Switzerland aligned with the EU’s fifth sanctions package adopted as a response to the major human rights violations being committed by the Belarusian authorities as well as their fostering the migration crisis on the EU borders.
On December 2, the Council of the European Union decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional 17 individuals and 11 entities in view of the situation in Belarus. The same persons and companies have been added to the Swiss black list.
The decision targets prominent members of the judicial branch, including the Supreme Court, and the State Control Committee, as well as propaganda outlets (e.g. notorious anchorman Marat Markau) and ministries (e.g. MFA spokesman Anatol Hlaz) contributing to continuing repression of civil society, democratic opposition, independent media outlets and journalists.
The list also includes high-ranking political officials of the Lukashenka regime, as well as companies (such as Belavia Airlines), tour operators (Tsentrkurort, Oskartour) and hotels (Minsk, Planeta) that helped incite and organise illegal border crossings through Belarus to the EU, and in this way participated in the instrumentalisation of migration for political purposes.
