強制班機降落 白俄羅斯遭西方新一輪制裁 路透社 20210622

【縛雞之見】

The EU, UK, US, and Canada sanction the Belarus leadership for their hijack of Ryanair flight and arrest of a journalist and his female companion on May 23rd.
Taiwanese people were afraid of something unexpected of the first moderna vaccines by CI5556 on May 28th.  Well, we should not be bothered.  From a political viewpoint, it's a good thing when China hijacks the flight, which gives us good reason to stay away from the Chinese circle.

強制班機降落 白俄羅斯遭西方新一輪制裁    路透社 20210622

（路透布魯塞爾／華盛頓／倫敦21日電）西方強權今天對白俄羅斯實施新一輪制裁，以共同回應白俄羅斯上月強制瑞恩航空公司一架班機降落並逮捕機上一名記者的行為，此事很可能還會招致進一步經濟制裁。

歐洲聯盟、美國、英國和加拿大今天將白俄羅斯總統魯卡申柯（Alexander Lukashenko）政府的更多官員、國會議員和部長列入黑名單。白俄羅斯空軍5月23日將瑞恩航空（Ryanair）自希臘雅典飛往立陶宛首都維爾紐斯（Vilnius）的班機攔截，被西方指為國家打劫行為。

歐盟以及美、英、加3國發表聯合聲明說：「對於魯卡申柯政權一再侵犯人權、基本自由以及國際法，我們一致感到深刻關切。」

「我們一致呼籲這個政權，終結對自己人民的壓制。」

這些西方國家政府今天宣布採取禁止入境、凍結資產和制裁白俄羅斯國有企業等措施，以圖對魯卡申柯加大施壓。魯卡申柯被控在去年8月選舉中舞弊並打壓反對勢力，以延長他至今已27年的政權。

今天宣布的制裁措施使歐盟制裁名單上的白俄羅斯國會議員、官員、法官和軍事指揮官人數達到166名，其中78人是在今天被列入黑名單。中央社（翻譯）

 

 

Belarus: Joint Statement by Canada, the European Union, United Kingdom, and United Stat    EEAS 20210621

We are united in our deep concern regarding the Lukashenko regime’s continuing attacks on human rights, fundamental freedoms, and international law.

Today, we have taken coordinated sanctions action in response to the 23 May forced landing of a commercial Ryanair flight between two EU member states and the politically motivated arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich and his companion Sofia Sapega, as well as to the continuing attack on human rights and fundamental freedoms. We are committed to support the long-suppressed democratic aspirations of the people of Belarus and we stand together to impose costs on the regime for its blatant disregard of international commitments.

We are united in calling for the regime to end its repressive practices against its own people. We are disappointed the regime has opted to walk away from its human rights obligations, adherence to democratic principles, and engagement with the international community. We are further united in our call for the Lukashenko regime to cooperate fully with international investigations into the events of 23 May; immediately release all political prisoners; implement all the recommendations of the independent expert mission under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Moscow Mechanism; and, enter into a comprehensive and genuine political dialogue between the authorities and representatives of the democratic opposition and civil society, facilitated by the OSCE.

 

 

EU, UK, US, and Canada issue coordinated sanctions against Belarus over Ryanair flight diversion    euronews 20210621

The European Union, in coordination with the US, UK, and Canada, slapped new sanctions on the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in response to the "forced and unlawful landing" of a Ryanair flight that resulted in the arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega.

In a joint statement, the allies said: "We are united in calling for the regime to end its repressive practices against its own people. We are disappointed the regime has opted to walk away from its human rights obligations, adherence to democratic principles, and engagement with the international community."

The EU considers the reaction is necessary "in view of the escalation of serious human rights violations in Belarus and the violent repression of civil society, democratic opposition and journalists."

The bloc's new sanctions target 78 Belarusian individuals, including several prominent businessmen and CEOs who are said to have close links to President Lukashenko, together with an array of judges, prosecutors, rectors, lawmakers, propagandists, public directors and even a TV host.

Viktor Lukashenko, the president's 45-year-old son, and his wife Liliya were also penalised.

Additionally, eight entities involved in the export of products such as trucks, automobiles, flowers and oil were blacklisted. Some of these businesses are among the country's largest state-owned companies.

Among the persons targeted, seven are believed to be connected to the diversion of the Ryanair flight and Pratasevich's detention.

The EU's list includes two ministers, Aliaksei Auramenka (transport and communications) and Viktar Khrenin (defence) as well as General Ihar Holub, commander of the air defence forces, and Artsiom Sikorsk, director of the aviation department.

The restrictive measures add to the ones already in place against Lukashenko's regime since the 2020 presidential election, which the EU had deemed neither free nor fair. The election saw Lukashenko win easily over his competition, but opposition parties called the poll fraudulent and organised massive street protest in an attempt to topple the president.

The opposition movement was met with violent repression by law enforcement, with hundreds of documented cases of torture, ill-treatment and sexual abuse against detainees.

In total, the EU has so far sanctioned 166 persons and 15 entities. Monday's announcement represents the fourth package of sanctions.

"I don't exclude a fifth round because it's the way we have to influence the behaviour of what's happening" inside the country, said the EU's High Representative Josep Borrell, who added the restrictions would bring significant "damage" to the country's economy.

The targeted Belarusian companies and individuals are subject to an asset freeze. EU citizens and companies are forbidden from doing any kind of business with them. The individuals are also banned from entering or passing through any EU member state.

"The goal of these sanctions is to put pressure on the Belarusian political leadership to initiate a genuine and inclusive national dialogue with broader society and to avoid further repression," foreign affairs ministers from the 27 EU countries said after their meeting on Monday.

Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the meeting in Luxembourg and had breakfast and an exchange of views with the ministers. According to Borrell, Tsikhanouskaya called on the EU to adopt an even longer list of sanctions.

• Ryanair pilot was given no 'alternatives' but to land in Belarus, CEO says
• 'There's no going back': EU promises new sanctions will hurt Belarus

'We have not forgotten the Ryanair abduction'

The latest move from the European Union, broader in scope than the previous rafts of sanctions, follows the international outrage caused by the hijacking of the Ryanair flight, which EU Commissioner Thierry Breton had described as an act of "state piracy".

The 23 May incident was seen as a direct violation of the EU's sovereign rights since the flight took off from Athens, Greece, and was heading to Vilnius, Lithuania.

Lukashenko's government argued that it had acted on a tip of a possible bomb set up inside the plan by the terrorist group Hamas. However, no convincing evidence has been provided to back up these claims. The theory was deemed "completely implausible" by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The EU took decisive action immediately after the Ryanair crisis by banning all Belarusian carriers from entering EU airports and requesting all EU flights to avoid Belarusian airspace. Unspecified sanctions were also announced in May but it took several weeks for EU countries to agree on which individuals and economic sectors to target. All EU actions related to foreign policy must be taken by unanimity.

"[The package of sanctions] is not against the Belarusian country, is against the Belarusian regime. What the EU is trying to do is show clearly that is supporting the Belarusian society and [is helping] to restore democracy in the country," Nikos Dendias, the Greek foreign affairs minister, told Euronews on Monday morning.

"Having said that, we have not forgotten the issue with the abduction of the Ryanair plane. As the plane left from Athens to Vilnius, [the Greek government] is examining if criminal prosecution should be started against those responsible for this."

The new raft of sanctions is expected to be endorsed by EU leaders later this week when they meet in Brussels for a two-day European summit.

The European Commission says it's ready to release a €3 billion investment plan to support the country's economic recovery and accelerate the green and digital transformations.

According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the package is "on hold and frozen until Belarus turns democratic".