European Parliament Calls for New Belarus, China Sanctions

The European Parliament is pushing the EU to impose new sanctions against government officials for human rights abuses in Belarus and Tibet.

In a resolution passed last week, Parliament said the bloc should “increase pressure” on the Belarusian government through new sanctions, including on those responsible for human rights violations and war crimes in the country. They said the Belarus government currently holds 1,500 political prisoners at the direction of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Another resolution urged the EU to sanction Chinese officials involved in efforts to “eliminate the distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious traditions among Tibetans and other minorities,” including Uyghurs. They said efforts by China “to forcibly assimilate Tibetan children” violates international human rights laws.