Belarusian President Lukashenko declared persona non grata by Baltic states

As protests continue in Belarus, the Baltic states have blacklisted President Lukashenko and some 30 other figures for electoral fraud, involving movement restrictions.

Nikolay PETROV / BELTA / AFP

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The Baltic states are shifting into high gear, as protests in neighboring Belarus enter their 4th week.

Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have blacklisted President Alexander Lukashenko for alleged electoral fraud and crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Thirty other personalities linked to the regime are also targeted.

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Among the personalities who fall under the sanctions: the eldest son of the Belarusian head of state, Viktor Lukashenko, his father's right-hand man for questions relating to national security, but also the head of the KGB Valery Vakalchik or the head of the central electoral commission Lydia Ermoshina.

Officials in those countries neighboring Belarus do not recognize the result of the August 9 ballot, which credited the outgoing president with more than 80 percent of the vote.

A result considered unrealistic by part of

Belarusian society which has been mobilizing en masse

for more than three weeks.

For the

third Sunday in a row

, protests in Minsk brought together tens of thousands of people.

But this movement was marked by numerous arrests. 

►

To listen: Belarus: the dispute at an impasse?

" 

Show the example to other countries

 "

The travel restrictions imposed by the Baltic countries aim to punish personalities who took part in the massive presidential frauds or the repression that followed.

By including Alexander Lukashenko on their blacklist, Latvia,

Lithuania

and Estonia also intend to send a message to other European countries who are reluctant to sanction the Belarusian president. 

" 

We see that we must move forward and set an example for other countries,

 " said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, whose country hosts opposition candidate

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya

.

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  • Belarus

  • Alexander Lukashenko

  • Estonia

  • Latvia

  • Lithuania

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