Western govts announce sanctions to ramp up pressure on Belarus' Lukashenko

Western governments have punished the government of Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko with waves of sanctions as the United States, Britain and Canada slapped new penalties on Belarus.

The Belarusian leader on Monday denounced the international sanctions on his authoritarian regime, as Western nations announced new penalties over a crackdown on dissent that began a year ago when the country erupted in protests against his rule.

In power since 1994, the moustachioed ruler has jailed hundreds since mass demonstrations broke out over an election last August that many observers say were rigged.

On the anniversary of the presidential election Lukashenko is accused of rigging, the United States will also issue its largest round of sanctions to date on Belarusian individuals and entities, targeting the country's economy and the Belarusian National Olympic Committee, a White House official said earlier during the day.

The US Treasury Department will blacklist Belaruskali OAO, which the official said is one of Belarus’ largest state-owned enterprises and one of the world’s largest producers of potash, which is used in fertilisers and is Belarus' main foreign currency earner.

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The Belarusian National Olympic Committee will also be hit with sanctions in Monday's action, the official said, over accusations it facilitated money laundering, sanctions evasion, and the circumvention of visa bans.

The UK government said it would stop Belarusian air carriers from flying over or landing in Britain and broadened a litany of financial sanctions because of "the continued undermining of democracy and human rights violations".

And Canada said it was targeting key sectors of the Belarus economy over the regime's "blatant disregard for human rights".

But the 66-year-old Belarusian leader vowed to resist international pressure, insisting he won a "totally transparent" vote and saying "we will never get on our knees".

The action comes after Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya refused to board a flight home during the Olympics after she was taken to the airport against her wishes. She has since sought refugee status in Poland.

Western governments have sought to escalate their pressure on Lukashenko, who is accused of rigging elections in August 2020 and cracking down on the opposition to prolong his now 27 years in power. Lukashenko has denied rigging the vote.

Tens of thousands of people joined street protests in 2020 – Lukashenko's biggest challenge since he became president in 1994. He responded with a crackdown in which many opponents have been arrested or gone into exile. They deny planning a coup.

Britain announced its new sanctions on Monday, targeting exports of oil products and potash. Lukashenko said Britain would "choke" on its measures and that he was ready for talks with the West instead of a sanctions war.

Canada also imposed new sanctions on Belarus to protest what it called the "gross and systematic violations of human rights" under Lukashenko. 

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