Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
June 2021 - Belarus Special Weapons News
|
- Belarus Orders Two German Educational Institutions To Halt Work RFE/RL 30 Jun 2021 -- Germany has deplored Belarus's decision to demand an end to all activities of two prominent German educational institutions after the European Union imposed economic sanctions on Belarus.
- U.S. Bans Air Travel Between Belarus Over Ryanair Flight Incident RFE/RL 29 Jun 2021 -- The United States banned the sale of plane tickets to and from Belarus in its latest response to the forced diversion of a passenger flight to Minsk last month that led to the arrest of a dissident journalist and his girlfriend.
- Czechs To Set Up Representative Office For Belarusian Opposition RFE/RL 29 Jun 2021 -- The Czech Republic has agreed to establish an official office in Prague for the Belarusian opposition as it battles a brutal crackdown at home under the direction of authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
- 'Damage Was Done': Belarus, Where Lukashenka Dismissed COVID-19, Now Struggles To Vaccinate RFE/RL 28 Jun 2021 -- It's been a common sight in recent weeks: People line up patiently outside a medical clinic in the Belarusian capital, waiting to get their COVID-19 vaccines. So far, not many have: As of June 25, fewer than 4 percent of the people in this nation of more than 9 million had been fully vaccinated.
- EU Deplores Minsk Moves To Sever Ties After Economic Sanctions RFE/RL 28 Jun 2021 -- The European Union says it regrets Belarus's decision to cut ties with the bloc, saying it will only further isolate the country and have a negative impact on the Belarusian people.
- Would-Be Belarus Presidential Candidate Tells Minsk Court Charges Fabricated RFE/RL 28 Jun 2021 -- Viktar Babaryka, a former Belarusian banker whose bid to challenge authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka in last year's disputed election was halted by his arrest, has told a court during his trial that the corruption charges against him were fabricated as he reiterated his innocence.
- Leading Belarusian News Site Removes Social Media Archive To Protect Staff, Readers RFE/RL 28 Jun 2021 -- Tut.by, a leading independent news site in Belarus, says it has removed its social media archive for the last 18 months to shield its staff and readers from persecution amid an ongoing crackdown on the country's pro-democracy movement.
- Belarusian Lawmakers Approve First Reading Of Bill Likely To Force Delay Of Elections, Referendum RFE/RL 25 Jun 2021 -- Lawmakers in Belarus have approved the first reading of a bill amending the constitution to introduce a single voting day for all elections, a move that is likely to delay local elections and a referendum promised by authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
- Belarus Opposition Leader Says Lukashenka Regime Is 'Frightened' RFE/RL 23 Jun 2021 -- Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya says Belarus's forced diversion of a passenger flight to Minsk last month was "a mistake" that has galvanized the West against authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
- Belarus Says Western Sanctions Border 'Declaration of Economic War' VOA 22 Jun 2021 -- Belarus perceives planned Western sanctions against the eastern European country as a near declaration of economic war, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.
- Seven Non-EU Countries Align Themselves With Belarus Flight Sanctions RFE/RL 22 Jun 2021 -- The European Union says seven non-aligned European states have agreed to deny permission to any aircraft operated by Belarusian air carriers to land in, take off from, or overfly their territories following Minsk's forced diversion of a passenger flight last month that allowed for the arrest of a dissident journalist.
- Targeted: The Lukashenka Allies And Kin Hit With Western Sanctions RFE/RL 22 Jun 2021 -- By the end of last week, Western countries had hit authoritarian Alyaksandr Lukashenka's ruling apparatus with three rounds of sanctions since he claimed victory in an August 2020 presidential vote that many Belarusians believe was blatantly rigged.
- Prosecutor Seeks Stiff Sentence For Would-Be Belarusian Presidential Candidate RFE/RL 22 Jun 2021 -- The prosecution has asked a Belarusian court to sentence Viktar Babaryka, a former Belarusian banker whose bid to challenge authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka in last year's disputed election was halted by his arrest, to 15 years in prison on corruption charges he says are politically motivated.
- Joint Statement on Belarus US Dept. of State 21 Jun 2021 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom, and the European External Action Service.
- Holding the Lukashenka Regime and Its Enablers to Account US Dept. of State 21 Jun 2021 -- "The United States has taken action against dozens of Belarusian individuals and entities in response to last month's forced diversion of a commercial Ryanair flight between two European Union member states and the politically motivated arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofiya Sapega."
- Treasury and International Partners Condemn Ongoing Human Rights Abuses and Erosion of Democracy in Belarus US Treasury 21 Jun 2021 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 16 individuals and five entities pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13405 in response to the Lukashenka regime's escalating violence and repression, including its reckless forced diversion of a commercial Ryanair flight and arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich (Pratasevich) and his companion, Sofia Sapega (Sapega).
- Western Allies Slap Fresh Sanctions On Belarus RFE/RL 21 Jun 2021 -- The United States, the European Union, Britain, and Canada have slapped a fresh round of coordinated sanctions on Belarus in response to the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka's mounting repression against the political opposition and the free media.
- EU Announces More Sanctions on Belarus VOA 21 Jun 2021 -- European Union foreign ministers announced Monday a fresh raft of sanctions against the Belarusian government, this time targeting 86 officials and state-owned entities. The United States followed with sanctions of its own, with Britain expected to announce new measures in the next few days.
- EU Agrees On Fresh Sanctions For Dozens Of Belarus Officials Including Lukashenka Family Members RFE/RL 21 Jun 2021 -- European Union foreign ministers have approved a fresh set of sanctions against scores of officials and entities in Belarus including family members of authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
- UK imposes sanctions on Belarus following forced landing of Ryanair flight UK FCDO 21 Jun 2021 -- The UK, in parallel with the US, Canada and EU, has imposed sanctions against 11 individuals and 2 entities from the Belarusian regime.
- Belarus Foreign Minister Meets Lavrov On Case Of Pratasevich's Russian Girlfriend RFE/RL 18 Jun 2021 -- Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow to discuss the status of Russian citizen Sofia Sapega -- the girlfriend of the detained Belarusian opposition activist Raman Pratasevich.
- EU 'Reaches Deal' On Belarus Economic Sanctions Over Ryanair Flight Incident RFE/RL 18 Jun 2021 -- The European Union has reached an agreement on economic sanctions on Belarus, Austria's government and EU diplomats say, in response to the forced landing of a Ryanair flight last month in Minsk and the arrest of an opposition activist who was onboard.
- Lithuania Says Lukashenka Is Flooding Baltic State's Border With Migrants RFE/RL 18 Jun 2021 -- Lithuania says migrants have been pouring across the border from Belarus in recent weeks and has accused authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka of organizing the influx, asserting that many have been lured from Iraq through a sharp increase in the number of flights from Baghdad to Minsk.
- Belarusian, Russian Envoys To Discuss Woman Detained On Diverted Flight RFE/RL 17 Jun 2021 -- Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makey starts a two-day visit in Moscow on June 17 focusing on the status of Russian citizen Sofia Sapega, the girlfriend of the detained Belarusian opposition activist Raman Pratasevich.
- Watchdog Says Belarus Health Workers Pay 'Heavy Price' For Political Crisis RFE/RL 17 Jun 2021 -- Amnesty International says Belarusian health workers who participated in anti-government demonstrations or spoke out against official accounts are facing "brutal reprisals."
- Trial Date Set For Belarusian Vlogger Tsikhanouski, Other Opposition Figures RFE/RL 15 Jun 2021 -- A court in Belarus has set June 24 as the date for the start of a trial of Belarusian video blogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski, a leading opposition figure who was arrested after expressing his willingness to challenge Alyaksandr Lukashenka in last year's disputed presidential election.
- Russia Reportedly Removes Belarusian Opposition Leader From Wanted List RFE/RL 15 Jun 2021 -- Russian police have removed Belarusian opposition politician Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya from their wanted list at the initiative of the Belarusian authorities, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reports.
- Belarus Opposition Says Detained Blogger Pratasevich Paraded As 'Trophy' At Media Event RFE/RL 14 Jun 2021 -- Belarusian authorities have paraded detained opposition blogger Raman Pratasevich at a news conference during which they gave their disputed version of why they diverted a Ryanair commercial fight last month that has triggered international condemnation and sanctions.
- Minsk Court Rejects Appeal Of Woman Arrested On Diverted Flight RFE/RL 14 Jun 2021 -- A court in Minsk has rejected an appeal by a Russian citizen who was arrested with her boyfriend, Belarusian blogger Raman Pratasevich, after their international flight was diverted by a Belarusian warplane last month and forced to land in Minsk.
- Jailed Belarusian Journalist Raman Pratasevich Appears at Press Conference VOA 14 Jun 2021 -- A jailed Belarusian journalist has made another public appearance during a news conference in Minsk Monday.
- 'Always Nearby': Belarusian Ruler's Right-Hand Man, Rumored To Run Death Squads, Abruptly Resigns RFE/RL 12 Jun 2021 -- Viktar Sheiman, one of Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka's closest allies and a figure believed to have run death squads in the past, has abruptly resigned.
- U.K. Foreign Minister Says Belarus Moving Toward 'Pariah Status' RFE/RL 11 Jun 2021 -- British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has warned that Belarus may be slipping "into pariah status" after it recently forced a civilian aircraft to land in Minsk to arrest opposition activist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend.
- Belarus Sentences Ex-Presidential Candidate's Staff To Prison For 'Preparing Mass Riots' With Laser Pointers RFE/RL 11 Jun 2021 -- Four members of a Belarusian presidential candidate's team have been sentenced to five years in a maximum-security prison for preparing "mass riots" in the wake of last year's contested election that extended strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka's rule.
- European Parliament Calls For Harsh Economic Sanctions On 'Criminal' Belarusian Regime RFE/RL 11 Jun 2021 -- The European Parliament has called for sweeping economic sanctions and a raft of other measures against Belarus in response to growing repression and the forced landing of a plane flying between two EU capitals to arrest opposition activist Raman Pratasevich.
- US extends previous sanctions on Belarusian officials for another year Press TV 10 Jun 2021 -- The United States has extended its punitive sanctions against Belarusian officials for another year, claiming that the European country allegedly poses "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to the US.
- RFE/RL President Says Lukashenka Has Discussed Adopting 'Foreign Agents' Law RFE/RL 09 Jun 2021 -- RFE/RL President Jamie Fly told a U.S. Senate committee on June 9 that Belarusian authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka has discussed copying Russia's "foreign agents" law to further restrict media freedom in Belarus.
- Belarus Opposition Leader Seeks Tribunal to Investigate Lukashenko VOA 09 Jun 2021 -- A Belarusian opposition leader has called for creation of an international tribunal to investigate war crimes allegedly committed by authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
- Lukashenka Turning Belarus Into North Korea Of Europe, Tsikhanouskaya Tells U.S. Senators RFE/RL 09 Jun 2021 -- Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya told U.S. lawmakers on June 9 that authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka is turning Belarus into "a North Korea of Europe" and urged the United States to expand sanctions against the people and enterprises who finance his regime.
- 'Lukashenka's Hell': Tsikhanouskaya Calls On West To Sting Belarus Regime With Tougher Sanctions RFE/RL 08 Jun 2021 -- Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for tougher Western sanctions to be imposed on the government of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, saying they are the only way to hurt the authoritarian ruler's regime.
- Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to the Actions and Policies of Certain Members of the Government of Belarus and other Persons to Undermine Democratic Processes or Institutions of Belarus The White House 08 Jun 2021
- Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to the Actions and Policies of Certain Members of the Government of Belarus and other Persons to Undermine Democratic Processes or Institutions of Belarus The White House 08 Jun 2021
- Rights experts decry 'black hole' for media freedoms in Belarus UN News 07 Jun 2021 -- UN independent human rights experts have called for the immediate release of a jailed social media activist in Belarus amid what they described as a "black hole" for media freedoms in the country, according to a statement issued on Monday.
- NATO Chief Says Belarus Becoming 'More And More Dependent' On Russia RFE/RL 06 Jun 2021 -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Belarus is becoming "more and more dependent" on Russia following the nation's isolation by the West in the wake of its brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters.
- Prominent Belarusian Political Analyst Flees Country RFE/RL 05 Jun 2021 -- A prominent Belarusian political analyst has fled the country, saying he fears being imprisoned, days after being named by detained journalist Raman Pratasevich in a televised interview widely considered to have been given under duress.
- The Week In Russia: Two Countries, Two Crackdowns RFE/RL 04 Jun 2021 -- The Kremlin crackdown continued apace as State Duma elections expected at the end of summer draw closer, with the head of a civil society group that dissolved itself in a bid to spare members from possible prosecution being targeted anyway, among others. Meanwhile, Moscow dismissed Western criticism as Alyaksandr Lukashenka pursued his own harrowing clampdown in Belarus.
- Belarus Aircraft Banned From Flying Over EU VOA 04 Jun 2021 -- The European Union announced Friday it is banning all flights from Belarus from flying over EU airspace and denying them access to all EU airports.
- EU To Seal Off Its Skies, Airports To Belarusian Carriers RFE/RL 04 Jun 2021 -- The European Union has strengthened restrictive measures against Belarus by introducing a ban on the overflight of EU airspace and on access to EU airports by Belarusian carriers in response to Minsk's forced diversion of a passenger flight last month and the arrest of a dissent journalist.
- EU bans Belarus airlines from using its airspace from midnight Press TV 04 Jun 2021 -- The European Union (EU) has banned Belarusian airlines from using the bloc's airspace or airports, as part of punitive measures, amid tense relations over the last month's grounding of an intra-EU flight in Minsk.
- Belarus to cut US diplomatic staff, tighten visa procedures over sanctions Press TV 04 Jun 2021 -- The Belarusian foreign ministry has announced plans for the reduction of US diplomatic staff in the country and tightening visa procedures for the Americans after Washington imposed sanctions against a number of companies in Belarus.
- Tearful 'Confession' By Belarusian Journalist Sparks Fresh Outcry Over His Treatment RFE/RL 04 Jun 2021 -- A new video featuring Raman Pratasevich has sparked a fresh outcry, with the opposition and the parents of the Belarusian journalist saying he had been coerced into making the statements and urging the international community to apply further pressure on strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
- Belarus To Cut U.S. Embassy Staff As Part Of Retaliatory Sanctions RFE/RL 03 Jun 2021 -- Belarus says it is reducing the permitted number of diplomats and other staff at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk and tightening visa procedures for American citizens, in response to U.S. sanctions imposed on the Eastern European country over a sweeping crackdown on the opposition.
- What Is The Belarusian 'Pressure Chamber' Threat That Drove This Activist To Attempt Suicide? RFE/RL 02 Jun 2021 -- Belarusian activist Stsyapan Latypau, jailed for more than six months on charges he denies, was locked behind bars in a Minsk courtroom on June 1 when he was given the chance to question a character witness who had been called to testify on his behalf.
- Will Lukashenka's 'Outrageous' Conduct Hit Wealth Of Serbian Brothers Once Close To Milosevic? RFE/RL 02 Jun 2021 -- A $3.5 billion residential and commercial real-estate project being developed on the site of a former aerodrome in Minsk is expected to change the face of the Belarusian capital.
- Associates Of Jailed Belarusian Blogger Tsikhanouski Given Prison Terms RFE/RL 02 Jun 2021 -- Three associates of jailed Belarusian blogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski, the husband of opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, have been handed prison terms in the western city of Hrodna as the authorities continue to tighten their clampdown on dissent.
- Belarus Bans Most Citizens From Foreign Travel, Citing COVID-19 RFE/RL 02 Jun 2021 -- Belarus has temporarily banned most of its citizens from crossing the border, citing the COVID-19 pandemic, a move the opposition says is a further step to limit freedoms amid a brutal crackdown on dissent by authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
- NATO's Stoltenberg, Britain's Johnson Support Action Against Belarus VOA 02 Jun 2021 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson each expressed support Wednesday for a strong response against Belarus for its actions in arresting an opposition journalist.
- NATO restricts access to its HQ by Belarusian diplomats People's Daily 01 Jun 2021 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has restricted access to its headquarters by members of Belarus' diplomatic mission, the alliance's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said Monday, citing "assessment of security measures at the headquarters."
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
