USA and Europe impose sanctions against Belarus's Lukashenko

The United States and the European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko and scores of other officials in Belarus for a broad crackdown on the opposition after the fraudulent presidential election late last year.

Under the sanctions, Mr. Lukashenko and others will be prohibited from entering the United States or the European Union, and any of their assets held in those territories will be frozen. In addition, Washington adopted measures against one of Belarus's largest government-owned companies, according to New York Times.

"I welcome today's Council's decision to impose travel restrictions and an asset freeze against Belarusian officials responsible for fraudulent 2010 presidential elections and the subsequent violent crackdown on the democratic opposition, civil society and independent media," said European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek.

The Council imposed travel restrictions and an asset freeze against persons responsible of the controversial elections held on December 19. In addition, the Council decided to reinstate the travel restrictions imposed on certain persons in Belarus in relation to the 2004 and 2006 elections.

Such travel restrictions have been suspended since October 2008. The restrictive measures and the list of persons sanctioned will be under constant review from the Council. The names of the sanctioned officials were not disclosed, Oneindia reports.