A top diplomat with the United Kingdom today denounced the “deteriorating human rights” situation in Belarus.
“The human rights situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate,” said U.K. Ambassador Neil Bush in a speech to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. “The UK calls for proper, transparent and independent investigations into all reports of mistreatment and violations of human rights. We continue to call for the release of all political detainees and journalists and those imprisoned for voicing opposition to the Lukashenko regime.”
Forced Landing of Flight
In particular, Amb. Bush condemned the May 23, 2021 forced landing of Ryanair Flight FR4978 by the Belarusian government. The original flight path was from Athens, Greece to Vilnius, Lithuania by the Belarusian government. Upon landing, the Belarusian authorities arrested Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega. The government accused the two of organizing a civil disorder in 2020 and breaking Belarusian law. Protesevich is former editor for the Poland-based Nexta Live Channel. According to a Reuters news report, the channel is openly opposed to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and played a role in broadcasting the opposition protests in 2020.
Sanctions by the EU, US and UK
The United Kingdom is partnering with several Western nations, including the United States, to pressure Belarus to respect democratic principles and comply with international human rights laws.
The European Union and the United States have issued multiple rounds of sanctions against Belarus since the widely disputed August 2020 election that brought Alexander Lukashenko to power.
It’s significant that the United Kingdom, a key market for Belarusian exports, is also taking actions against the former Soviet republic.
U.S. Senate Hearing
Meanwhile, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday held a full hearing to discuss the country’s international policies related to Belarus. Senator Bob Menedez, the committee chairman, said he welcomes the U.S. sanctions against nine Belarusian entities. However, he added that it “did little too little to change Lukashenko calculus.”
Menedez called for more sanctions, specifically against the following: the Bela-Russian State Bank, Bela-Russian Sovereign Debt, and the energy in Potash industries. “It is time to increase the pressure,” Menedez said. He also suggested the United States partner with the opposition groups within Belarus. The United States does not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus.
Additional reporting for this story by Patti Mohr.
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