New Zealand sanctions five Belarusians over links to Russia’s war in Ukraine

April 1, BPN. New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced sanctions against five Belarusian nationals in connection with Russia’s war in Ukraine.

She has not disclosed the names but noted that sanctions were coordinated with the local Children’s Rights Commissioner. She also mentioned the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova suspected of the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

The sanctions include travel bans, prohibitions on dealing with assets or services and other restrictions.

“Aotearoa New Zealand will continue to take action against those with a role to play in the continuation of this war,” Nanaia Mahuta stressed.

Earlier, New Zealand imposed sanctions against a number of Belarusian officials, including Alaksandr Łukašenka’s wife Halina and his eldest son Viktar.

In May 2022, New Zealand also sanctioned Synesis, a Belarusian-Russian IT company whose software was used to identify and persecute regime critics in Belarus.