EU commission chief Von der Leyen supports sanctions on Belarusian officials

Close to seven thousand people have been detained in a police crackdown, that followed President Alexander Lukashenko’s disputed re-election. The EU commission chief Ursula Von der Leyen has said she supports sanctions on Belarusian officials who violated democratic values or abused human rights. The government in Belarus has begun releasing people detained during days of protests that followed President Lukashenko’s disputed re-election over the weekend. As some of the detainees were freed from custody, the Belarus interior minister issued an apology for injuries inflicted on demonstrators. This apparent concession comes as there’s growing pressure both at home and abroad – and as more disturbing reports emerged of abuse at the hands of security officials. For those whose loved ones remain missing, trust in the system has been shattered.