The Belarusian “People’s Anti-Crisis Management” (NAU), headed by Pavel Latushko, a member of the Presidium of the Opposition Coordination Council, will ask the largest foreign financial organizations to block the accounts of state banks Belarusbank and Belinvestbank for supporting the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko. A message about this appeared in the organization’s Telegram channel.
The opposition accuses Belarusbank and Belinvestbank of servicing the accounts of the Belarusian OMON and other law enforcement agencies that have come under foreign sanctions. By her actions, she intends to achieve the suspension of the international operations of these banks, thereby complicating the state financing of the security forces.
“NAU sent letters to foreign banks Citibank, Raiffeisen, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank to close the correspondent accounts of Belarusbank and Belinvestbank,” the message says.
The activists noted that the presented initiative is part of the campaign “Belarusian Liberation. Spring-2021”. “It is aimed at blocking services in banks of structures responsible for falsifications, violence and repression against peaceful Belarusian citizens,” the NAU noted.
Earlier it was reported that the European Union extended the sanctions against Belarus for a year. It is clarified that restrictions against high-ranking Belarusian officials, as well as against companies and businessmen “benefiting from the regime” of President Alexander Lukashenko, will remain until February 28, 2022.
In Belarus, protests have been going on for more than six months after the presidential elections on August 9, 2020. Actions of those who disagree with the results are harshly suppressed by law enforcement agencies. Tens of thousands of people were detained, many spoke of torture and beating in isolation wards. Four people died in clashes with security forces.