Canada imposes sanctions on Belarus on anniversary of fraudulent 2020 election

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada has imposed sanctions on 10 people and six entities on the anniversary of the fraudulent 2020 presidential elections in Belarus.

The sanctions are in response to what Joly describes as Belarus's ongoing and systematic human rights abuses and support for Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

The sanctions list includes judges who Canada says have arbitrarily condemned citizens for expressing their opposition to the 2020 elections.

It also includes people who co-ordinate military production with Russia in Belarus.

Canada also sanctioned entities that are involved in the production and repair of military equipment used in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and state-owned enterprises that intimidated and fired employees involved in peaceful protests and strikes after the 2020 election.

The measures were imposed in co-ordination with the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.