Entry to EU Banned For Belarusian Judges and Prosecutors

RFE/RL reports, the Council of the EU countries has extended the list of unwelcome officials for whom the entry to the territory of the EU is banned. They are a judge of Maskouski court of Minsk Aliaksei Rybakou, who had sentenced the former candidate for the president’s office Alexander Kazulin to 5.5 years of imprisonment; and a staff member of Maskouski prosecutor’s office Siarhei Bortnik, who was the state prosecutor in the trial over Kazulin.

Judge of Centralny court of Minsk Leanid Yasenovich, who heard the case of “Partnership”, and representative of the Centralny prosecutor’s office Andrei Mihun, who was the state prosecutor in the closed trial, are on the black list as well. Leanid Yasenovich sentenced Enira Branitskaya and Alexander Shalaika to 6 months of arrest, Tsimafei Dranchuk to 1 year of jail, and Mikalai Astreika -- to 2 years of jail.

Earlier 37 Belarusian officials, including Alexander Lukashenka, were on the visa ban list. The main reasons for the ban to enter the EU countries are implication in abductions and assassinations of opposition leaders, crack down on peaceful rallies, rigging election results and passing of politically motivated sentences.