashenko) going further astray from the European path in the last few weeks," said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.

"This is the only regime in Europe that has political prisoners, this is the only regime in Europe that executes people. It's a horrible situation," he said.

The EU ministers warned that more companies and businessmen who back the regime could face sanctions in the future "if all Belarusian political prisoners are not released."

The EU had already blacklisted some 230 people over the continuing repression of civil society, the political opposition and the independent media, and frozen the assets of three other companies linked to the regime.

A ban on exports of arms and material that could be used for internal repression is in force too.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she was "extremely concerned" about the fate of civil society in Belarus.

"The situation is getting worse and the authorities are tightening their grip on civil society. Instead of increasing repression, Belarus must release and rehabilitate all political prisoners and roll back its repressive policies."

The EU's Baltic members, and neighbours of Belarus, had voiced caution about the new sanctions, saying they must not hurt the country's citizens.

"We all think that sanctions against the regime are necessary but ordinary people should avoid the impact," Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said Thursday.

An EU diplomat said Latvia and Slovenia blocked moves to add even more Belarusian companies to the blacklist.

Like Belarus, the Baltic trio of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia won independence as the Soviet Union crumbled in 1991. But the Baltic states are anchored in the West, having joined the European Union and NATO in 2004.

With Belarus set to host the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship, a source of pride for the regime, the EU ministers warned that they would keep the International Hockey Federation "informed about its deep concerns" over the lack of respect for human rights and democratic principles in the country.

The European Parliament went a step further this month, calling on the federation to deprive Minsk of the championship, angering hockey-mad Lukashenko.

3157th Foreign Affairs Council meeting (provisional version) - Brussels, 22 and 23 March 2012