US joins EU in Belarus sanctions

THE European Union was joined by the United States yesterday in imposing sanctions on Belarus in retaliation for a crackdown on political protesters after an election that both said was fraudulent.

EU leaders slapped expanded sanctions on Belarus and condemned a crackdown against opposition protesters in Minsk.

The 25 European leaders said the March 19 presidential vote that returned President Alexander Lukashenko to office was “fundamentally flawed”, adding that they would “take restrictive measures against those ... responsible for the violation of international electoral standards”.

They called Belarus a “sad exception ... on a continent of open and democratic societies”.

The EU leaders lent their support to opposition groups in Belarus fighting for democratic reforms. “Their continuing and brave efforts to advance the cause of democracy in exceptionally difficult circumstances deserve our full recognition and support,” they said.

EU officials say new sanctions against Belarus will probably include a travel ban against Mr Lukashenko.

Police detained hundreds of demonstrators early yesterday who had spent a fourth night in a central square to protest Mr Lukashenko’s election victory.

The EU has already declared that the presidential vote, which gave Mr Lukashenko a third consecutive term, was not free and fair and violated international democratic norms.

No economic sanctions are foreseen, officials have said, adding they want to focus their attention on political leaders rather than punishing Belarusians.

In Washington, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Washington would act in unison with the European Union in applying targeted travel restrictions and financial sanctions against Mr Lukashenko and others.

The arrests of protesters yesterday came after half a dozen large police buses and 75 helmeted riot police with clubs pulled up to Oktyabrskaya Square in central Minsk.

A reporter on the scene said police wrestled about 40 to 50 of the demonstrators, who were resisting, into buses.

The rest of the approximately 200 demonstrators were taken into custody without apparent resistance.

As police rushed forward to begin seizing demonstrators, a man who was apparently heading the operation said: “I told you not to beat them,” according to a local journalist.

Another journalist said she saw police kick a few demonstrators who fell as they were being hustled onto the bus.

By the end of the 10-15 minute operation, all of the protesters had been taken away, leaving only their tents, some gear and rubbish.

City workers soon came and began throwing the remains of the camp into lorries. Two bulldozers also dumped debris into the trucks.

Police had been detaining opposition supporters and would-be protesters away from the square, but yesterday’s arrests marked the first time they had tried to forcefully eject the demonstrators en masse.

“The authorities are destroying freedom, truth and justice. There was only enough democracy for three days and this shows the essence of the regime that has been established in Belarus,” opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich said.

Their action followed his warning on Thursday that increased persecution would only strengthen protests against the authoritarian government.

“The people on the square were courageous,” Mr Milinkevich said, speaking while on his way to a jail where detainees were taken. “They got up off their knees and together with them all of Belarus stood up.”