Poland sanctions 365 Belarusians, freezes assets of 20 entities and 16 persons

May 29, BPN. Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński has imposed sanctions on 365 Belarusians.

The interior ministry said in a news release that they were linked to a “draconian sentence” against Andrej Pačobut, who worked for Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza and was a prominent activist for the rights of ethnic Poles in Belarus, and an overall crackdown on Alaksandr Łukašenka’s opponents.

“In addition, the minister decided to freeze the financial and economic assets in respect of 20 entities and 16 individuals mainly associated with Russian capital,” it said. They include 15 citizens of Russia and one of Belarus. Nineteen economic entities are associated with Russia, and one with Belarus.

Poland targeted 159 members of the Belarusian National Assembly, 76 judges, seven prosecutors and 23 Belarusian propaganda figures. It also sanctioned 32 local officials, 28 law-enforcement officers, 24 athletes and sports activists, eight employees of institutions and state companies, and eight workers of culture and science.

The ministry clarified that entry bans and asset freezes apply to all deputies of the Belarusian parliament.

According to the ministry, the blacklisted individuals “promoted the Belarusian regime, as well as engaged in legitimizing and supporting the repressive policies of the authorities in Minsk.” “They are also responsible for the politically motivated conviction of Andrej Pačobut on false charges,” the statement reads.

The blacklisted persons “are responsible, among other things, for the use of physical and mental torture, beatings, intimidation and discrimination against the Polish minority.” They were reportedly involved in the destruction of Polish cemeteries and monuments in Belarus.

Restrictions, the ministry said, also concern people responsible for organizing illegal migration to Poland and the Baltic states or investigating Belarusians’ participation in pro-democracy demonstrations.

The sanctions list has not yet been published.