Belarus sanctions: 21 individuals listed

Summary#

These final regulations add 21 people to the sanctions list in the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations. The change took effect on registration day, April 12, 2024, and was published in the Canada Gazette on April 24, 2024. The listed people face asset freezes and bans on most dealings with anyone in Canada.

What it does#

• Amends Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations to add 21 named individuals.
• The listed people are described as current or former senior Belarusian officials involved in internal affairs (security forces, prosecutors, the judiciary, and penal/“education” colony administrators).
• As a consequence of being listed:
  • Canadians and people in Canada are prohibited from dealing in their property, providing them services, or making goods available to them.
  • Their names will be added to the Consolidated Canadian Autonomous Sanctions List.
  • They become inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Names added (as listed in the regulations):

• Ruslan Khikmetavich Mashadziyeu
• Sergey Vladimirovich Karchevsky (born June 15, 1983)
• Svetlana Aleksandrovna Bondarenko
• Roman Ivanovich Bizyuk (born March 25, 1986)
• Andrei Romanovich Tarasevich (born November 10, 1974)
• Anna Mikhailovna Osipenko (born December 7, 1982)
• Sergey Vasilyevich Masliukov
• Yevgeny Valerievich Bubich (born June 3, 1979)
• Yury Ivanovich Vasilevich
• Aliaksandr Uladzimirovich Karnienka
• Andrei Siarheevich Palchik
• Aliaksandr Uladzimirovich Karol (born June 28, 1992)
• Mikhail Mikhailavich Murashkin (born September 9, 1989)
• Mikalai Vasilievich Maksimovich (born February 25, 1977)
• Valyantsina Mikalaeuna Ziankevich (born January 8, 1969)
• Zinaida Vasilieuna Balabalava
• Halina Knizhonak
• Hanna Borisovna Leusik (born October 7, 1973)
• Henadz Ivanavich Kudlasevich (born May 5, 1973)
• Ina Leanidauna Paulouskaya (born July 29, 1975)
• Dmitry Vitalievich Bubenchik (born July 15, 1985)

Who's affected#

• The 21 newly listed individuals (and people or businesses that deal with them).
• Canadian banks and financial institutions, which must update monitoring systems and block or report dealings with listed people.
• Businesses and service providers in Canada that might otherwise have dealings with these individuals — they must not provide goods or services to them.
• The listed people are also now inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
• The listing is unlikely to affect most Canadians or Canadian businesses because the government says these individuals have limited links to Canada.

Why it matters#

• This is part of Canada’s response to continuing human rights abuses in Belarus since the 2020 election. The measure adds targeted pressure on people seen as responsible for repression.
• In practical terms, the listed people will have any assets in Canada blocked and cannot legally receive services or goods from people in Canada. Financial institutions will screen for their names.
• Breaking the rules can carry penalties under the Special Economic Measures Act, including fines (up to $25,000 on summary conviction) and jail (up to 1 year on summary conviction, or up to 5 years on indictment).
• The action aligns Canada with international partners using sanctions to respond to human rights concerns.