DISINFO: New Western sanctions against Belarus are illegal, inhumane and cynical
SUMMARY
New sanctions by Western countries against Belarus are illegal and inhumane. These sanctions are illegitimate, like any restrictions imposed bypassing the UN Security Council. They are inhuman in nature due to their negative impact on the lives of ordinary Belarusian citizens. The West's decision is extremely cynical.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Western aggressive policy of sanctions, framing them as unjustified measures against Belarus.
EU sanctions are legitimate restrictions imposed in accordance with international and European law. Through restrictive measures, the EU intervenes where appropriate to respond to emerging or current crises. EU sanctions are carefully targeted and designed to be proportionate to the objectives they seek to achieve.
The EU did not recognise the falsified results of the Belarusian Presidential election on 9 August 2020 or the new mandate claimed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka. On 2 October 2020, the Council imposed the first round of restrictive measures over ongoing repression. The EU imposed two more rounds of restrictive measures against the Belarusian regime in 2020, followed by the fourth package of sanctions in view of the escalation of serious human rights violations and the forced landing of a Ryanair flight.
On 2 December 2021, the EU adopted the 5th package of sanctions over continued human rights abuses and the instrumentalisation of migrants as part of a hybrid attack on the EU. The EU, UK, US, Canada issued coordinated sanctions against the Belarus regime. This came amid the growing instrumentalisation of migration by the Belarusian authorities.
The EU continues to support the Belarusian people and civil society and outlined a 3 billion EUR economic support package to a future democratic Belarus.
See similar cases claiming that the EU adopts sanctions against Belarus to manage its own internal contradictions, that Western sanctions are illegal and hostile actions, and that Any EU sanctions against Belarus are illegitimate.