EU Sanctions Against Belarus — New Individual Listings (December 2024)

Belarus Virtual Consult

On 16 December 2024, the Council of the European Union added 26 individuals and 2 entities to the EU sanctions list against Belarus, continuing the steady expansion of designations targeting those responsible for repression and for Belarus's facilitation of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Focus of Designations

The December 2024 listings focused on three main categories of individuals and entities:

Judicial and law enforcement officials — judges, prosecutors and investigative authorities involved in politically motivated criminal cases against opposition figures, activists and journalists
Prison and detention authorities — officials responsible for conditions in penal colonies and detention facilities where political prisoners are held, including those where deaths in custody have been reported
Military and security officials — senior officers involved in Belarus's continued logistical and military support for Russian operations in Ukraine

State of Political Repression in Belarus

At the time of the December 2024 designations, international human rights organisations estimated that between 1,200 and 1,500 political prisoners remained incarcerated in Belarus. A number of prominent figures had died in custody under circumstances human rights groups characterised as resulting from deliberate mistreatment, denial of medical care, or torture. The situation faced by political prisoners had worsened significantly compared to 2020-2021: many were held in near-total isolation, family visits had been suspended or severely restricted, and access for consular officials to imprisoned foreign nationals had been systematically denied.

Entities Listed

The two entities added in December 2024 were identified as facilitating either the financing of the Lukashenko regime or the circumvention of existing EU sanctions through indirect trade channels.

Cumulative Scale

Following the December 2024 package, the total number of individuals subject to EU travel bans and asset freezes in relation to Belarus exceeded 280 persons, with over 40 entities designated. The measures spanned a legal framework covering both the domestic repression situation and Belarus's active role in Russia's war in Ukraine.